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Home  | Resources | Articles | Can a woman become Imam?

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© Jamia Al-Karam | By Shaykh Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada, April 2005

Islam

Islam refers to that religion which our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) propagated by the divine will of Allah (most high), since every word uttered by him is a direct revelation from Allah (Qur’an 53, 3-4) and his obedience is in essence the obedience of Allah (Qur’an 4, 80). Furthermore, Allah (most high) has said, “What the Holy Apostle gives you, take it and what he forbids you, abstain from it.” (Qur’an 59, 7)

Salat (Prayer)

In Islam’s system of worship, Salat is an important pillar and its injunction is established by the Qur’an. Allah (most high) states, “Establish the Salat (Prayer).” (Qur’an 2, 43) However, it is the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) which established the number and method of that Prayer. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated, “Perform the Salat (Prayer) as you see me performing it.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 10, Chapter 18, Hadith 634)

The Difference between Man and Woman

In terms of being human, man and woman are equal and both are Ashraf al-Makhluqat (the most noble of creations). On the one hand, if Allah (most high) has honoured man with the opportunity to stand upon His Messenger’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayer mat of Imamah, then on the other hand, He has adorned His paradise at the feet of the woman (i.e. the mother). Allah (most high) has blessed both with distinctive splendours, in accordance with each one’s ability and regard.
However, the scope of rights and obligations of each is different due to each one’s physical composition and natural abilities. For example, confronting the enemy, carrying excessive weights and performing difficult and heavy tasks are all undertaken by the man, whereas carrying a child in her womb and the pains of giving birth to the child are endured by the woman. In view of these natural differences, Islam has set differences in the Prayer of the man and the woman.

The Man’s Prayer

1. The obligatory Prayer of the man is best performed in the mosque. As Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated, “It is better for the man to perform the Prayer at home except the obligatory Prayer.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 10, Chapter 81, Hadith 737).  In other words, it is better for the man to perform the obligatory Prayer in the mosque, because by going to the mosque, observers will be encouraged towards performing the Prayer.

2.  The obligatory Prayer of the man is best performed in congregation (Jama’ah). As Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated, “One Prayer of the man in congregation holds twenty-five times more reward than performing the Prayer alone.” (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Book 2, Chapter 49, Hadith 216).  In this way relations amongst people increase and strengthen.

The Woman’s Prayer

1. The Prayer of the woman is best performed at home. As Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated, “The best mosque for the women is the inner part of their homes.” (Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Volume 6, Collection of Umm Salmah, wife of the Prophet)

2. The Prayer of the woman is best performed without congregation. As Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated, “For women to perform the Prayer at home is better than performing the Prayer in congregation.” (al-Haythami, Majma’ al-Zawa’id wa Manba’ al-Fawa’id, Beirut 1988, 2, 34).  This is because if both the husband and wife go to the mosque to perform the Prayer in congregation, then who will look after the children and the home?

Jama’ah - Congregational Prayer

Allah (most high) states, “And bow down with those who bow down.” (Qur’an 2, 43) This means that when men establish the Prayer in congregation, then it is Sunnah Mu’akkadah (Emphatic Sunnah) – whose order is close to Wajib (Necessary) – to join in the congregation. It is not Wajib for women to participate in the congregation. If, on the other hand, they wish to participate, and there is no threat to their honour and dignity in doing so, then they can. However, the manner of them standing in congregation is that ‘men will stand in the first rows, followed by children and then women.’ (Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, volume 5, Collection of Abu Malik al-Ash’ari).  The wisdom behind this is explained that if a woman stands in the first rows, or if she stands shoulder to shoulder with men, then by seeing the postures of the woman bowing or prostrating, or by touching her body, naturally sexual desires and thoughts will be aroused that cause interruption and hindrance in worship. Animals and birds experience sexual feelings and desires for a few days in a specific season, but sexual feelings and desires are ever-present in man and woman. Moreover, the devil too is always present. For this reason, Allah (most high) has ordered man and woman to lower their gazes (Qur’an 24, 31-30). Also in a sacred act such as Prayer, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ordered the women that when men go into prostration they should keep their gaze low, so that they do not see the private parts of those worshippers who only have one piece of cloth and while prostrating the traces of their backs can be seen clearly due to the tightness of the garment. (al-Haythami, Majma’ al-Zawa’id wa Manba’ al-Fawa’id, Beirut 1988, 2, 93).  Similarly, in another prophetic narration men are ordered to raise their heads from prostration first and then the women, because if women raise their heads before the men, they may see traces of the private parts of the men, a matter which is disliked by Islam. (Sunan Abi Dawud, Book 2, Chapter 148, Hadith 851)

Imamah - Leadership of the Prayer

The Salat (Prayer) is a pillar of Islam. Concerning its leadership, the noble Messenger’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) words of guidance are absolutely clear, “When the time of the Prayer arrives, then one of you men should perform the Adhan (Call to Prayer) and the most senior male amongst you should perform the Imamah.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 10, Chapter 17, Hadith 631).  It is deduced from this that the Adhan and the Imamah are reserved specifically for the man, and not for the woman.

Why can only the Man be Imam?

Allah (most high) only made the man, i.e. Adam (as), His Khalifah (vicegerent) and gave him the honour of being prostrated to by the angels, Masjud al-Mala’ikah (Qur’an 2, 30-34). Moreover, all the Prophets that He sent for the guidance of humanity were all men (Qur’an 12, 109), not a single one of them was a woman. The Imam’s prayer mat is the heirloom and legacy of the Prophets. Therefore, it is the men who are rightfully entitled to it. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated, “Indeed, the scholars are the heirs of the Prophets”. (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Book 37, Chapter 19, Hadith 2898).  Fourteen hundred years of Islamic history testifies to this that in the mosques only the men have always performed the Imamah. Furthermore, the noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated, “Behold! No woman can ever perform the Imamah of a man.” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Book 6, Chapter 78, Hadith 1134).  For, the Prayer is a sacred and pure obligation in which a human shows his servitude to Allah (most high) with utmost humility, fear of Allah (most high) and complete satisfaction of the mind and heart. But if a woman appears as the Imam or the Khatib (deliverer of the sermon), then due to her feminine voice and sexual appeal, it is quite natural for satanic temptations to be aroused in some minds and this causes anxiety and disarray in worship. Therefore, it is not correct for the woman to be the Imam or Khatib of the men.

The Woman can be Imam of the Women

According to Imam ash-Shafi’i (ar) and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (ar), a woman can perform the Imamah of other women. Imam Malik’s (ar) opinion is that a woman cannot perform the Imamah of even the women. Imam Abu Hanifah (ar), on the other hand, is of the opinion that it is Makruh (disliked) for a woman to become the Imam of women, but if she does lead their congregation then she should stand in the middle of the first row, with the women, and not stand upon the prayer mat at the front.

Nonetheless, all of the noble Imams unanimously agree that a woman cannot perform the Imamah of men. If, however, a woman leads the men in Prayer then the Prayer of these men is null and void, and they must perform it again.

The Hadith of Umm Waraqah (ra)

This Hadith is to be found in Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Sunan Abi Dawud and other Hadith sources. It presents the following narration:

The noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), along with his Companions, would go to visit Umm Waraqah (ra) at her home on the day of Friday. When the noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) announced his decision to go to war at Badr, Umm Waraqah (ra) humbly requested, “Grant me permission to go to war with you. I will look after the sick and wounded. Maybe Allah (most high) will honour me with martyrdom.” The noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied, “Stay at your home. Certainly Allah (most high) will grant you martyrdom.” For this reason she became known as Shahidah (female martyr) from then on.

She requested permission from the blessed Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that if someone could perform the Adhan in her home. (Perhaps she had difficulties in determining the times of Prayer, or wished to gain blessings from the Adhan, as she did not request permission for performing the Imamah). Eventually, the noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) appointed an old man as a Mua’dhdhin (caller to the Prayer) for her and also granted Umm Waraqah (ra) permission to lead her household in Prayer. Umm Waraqah (ra) had already informed her male and female slave that they would go free upon her death. But this slave and slave-girl, during the Caliphate of Umar (ra), by strangling Umm Waraqah (ra) martyred her. Thus, in compliance with the prophecy of the noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), she died as a Shahidah in her own home.

Using this Hadith as a basis, some free thinking people state that Umm Waraqah (ra) was granted permission of performing the Imamah of her household, in which men were also included. Hence, today, a woman can stand alongside men in the mosque and can also perform their Imamah. In the history of Islam, this is the first occurrence whereby on March 18, 2005, women have begun performing the Imamah for the Friday Prayer in the West.

