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:

Assalam-o-Alaikum. Dear Brother Burhan. This time i am here with some matters which are causing much confusion to me.Please give early reply as soon as possible ):

Is it forbidden for a woman to lead the Jama`at prayers; is it mentioned in some authentic Hadith that a woman can not be made the Imam of the congregational prayers of women ???

Please give detailed and xplicit replies to these questions.

Over to you with kind regards. 

(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:

Can women lead congregational prayers?

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.

You question: Is it forbidden for a woman to lead the Jama`at prayers; is it mentioned in some authentic Hadith that a woman can not be made the Imam of the congregational prayers of women ???

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.58

It is preferred to have a woman imam for women

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

There is absolutely no restriction for a woman to lead congregational prayers of women (only); the one difference is that the woman imam will not stand ahead of the congregation, but rather with the women in the middle of the first row.

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

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan