Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Asslam alikum Brother,

my question is can the lady is permissible to lead the Juma prayer with khutba for the ladies, please let us know according to quran and sunnah.As we know AmmaAyesha is to lead the fard prayers with ladies.

jazakalla,

Sister

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Woman lead Friday prayers of women

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.58

Hadrat Aishah (r.a.) used to lead the women in salah and stand with the women in the middle of the first row. Umm Salamah (r.a.) would also do so. The Prophet (saws) appointed Waraqah to go and make the adhan for her while he (saws) instructed her to lead the women of her household in the obligatory prayers.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) allowed and permitted the women to lead normal congregational prayers of women; thus it is absolutely permissible for a woman to lead other women in congregational prayers.

The term ‘Jumuah’ is derived from the Arabic root word ‘Jama’ which means a gathering; thus ‘Yaum-ul-Jumuah’ or Friday means the ‘day of gathering’, and the ‘Jumuah’ prayer signifies and implies that the believers gather in a place with the sole intention to worship their Lord together.

It is absolutely obligatory that the ‘Jumuah’ or mid-day Friday prayer is prayed by a gathering of the believers at an appointed place, listen to the sermon of the speaker, and then offer a two-rakah prayer in congregation altogether. If for any reason one is late or misses the two-rakah congregational prayer of ‘Jumuah’, he cannot re-pray the two-rakah Jumuah prayer by himself, but must pray a normal four-rakah Dhuhr prayer.

No individual, whether a man or a woman, can offer the ‘Jumuah’ or the two-rakah Friday congregational prayer individually or with only a few people at one’s home. If one intends to offer the prescribed ‘Jumuah’ prayer, one must gather with the believers at the appointed place of worship, listen to the sermon and then offer the two-rakah prayer in congregation with the believers all together.

If one for any reason in unable to attend the prescribed ‘Jumuah’ gathering and prayer, one must offer a normal four-rakah Dhuhr prayer.

The Jumua sermon or prayer in congregation is not fard or obligatory upon the believing women like it is for the men in Islam. If there is a Masjid in the vicinity where the Jumua prayer is being held, there is absolutely no harm if a woman wishes to attend the Jumua sermon and prayer in congregation with the believers.

But to the best of our knowledge, there is absolutely no evidence in the authentic and established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) whereby he (saws) allowed the believing women to lead the Jumua sermon and prayer amongst the womenfolk. Because the Jumua sermon and prayer in congregation is not obligatory upon the believing woman in Islam, if there is no masjid in the vicinity for the women how wish to attend the Jumua congregation, she should offer the prescribed four rakahs of dhuhr prayers as she would do on any other day….and that would more than suffice to fulfill her prayer obligations towards her Lord.

Although the Messenger of Allah (saws) did not prohibit the believing women from going to the mosques, he (saws) guided them that the prayers they offer in their homes is better and more meritorious in the Sight of Allah than her prayers offered in the mosques.

Ibn 'Umar reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "Do not prevent the women from going to the mosques, although their houses are better for them."

Related by Ahmad and Abu Dawud.

Umm Humaid as-Sa'diyah came to the Messenger of Allah(saws) and said: "O Messenger of Allah (saws), I love to pray with you." The Prophet (saws) said: "I am aware of that, but your salah in your residence is better for you than your salah in your people's mosque."

Related by Ahmad and at-Tabarani

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan