The ruling on a women's prayer area adjacent to the men's, with a partition wall
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The questioner: He also says: In Hadramaut, we have mosques for women that are directly attached to the men's mosques, where the women perform the obligatory prayers—and he has drawn a diagram on the paper, may Allah reward him with good, illustrating the two mosques—and the question is: Do women have separate mosques?
The Shaykh: You mean: in the rear of the mosque...?
The presenter: Yes, it is placed on the left side of the mosque. He drew it on the left side of the mosque, facing the mihrab, or slightly shorter than the mihrab. He also says: There is also a door separating the women's mosque from the men's mosque, and when the prayer begins, the door is opened and the women pray with the men. The door between the mosque and the women's mosque is opened, and the women pray with the men in their area, knowing that they are not behind the men but exactly parallel to them, like the red color in the diagram. He placed a red color inside the mosque, which is the men's mosque, and outside the women's mosque, meaning: they are parallel to the men and behind the imam.
The Shaykh: Parallel to the men's rows?
The presenter: Yes.
The Shaykh: Parallel to the men's rows?
The presenter: Yes, but behind the imam.
Answer: Yes, we are not aware of any basis for there being separate mosques for them. Rather, it is well known that they pray behind the men in the rear of the mosque. This is preferable: that they be in the rear of the mosque behind the men. This is the Sunnah: that they be behind the men in the rear of the mosque. However, if these women are placed to the right of the men or to the left of the men, there is no harm, and it is valid; because they are not mixing with the men, so it is permissible for them to be with them in this manner. If their rows conceal the men's rows from the right or left side, then the prayer is valid in that case. Their prayer is valid, and there is no blame on them for that.
But the best and most preferable is for their prayer areas to be behind the men in the rear of the mosques, and for there to be some kind of screen between them and the men, which is good, so that one can pray without fatigue or hardship. If there are screens between them and the men, but they do not prevent the ma'mum (those praying behind the imam) from seeing them, and do not prevent hearing the imam's voice, this is the best. However, their presence to the right of the rows or to the left of the rows, as mentioned here, has no harm in it, if Allah wills. Yes; because they benefit from the imam's prayer, from the sermon, and from any sermons that may take place. All of this is permissible. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Abi Dawud 566 But they must go out without displaying their adornment, without perfume, and without uncovering, so as not to tempt the men. Yes.
The Shaykh: You mean: in the rear of the mosque...?
The presenter: Yes, it is placed on the left side of the mosque. He drew it on the left side of the mosque, facing the mihrab, or slightly shorter than the mihrab. He also says: There is also a door separating the women's mosque from the men's mosque, and when the prayer begins, the door is opened and the women pray with the men. The door between the mosque and the women's mosque is opened, and the women pray with the men in their area, knowing that they are not behind the men but exactly parallel to them, like the red color in the diagram. He placed a red color inside the mosque, which is the men's mosque, and outside the women's mosque, meaning: they are parallel to the men and behind the imam.
The Shaykh: Parallel to the men's rows?
The presenter: Yes.
The Shaykh: Parallel to the men's rows?
The presenter: Yes, but behind the imam.
Answer: Yes, we are not aware of any basis for there being separate mosques for them. Rather, it is well known that they pray behind the men in the rear of the mosque. This is preferable: that they be in the rear of the mosque behind the men. This is the Sunnah: that they be behind the men in the rear of the mosque. However, if these women are placed to the right of the men or to the left of the men, there is no harm, and it is valid; because they are not mixing with the men, so it is permissible for them to be with them in this manner. If their rows conceal the men's rows from the right or left side, then the prayer is valid in that case. Their prayer is valid, and there is no blame on them for that.
But the best and most preferable is for their prayer areas to be behind the men in the rear of the mosques, and for there to be some kind of screen between them and the men, which is good, so that one can pray without fatigue or hardship. If there are screens between them and the men, but they do not prevent the ma'mum (those praying behind the imam) from seeing them, and do not prevent hearing the imam's voice, this is the best. However, their presence to the right of the rows or to the left of the rows, as mentioned here, has no harm in it, if Allah wills. Yes; because they benefit from the imam's prayer, from the sermon, and from any sermons that may take place. All of this is permissible. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Do not prevent the female servant your women from visiting the mosques of Allah.
لا تمنعوا إماء الله مساجد الله
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.