In my opinion their objective is not established from this Hadith. Let us together, ponder over this Hadith with honesty and integrity. First of all, it is difficult to accept that men were included in the Imamah of which Umm Waraqah (ra) was granted permission. This is because the words ‘Ta’umma Nisa’aha’ are explicitly stated in Sunan al-Darqutni. This means that the noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) granted Umm Waraqah (ra) permission to perform the Imamah of the women in her household. (Sunan al-Darqutni, Beirut 1993, 1, 279).  In the Hadith of Abu Dawud, it merely mentioned the Imamah of the household, however, the Hadith of al-Darqutni specifies the Hadith of Abu Dawud that this command is specific to the Imamah of the women. Therefore, this Hadith cannot be used as evidence for performing the Imamah of men.

Even if the words of al-Darqutni are overlooked, nonetheless, the permissibility of the woman’s Imamah of the men is not established by the Hadith of Umm Waraqah (ra), due to the following reasons:

1.  The noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) granted Umm Waraqah (ra) permission to perform the Imamah in the home. He did not grant her permission to go to the local mosque and perform the Imamah.

2.  The noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) granted Umm Waraqah (ra) permission to perform the Imamah of her household. He did not grant her permission to perform the Imamah of men who were not her relatives (Ghayr Mahram).

3. The noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) granted Umm Waraqah (ra) permission to lead only the common Prayers of her household in the home. He did not grant her permission to lead the Friday Prayer. As the Friday Prayer has been particularly mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah, if Umm Waraqah (ra) were granted permission to lead the Friday Prayer, this also would have been specifically and particularly mentioned. Moreover, it is a condition for the validity of the Friday Prayer that it is held in such a place which every Muslim has the permission to enter. The Friday Prayer cannot be performed at home with just the household.

4.  The old man who was appointed as her Mu’adhdhin was not from the household of Umm Waraqah (ra). Hence, this permissibility does not include him.  He presumably performed the Adhan and then went to a nearby mosque for the Prayer. If he had performed the Prayer behind Umm Waraqah (ra), then who would have led him in the Prayer during her days of exemption?

5.  There is no explicit mention – not even in the weakest of narrations – that any man performed the Prayer behind Umm Waraqah (ra). In fact, it is not even proven that the old Mua’dhdhin performed his Prayer behind her.

6.  In the Hadith, there is no mention of Umm Waraqah’s (ra) husband or a mature son. If any one of them was alive, then surely they would have performed the Adhan, and there would have been no need for Umm Waraqah (ra) to seek a Mua’dhdhin from the noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

7.  In the Hadith, there is only the mention of two household members, one male and one female slave. In my view, the male slave at that time was of an immature age and thus not capable of performing the Adhan. If he were mature, then there would have been no need to appoint a Mua’dhdhin from the outside.

8.  If this analysis of mine is correct, then the household consisted of only one immature male slave and one female slave, whose Imamah Umm Waraqah (ra) used to perform. The sanction of such an Imamah can be found in Islam.

9.  During the Prophetic era, this is the only woman that was given permission to perform the Imamah of her household. There is no mention of any other woman. Hence, it is deduced that this was an exceptional case, which was specific to only the Imamah of Umm Waraqah (ra). This case is similar to when the noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) granted Fudalah (ra) permission to miss three Prayers. (Sunan Abi Dawud, Book 2, Chapter 9, Hadith 428).  This permission is specific to only Fudalah (ra). No Mufti, today, can give permission to someone to miss three Prayers.

10.  If women were generally permitted to perform the Imamah of the household at home, then first of all Fatimah al-Zahra (ra) and A’ishah Siddiqah (ra), mother of the believers, would have been permitted. Surely, also, at some point the noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would have performed the Prayer behind A’ishah Siddiqah (ra) and Ali (ra) would have performed the Prayer behind Fatimah al-Zahra (ra). However, this never took place.

11.  When the noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to perform the Nafl and Tarawih Prayers at home, most of the time A’ishah Siddiqah (ra) would also be present. However, the noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) never indicated to A’ishah Siddiqah (ra) to perform the Imamah of even the Nafl and Tarawih Prayers.

