It never ceases to amaze me at how these people call themselves muslims and yet still disrespect the teachings of the Holy Prophet (Pbuh).The problem with the muslim society is that they declare themselves to be muslims but,only when it comes to the five pillers even then there is a question mark. Ask them to practice Islam in their day to day lives and hysteria sets in as they do not want to lose control of their wives and children.I have only one thing to say to these people WHAT A JOKE!!!!! Being born into a Muslim family does not make you a Muslim. Get real wake up before its too late and you stand before The Almighty with your feeble excuses.

The Charities Commission has rules. Use these rules to request a copy of the constitution. If it is not provided send the proof to the Charities Commission. They will be forced to provide a copy. Then use that copy and challenge the parts which are against the law in this country. If they refuse to amend it then they may be threatened with loss of their charitable and tax-exempt status. They will make the changes. Then get women and yound people on the committees.

The Quran and Hadith mean less to some than the regulations of the Charities Commission.

I know of one Radio Station that was threatened with closure because it refused to allow women to on air. Their understanding of Islam would not permit them since the voice of a woman is awrat. When they faced being closed down women were put on air and are still on air.

That is the power of communities who live in a democracy. The priveliged seldom give up power and influence unless they are forced by events.

You can win this one if you follow the route suggested. Of course modify the details. The Trojan Horse remains the Charities Commission and its regulations.

Dear sister assalam aalikum

I would first like to point out a couple of factual errors in your account:
1) The Balfour Rd madrassah is not a boys only madrassah as you have stated - there are many girls who also attend. Yes, there is segregation, ie the boys are taught in the main building and the girls in the ancillary buildings. For those who want evidence of this, please visit the mosque after madrassah 6.45pm during term time (currently madrassah is on holiday for ramdhan).

2) No child is taught for free at the madrassah, not even the children of members. The fee structure is more complex then that. There are two levels of fee, a joining fee, when the child first joins and then an ongoing weekly fee (similar to a gym). The children of MEMBERS will get a discount on the joining fee, however they must pay the weekly fee. Even gujratis who are bharuchi but are non-members have to pay the full joing fee.

Dear sister, in terms of your overall campaign, in principle, I support it. I do believe women should be allowed to come to the mosque to learn and offer their prayers. But there are several issues here that need to be considered:

It is a perfectly valid fiqhi position (not one invented by the balfour rd committee) that says women should not come to the mosque. And anyone who has studied fiqh will know, when you have two positions in fiqh, which are supported by evidence, you can not condemn the other position. Therefore, I believe you are in breach of this principle by condemning those people who do not allow women to come to the mosque. (you may argue that they are in breach of it as well, but they are not stopping you from going to other mosques which provide facilities for sisters)

Also, there are at least two other mosques in the ilford area (which are less then 5 mins away by car) which do allow women to pray in the mosque (albert rd and barking mosques). If your desire to pray in the mosque is so great, why do you not go there?

By campaigning in a tabloid journalism / sensational expose manner are you hoping to further unity or your cause? My dear sister, do you know that Islam does not permit a person from doing something unless the MEANS and the END are permissible. So for example, although giving dawah is a good thing, it is not permissible to go inside a nightclub to give dawah and the reasons are obvious. The ends justifies the means is a Machiavellian principle, which is now adopted by Zionists and even Muslim groups like al-qaeda. This principle has to be rejected as we see the consequence of it, on our tvs every night.

Furthermore, there is a famous hadith which states if you see a wrong, change it with your hand, or with your tongue or at the very least think it to be wrong and this is the least of iman. However, when the scholars teach this hadith they also say if the wrong that you are trying to address will lead to a greater wrong, then don't change it. What we are now witnessing in Iraq is a perfect illustration of the wisdom of our scholars. Ask the ordinary guy in baghdad if he preferred to live under saddam or the "coalition".

