What is the ruling on building partition walls between the women's and men's prayer areas in mosques?
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The questioner: That is, it is preferable that he prays in it and the woman prays in the last row, for example, this wall right here.
The Shaykh: It varies, meaning the imam is in that room and the women are here, so the women do not see the men and the men do not see the women, like this!
The questioner: Yes, indeed, so does the hadith apply?
The Shaykh: Before I answer you, do you see this partition as prescribed?
The questioner: That is, do you want to say that it is one of the innovations in mosques?
The Shaykh: Yes, hehehe, and therefore, whatever is built upon a defective foundation is defective.
The questioner: All right.
The Shaykh: We must, in truth, I feel with my own hands the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih al-Bukhari 6098, and the saying of the scholars: "All good is in following the Salaf, and all evil is in the innovation of the Khalaf." The women used to attend the Prophet's Mosque without a doubt, and the Prophet's Mosque was not as spacious as it is now, as is certainly known, so no one built a partition like this wall.
The questioner: Now, Shaykh, excuse me, it is a means to fitnah and such.
The Shaykh: I say: Yes, you are bringing up the argument now. The cause of this means to fitnah is the deviation of women from the Shari'ah dress, for example. So the treatment is not that every time a breach occurs, we try to plug it with another breach, with another violation. No, rather we must hold firm and plug it, and by that the breach is closed. In answer to this question, I say: It is not befitting for us to build physical partitions and walls, even if these walls have windows, as you noticed, like in the Salah al-Din mosque near Abu Malik.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Did you notice this?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Good. It is not befitting for this partition to exist. You must see the women as you see the men, but the women must attend wearing the Shari'ah jilbab. The women not showing their persons before the men is a privilege for the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), according to some scholars. But despite that, Aisha went out, and the men broke their fasts, and so on.
The Shaykh: It varies, meaning the imam is in that room and the women are here, so the women do not see the men and the men do not see the women, like this!
The questioner: Yes, indeed, so does the hadith apply?
The Shaykh: Before I answer you, do you see this partition as prescribed?
The questioner: That is, do you want to say that it is one of the innovations in mosques?
The Shaykh: Yes, hehehe, and therefore, whatever is built upon a defective foundation is defective.
The questioner: All right.
The Shaykh: We must, in truth, I feel with my own hands the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad.
خير الهدى هدى محمد - صلى الله عليه وسلم -The questioner: Now, Shaykh, excuse me, it is a means to fitnah and such.
The Shaykh: I say: Yes, you are bringing up the argument now. The cause of this means to fitnah is the deviation of women from the Shari'ah dress, for example. So the treatment is not that every time a breach occurs, we try to plug it with another breach, with another violation. No, rather we must hold firm and plug it, and by that the breach is closed. In answer to this question, I say: It is not befitting for us to build physical partitions and walls, even if these walls have windows, as you noticed, like in the Salah al-Din mosque near Abu Malik.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Did you notice this?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Good. It is not befitting for this partition to exist. You must see the women as you see the men, but the women must attend wearing the Shari'ah jilbab. The women not showing their persons before the men is a privilege for the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), according to some scholars. But despite that, Aisha went out, and the men broke their fasts, and so on.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.