12.  If A’ishah Siddiqah (ra) and Fatimah al-Zahra (ra) did not even perform the Imamah of their close male relatives inside their homes in Nafl Prayer, then how can a woman of today go to the mosque and perform the Imamah of non-related men? But in a society where man can marry man, for a woman to lead the men in Prayer is not extraordinary!

13.  The noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) appointed various Imams and Khatibs for various mosques, however, he never appointed any woman as Imam or Khatib of any mosque.

14.   Even if there was a remote possibility of women performing the Imamah in the mosque, then during the last days surely the noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would have once ordered A’ishah Siddiqah (ra) to go to the mosque and lead the Prayer, so that the Muslims would have a source for its legitimacy. But the noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not do that. Although A’ishah Siddiqah (ra) was closely present, despite that he sent Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (ra) a message that he was to perform the Imamah.

15.  Women used to come to the Prophet’s Mosque to perform the Prayer, but the noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) never gave permission to any woman to even perform the Adhan. If the woman is not permitted to perform the Adhan, then how can she be permitted to perform the Imamah, which is much more important?

16.  The noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to go to the house of Umm Waraqah (ra) accompanied by his Companions, but he never performed the Prayer behind her and nor ordered the Companions to perform the Prayer behind her.

17.  In the history of Islam – from the time of the blessed Companions until today – no woman has claimed the Imamah of men using this Hadith as an example. Then how has a woman of today attained the right to do so?

18.  From the Prophetic era until today, no woman has had the need in the mosque to perform the Imamah. Then suddenly today, how has this need come about? Have male Imams disappeared from this world?

19.  It is not permissible for the woman to perform the Prayer or enter the mosque during the days of menstruation and post-natal bleeding. In this regard, she is a part-time performer of the Prayer, and it does not suit her to perform the Imamah of the full-time performers of the Prayer.

The Friday Prayer is not Incumbent upon the Woman

1.  Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated, “The Friday Prayer is obligatory upon every Muslim except five: an ill patient, a traveler, a woman, a child and a slave.” (Sunan al-Darqutni, Beirut 1993, 2, 3).  When Islam has not ordained the Friday Prayer upon the woman, then why does she need to endeavour for the Imamah of the Friday Prayer?

2.  There is no verse of the holy Qur’an, no Hadith of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and no quote and opinion from the Islamic jurists, in which proof can be found for the permissibility of the woman performing the Imamah of the Friday Prayer.

3.  From the Prophetic era until today, in the entire history of Islam, there has been no woman that has performed the Imamah of the Friday Prayer. Even Umm Waraqah (ra) did not lead her household in the Friday Prayer.

Note:  Though Friday Prayer is not incumbent upon the woman, if she comes to the mosque and participates in the Friday Prayer and with her arrival there is no fear of any wrongdoing then her Friday Prayer is valid and she will not need to perform the Zuhr Prayer of that day. (al-Jazayri, Kitab al-Fiqh ala’l-Madhahib al-‘Arba’ah, Beirut).

The Role Model for the Woman

The role models for the Muslim woman are Fatimah al-Zahra (ra) and A’ishah Siddiqah (ra). When they never led the congregation of men, then no other woman should trouble herself in thinking to do so.

Conclusion

In the entire history of Islam – from the Prophetic era, the time of the rightly-guided Caliphs and over many centuries – no woman has undertaken the duty of the Imamah (leading the congregation in Prayer) and Khitabah (delivering the sermon) of the men. It is astonishing that a self-proclaiming Muslim woman of today has had the audacity and dared to do such a thing.
It is quite possible that non-Muslim forces are behind this incident. But rather than lamenting the thief, it is much more important to protect one’s own house, so that the thief does not find an opportunity to approach. The real solution to this is that we follow the example of our pious predecessors and gear our efforts towards increasing our link with the Qur’an. After the demise of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) a woman did claim prophecy, but the Muslims rejected her. In Sha’ Allah, the issue of women performing the Imamah will not last long and will quickly disappear, as all schools of thought unanimously agree that a woman cannot lead men in Prayer.

With the divine assistance of Allah (most high), we have attempted to further clarify the fourteen hundred years consensus of the Islamic community in light of the Qur’an and the Sunnah, with the firm knowledge that Allah (most high) does not unite the Islamic community of his beloved (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) upon error. I conclude with a prayer to Allah (most high) to show His unique favour upon the Muslim world and protect the faith of the Muslim community in this time of tribulation. Amin.

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