By praying at the mosque, my dear sister, you are hoping to fulfil a sunnah (I don’t mean the prayer itself which is obviously fard, but the place of prayer). However, by trying to achieve this, it is leading to haram, ie argumentation, upsetting people, etc. Therefore you should sincerely ask yourself, are you on the path of ends justifying the means?

I want to also remind you of the hadith where the Prophet SAW said, the person who exposes the faults of their fellow muslim, Allah will expose their faults on the day of judgement. He who hides the faults of their fellow muslim, Allah will hide their faults on the Day of Judgement.

Ok, so you may have tried other methods first, but have you been patient? (Quran: Allah is with the patient) Have you sought the counsel of the scholars and the wise before acting (quran: Ask the people of knowledge if you don't know)? Have you thought through the consequence of your actions?

Dear sister, you said you only have one agenda and that is “reform and improvement which will benefit the ummah”. I applaud that. There are so many more important issues that are facing the muslims in the UK at the moment. Would your energy and campaigning not be better spent elsewhere? If you still feel it is vital, why don't you approach people in the community away from the mosque, with elders and wise people who can state your case? Have you contacted any of the sisters from the local community? Do they share the same feelings as you? Will they help by speaking to their husbands? What i am trying to illustrate here is that there is more than one way to tackle this issue, and it needs to be done with wisdom.

Lastly, I would advise all of my brothers and sister to not allow themselves unwittingly to become pawns of sinister forces. The enemies of Islam have devised many strategies to disunite our blessed ummah in the past and are doing so again. Anyone who has read the Rand report from 2004 will know this. Sisters in particular need to be aware. John Reid's latest comments are evidence of this.

I pray that my post has not offended anyone and if it has done so that was sincerely not my intention. I pray that we can all unite despite our differences and overcome the enemies of Islam.

what is the problem with this sisters and MPACUK. 1st causeing trouble in bharuchi areas in Millham street mosque and Bicknell street mosque in blackburn and now at balfour road mosque in ilford. You guys need to get a life leave this elders alone who have done so much good work in the community. This masjids are always pack out for namazas. You should target areas which are so away from deen.

There have been countless allegations of signs reading "Dogs and [whatever race/nationality you choose] not allowed" at the entrance to parks, clubs etc in British colonies. However, none of the people who were outraged by these signs ever thought to take a photo of them as far as I know. Why is there no picture of the sign at this mosque?

... yet I feel I am fulfilling my obligation to pray wherever I am (be it at home, at work, while im out) WITHOUT feeling the need to go to the Masjid. My Aqeedah is Ahle-Sunnah- Wal-Jammah. I do not feel excluded from the muslim society/community because I do not go to a mosque to pray. I agree with 'melas' above, do not undermine your own position, and the position of the whole of the community by your current campaign. Both sides have strong ahaadith in support of their arguments, so do not ridicule the other side, without investigating the evidence on both sides. Aalims have spent many dedicated years coming to their conclusions, it is not for us to jump to our own without sufficient knowledge.

Ask yourself, what is there to be gained by causing further in-fighting within the muslim community? And what do you feel you are missing out on by not going to the Masajid?

I agree that the Masaajid need to cater better for women. However, I feel this is not for Salaah, but for education, for tafseer, for Deeni matters.

I feel you are fighting the wrong battle.

Allahu Aalim

Sceptic, there was no sign - the writer said 'there may as well have been a sign....'

