Issues and Questions

Partition for Women inside the Masjid
By Dr Muzammil H. Siddiqi

Q 1. We have a big controversy going on in our Masjid. Some brothers want to build a wall in the Musalla to separate men from women. Is this required in Islam? What are the basic rules of Shari’ah in this matter?
A 2. Men and women are both allowed to pray in the mosque in the same Jama’ah. When men and women are together in the Masjid then we should have first men’s lines behind the Imam, then children and then women. This is the way Muslims used to pray behind the Prophet - peace be upon him. He did not make or ask his companions to have a curtain or wall between the lines of men and women. (See Al-Sindi’s Commentary on Sunan al-Nasa’I, p. 798)
According to the Shari’ah it is not required to have a partition, neither of temporary nor of permanent nature, between men and women in the Masjid.
It is perfectly Islamic to hold meetings of men and women inside the Masjid, whether for prayers or for any other Islamic purpose, without separating them with a curtain, partition or wall. It is, however, very important that Muslim women come to public gatherings wearing proper Islamic dress. It is haram for a Muslim woman to attend a public gathering without a full Islamic dress. She must cover her hair and neck with a scarf which should also go over her bosom. Her dress should be modest and loose enough in order not to reveal the shape of her body.
Partitions were introduced inside the Masajid later in Islamic history.
This was done, perhaps, because some women began coming to mosques without observing proper Islamic dress, or perhaps, some men wanted to discourage them from coming to mosques. In the time of the Prophet - peace be upon him - there was no curtain or partition in his Masjid, although women used to come to the Masjid almost for every prayer and for many other gatherings. It is, however, reported that they used to come to the Masjid covered up with long clothes.
‘Aishah - may Allah be pleased with her - said that the Believing women used to attend the Fajr prayer with the Prophet - peace be upon him. They used to come wrapped up in their long garments and then they used to return to their homes after the Salat, no one could recognize them because of the darkness.” (Al-Bukhari, Hadith 544 and 820)
Jama’ah means a congregation of people who are praying behind one Imam in continuous lines without any barrier or interruption. People who pray behind the Imam should either see the Imam or see those who are in front of them. There is no Jama’ah when a person is in one room and his/her Imam in another room, the lines are not continuous and the people behind the Imam are also not visible. Otherwise people would not have to come to the Masjid for Jama’ah prayer. They would stay home and pray listening to the loudspeakers from their Masajid or through intercoms. They could nowadays even pray Jama’ah prayer in this way in their own homes listening to the prayer broadcasts coming from Makkah and Madinah on their radios, television sets or through the Internet. But no jurists have ever allowed a Jama’ah prayer in this way.
The definition of Jama’ah that I gave above is a general one and it is applicable to both men and women. Only in the case of necessity this rule can be relaxed. For example, if the Masjid was too small and people had to pray on different levels or in different rooms to accommodate every person then this would be permissible because of necessity. Muslims should not deliberately and for no reason bifurcate their congregation in their Masajid.
If there is a concern that the lines of men and women will mix inside the Masjid, then there is no harm in putting a lower barrier, only to demarcate the separate area for women. But women should not be put in a totally separate room in the Masjid unless there is a shortage of space and no other proper arrangement can be done for them.

Q 2. What is the significance of ‘Aqiqah? How important is this ceremony and what is the proper way of doing it?
A 2. The word ‘Aqeeqah’ means the “the hair of the forehead”. It also means the animal that is sacrificed after the birth of a child. Some people call it “Nusukiyah or Dhabihah”. The purpose of ‘Aqiqah is to give thanks to Allah, to express happiness on the birth of a child, and to announce the birth so that people know to whom the child belongs. ‘Aqiqah, according to most of the jurists, is a highly recommended Sunnah.
According to other jurists it is wajib (mandatory). The proper time for ‘Aqiqah is the 7th day (or after), counting from the day of the birth of the child. Parents or grandparents should perform ‘Aqiqah for their children or grandchildren. In some traditions it is said that one should sacrifice two lambs for a boy and one for a girl. But it is not required. One can sacrifice even one for the boy. Prophet Muhammad - peace be upon him - sacrificed one lamb for Hasan and for Husain. The meat of the animal should be divided like the sacrificial meat at Eidul Adha, one third for the poor, one-third for friends and one-third for the family. One can also give all the meat to the poor and needy people.
Children are Allah’s gift. We should be thankful to Him and we should take good care of them. From the beginning we should pay attention to their Islamic upbringing and education. Parents should be a good role model for their children and they should also make sure that their children are learning the right values, have right teachers and good friends. Someone rightly said that children are like sponges. They absorb whatever they see. It is very important that we give them the right message. We should also be careful about what they watch on TV and Internet.
In Arabic the word “‘Aqiq” is also used for a precious stone. One can also say that ‘Aqiqah is a ceremony that helps us realize the preciousness of our children.

Q 3. Is it wrong for two people of the opposite sex to be very good friends at school and outside of school?
A 3. Muslims should have good relations with all people, males as well as females. At school, at work, in you neighborhood etc. you should be kind and courteous to everyone. However, it is not allowed in Islam to take a non-mahram person or persons of the opposite gender as a very close friend.
Such friendship often leads to Haram. In the Qur’an, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala mentioned that good men and women are those who marry, do not have fornicating relationships and do not have “paramours” (“akhdan” see al-Nisa’ 4:25; al-Ma’idah 5:5). “Akhdan” are “sweethearts” or for a man a “mistress” and for a woman a “lover”. The Prophet - peace be upon him - said, whenever two strangers of the opposite gender are alone with each other, Satan becomes the third one between them. (al-Tirmidhi, 1091)
- DrSiddiqi@aol.com

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