What is the ruling on holding mixed classes between men and women in a small room of the mosque?

The questioner : What is the ruling on holding mixed classes between men and women in a small room of the mosque? Please inform us, may Allah reward you.

The Shaykh : Mixing is among the forbidden means in Islam, falling under what is known among scholars as blocking the means to harm. It is known to every Muslim man and woman alike the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) established this system in the rows of men and the rows of women, distinguishing between the two sexes. The best of the rows of men are the front ones, while the best of the rows of women are the back ones, and vice versa. This is only to keep evil away from both sexes, even in the best of places, which is the mosque. It came in the authentic hadith, the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Between this good and that evil, there are undoubtedly different places. However, no place containing good can equal the good of the best of places, which are the mosques. Likewise, other places that are like markets in terms of evil are not our concern now. If the best of places are the mosques, and yet the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) placed a barrier between men and women to avert fitnah, what can a Muslim say when mixing occurs outside the mosque between women and men, as is the reality today in most existing universities, even in some Islamic countries, where women mix with men under the claim that this is an academic sanctuary where no harm is feared? This is sheer stubbornness, the like of which is unknown, and it is known to everyone who has studied, learned, and looked into the harms that occur, especially in Western universities. If the place is narrow, as mentioned in the question, and women mix with men, there is no doubt that harm will be imminent. We ask Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to avert from us all means that lead to fitnah between the two sexes. Among the means the wise Lawgiver considered in order to keep evil away from both sexes is what came in "Sahih al-Bukhari": "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he finished his prayer, would remain in his place for a short while." Some narrators said: "We thought that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) only remained so that the women would leave before the men, so that they would not mix with the men on the way." Even in leaving, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) adopted this means so that the two sexes would not mix on the way, even though they had left, if Allah wills, in a state of purity, because they had been in prayer, which is an expiation for sins. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also established another means for women to enter the mosque by designating a door for them from which men do not enter the mosque, but which is exclusively for women. This is what came in some of the books of Sunan, including "Sunan Abu Dawud" (may Allah have mercy on him), where he narrated with his authentic chain from Nafi' from Ibn 'Umar that he said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entered one day from one of the doors of the mosque and said (peace and blessings be upon him): 'If we were to leave this door for the women.'" Nafi' (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Thus, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) organized the relationship of each of the two sexes with the other, and the goal of that was to prevent mixing. Therefore, women sitting with men in one room, especially since I do not imagine that all these women are wearing the Shari'ah-prescribed jilbab, and that they would maintain modesty and dignity in their sitting with men, is not permissible. There will inevitably be a smile or a laugh from one of them there, which will be a cause of fitnah. Therefore, such a gathering in such a place is not permissible. It is necessary to observe the separation between the two sexes and keep one away from the other as much as possible. We ask Allah for success for you and for us.
Yes.