Assalaamu alaikum wa rehmatullah wa barakatuHu
“Melas” has raised many good points above.
Let me start of by saying that it is the underlying and sincere desire of every Muslim to try to do good for his/her community/ummah. So every Muslim is trying to do good according tothis/her limited understanding of the Religion.
The desire of some women to fulfill a sunnah by praying in a masjid is not the real issue. Some of the sisters involved in such campaigns may not realise this. The real agenda of the “modern school of thought” behind these acts is to change the role of women in society by way of neo-ijtihaad. Unfortunately most people do not realise this and the plan will take some years to unfold. Furthermore it seems extremely likely the so-called “modernist school of thought” is going to succeed in their agenda.
The young educated Muslims who have become disullioned by the state of the Muslims in this present day and age have taken it upon themselves to derive at their own conclusions and rulings using the Quran and Sunnah. Such people feel that with their western degrees and qualifications they are just as qualified to derive at their own rulings in religious matters as are the so-called “scholars.”
The Muslims and in particular the Muslim religious heirarchy are in a weak position at present so this is an opportune moment for the modernist school of thought to act. Indeed the modernist school of thought is gaining ground amongst the young Muslims to such an extent that just stating the beliefs/ rulings of the of the most knowledgeable, the best exegetists of the Quran and hadith, one is likley to be verbally attacked if such rulings are not in accordnace with the beliefs of the modernist school of thought.
One thing one learns from such articles as “Women and Dogs not allowed….” is that the descendecy of the Muslim Ummah is destined to continue for the foreseeable future.
Wassalaam, A.H.
9th Ramadan 1427

Re Melas: What an ignorant statement you have made brother. Your comment was a classic case of misused Islamic quotes, less sincerity and even less intelligence.

You claim there is a school of thought that says "women should not be allowed in the Mosque" and that the Mosque was simply applying this rule.

Well brother one of the very Mosque’s MPAC has targeted also claims this and yet, as soon as there was a chance of some fame and for the mafia of this mosque, they invited "Condi rice" to visit its great halls. She is believe it or not - you guessed it - a woman. No ordinary woman, but a woman responsible for the deaths of thousands and the oppression of millions.

But when Muslims sisters’ said they wanted to go, they were attacked.

You then say Balfour road Mosque does teach girls - well surely they are going against their own principles of fiqh you claim they follow then?

I don’t consider you a sincere Muslims at all, for simple subtle reasons that most Muslims will not see from your comments. |Not once did you condemn the evil within the Mosque power structure. You seem to know a lot about Balfour Road mosque, defending i (almost as if you had some vested interest in it yourself), why then did you not mention the UN ISLAMIC rule that no Muslim from another race or nationality can be a committee member, let alone a woman! - is this part of their difference of opinion and because they follow another version of Islam?

Maybe you need to not only read the rules on Islam - as you clearly like quoting them, but acting upon them, starting with the basic principle of "Enjoin the right and forbidding the wrong".

Anyone can sit on the sidelines and say "I support MPAC" and then write a lengthy email of how wrong MPAC is! - Why don’t you try and get off your backside and do it yourself if you support it s much. You seem to advocate a different approach in much of your disturbing comment, any reasoned man would simply reply “go bloody do it then!”

Balfour Road Mosque also supported the Zionist MP Mike Gapes and attacked Muslims outside who gave leaflets against him. Is this also because thy follow "a different school of thought"

Sir you are the very thing wrong with the Muslims, a Skelton of the man you should be, mouthing Islamic words but not having the courage or backbone to speak out against an evil within your community.

Neither I nor anyone else should take your words with anything but contempt. You are an apologist for oppression, an armchair critic and I would o further but manners dictate at this stage I refrain.

I suggest you get backbone, then act like a man, and only then start to implement in stages the Islam you are so fond of quoting to others. Perhaps starting with the area that your sort are so often fond of denying - the area of Jihad!

Dear Shoeb - please go back to denying your wife and mother her rights, and leave the rest of us sisters alone!

Looks like the "wise mafia of the mosque" have got their children to write in!

Please note none of the people defending the mafia are woman - because they are too busy watching bollywood movies to learn to write!

Women constitute fifty percent of the population. Without the active
participation of women no society can make any meaningful progress,
neither materially nor spiritually. Our society however hardly realizes
this. We therefore see that women, with a few exception, are still not been
allowed to enter the Masjid (mosque) in Bangladesh although nobody can
think of changing this morbid society without the active participation
of the half of its population.

