Thread by @HindMakki

It's not legally binding, and some will think it's not inclusive enough while others will think it's gone too far, but it's v important to have the Fiqh Council of North America's fatwa/legal opinion on women in the mosque in writing.

fiqhcouncil.org/the-inclusion-…

"We, the undersigned Muslim scholars, leaders, organizations and concerned Muslims, voice our strong commitment to uphold and realize the Prophetic ideal of masjids being open and inclusive of women. Striving to realize the Prophetic model, we call upon all masjids to ensure...

1) women are welcomed as an integral part of masjids and encouraged to attend, 2) women have a prayer space in the main musalla which is behind the lines of men but not behind a full barrier that disconnects women from the main musalla and prevents them from seeing the imam; and

(3) women actively participate in the decision-making process of the masjid, best realized by having women on the governing bodies of masjids.

The general guideline was set by Prophet Muhammad (P) when he ordered that women be allowed to freely attend the masjid: “If the wife of anyone of you asks permission to attend the masjid, he should not prevent her.”

When Ibn Umar’s son, Bilal, responded to this hadith by saying “We will prevent them,” Ibn Umar harshly reprimanded his son for the audacity of opposing the explicit instruction of the Prophet (P)

Thus we call on all our masjids to be welcoming to women—such that their experience at the masjid be uplifting and not demeaning. To realize the ideal of being welcoming to women, masjids should (a) ensure that women’s accommodations are comfortable, clean and well-lit;

(b) support and facilitate women’s activities and groups; and (c) proclaim clearly on the minbar and by other means that women are an integral part of the masjid.

The hadith that “the best prayer of a woman is in her house,” cannot be taken as a general guideline, because the great female companions, including the Prophet’s wives, prayed in the Prophet’s masjid. If the hadith was supposed to apply to all women,

...the female companions would not have gone to the masjid. The best understanding of this hadith, is that an allowance exists for some women to pray at home depending on their circumstances, but it cannot be interpreted as a ruling for all women at all times.

The masjid of Prophet Muhammad (P) and the masjids during the time of the Four Rightly-Guided Caliphs did not have a barrier separating men and women. Men prayed in the front lines, children in the middle, and women behind the children.

All schools of Islamic Law, Sunni and Shi’ah, agree. So why should we adopt any other ideal? When women are in the
musalla, they are more attentive, more engaged, better able to fulfill their function as awliya’ - supporters & contributors to establishing the Muslim community.

We call upon masjids to ensure that women have access to the main musalla to perform salah, listen to the Jum’ah khutbah or attend and participate in lectures or discussions. This should be in addition to any separate area that currently exists for women.

The Prophet (P) did not have a formal shura process, but he did set the example of consulting with all segments of the Muslim community, including women. Masjids in North America, however, do have formal decision-making mechanisms, and it is, therefore, incumbent that women

participate in all processes of formal shura, including serving on the governing bodies of masjids. Also from an American legal standpoint and a best practice perspective, masjid boards should be representative and gender inclusive.