Women, being mothers, are the first teachers to impart moral teachings
to the new born babies. Unless they have access to the mosque how they
can learn the teachings of Islam. It is important that when the general
curriculum is secular, imparting no ethical values to the new
generation of students, we open the door of the mosque to the women so that they
can learn the primary teachings of Islam from the mosque Imams and keep
the home environment essentially close to Islam. Only the vibrant
Islamic families can guarantee the renaissance of Islam in the days ahead
and salvage Muslim societies from the onslaught of materialism and
consumerism. It is also important that we keep alive the age old tradition of
teaching the fundamentals of Islam to the children in the family in
view of the U.S. agenda to destroy the Islamic seminaries, the Madrasas
which it thinks are the breeding ground of Islamic fundamentalists,
militants and terrorists The reality however is that it is these centers
that have kept the Islamic culture alive in the society. U.S. is pressing
the government of Pakistan to change the curriculum of the religious
schools, and urging President Pervez Musharraf to divert all donations
from religious seminaries and at the same time asking the government of
Pakistan to takeover the endowment properties, the Walkf, that belongs
to these institutions. U.S. is also trying to influence the leadership
in Bangladesh to materialize its agenda.

Two-three years back my friend Dr. Muhammad Ataul Karim, Dean, School
of Engineering, City University, New York came to visit Bangladesh, his
home country. It so happened that Dr. Karim and his daughter were at
Sonargaon Hotel at the time of Maghrib prayer. Leaving his daughter, Dr.
Karim wanted to go to nearby Kawran Bazar mosque to pray Salatul
Magrib, but the daughter insisted that she will also pray Magrib at that
mosque. Dr. Karim fully aware of the socio-cultural and religious scenario
of the country went to the mosque Imam for permission so that his
daughter could offer Salatul Magrib at that mosque. But the girl raised a
very pertinent question: Why such permission shall at all be needed when
she can pray in any mosque in U.S. and no permission is required.

Every year thousands of women of our country visit Saudi Arabia to
perform Umra and Hajj. They pray both at Baitullah at Makkah and Masjid An
Nawabi at Madina. Our women leaders, notably Begum Khaleda Zia and
Sheikh Hasina, perform Umra and Hajj and our television channels broadcast
these religious rituals and we see them performing Umra and Hajj and
praying at Masjid An Nawabi. We see in the television screen ladies
performing Salat in the mosque during two Eid festivals in Indonesia,
Malaysia, Morocco and other Muslim countries, but still we do not encourage
our women participation in the mosque.

Why is this sorry state of affairs? Why are the ladies barred from
entering mosque? Is there any Shariah bar on women entering the mosque?
This needs in-depth study and misgiving, if any, need to be removed.

If we look at Baitullah we find that even today women pilgrims have
complete access to this mosque and women can pray wherever and whenever
they like, no barriers separated the men and women. In the Masjid An
Nawabi built by Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) prayers
were conducted in the vast empty courtyard and significantly there
appears to have no walls or other barriers separating men and women, and
there was no other partition or screen as evidence of gender segregation
at least at the time of noble Prophet. This will be clear if any one
consults the early books on the architectural design of Masjid An Nawabi,
a simple rectangular structure. The description of the mosques' layout
and the Quran indicate women's complete access and participation.

Here in this article I shall examine the verses of the Quran and
Hadiths - sayings, actions and tacit approval of the Prophet, things
happening before him but he did not oppose- which supports women's access to
the mosque and also those verses of the Quran and Hadiths which often
misquoted to discourage the presence of the women in the mosque.

A close examination of the Quran shows and depicts that some verses
address man in general terms that include woman, male plural which in
Arabic grammar and lexicography can include women. Female plural does not
include men. Some verses address woman specifically either by the female
plural or by referring to particular woman as Hazrat Marayam.

Al Quran states: . you should face Him only in each and every place of
worship in prayers . [7(Surat Al Araf):29]. In another verse Al Quran
states: O children of Adam wear your beautiful apparel at every time and
place of prayer . [7(Surat Al Araf):31]. Here in these two verses all
Muslims are commanded to pray at every mosque and take adornment,
beautiful attire - clothing, attar etc.

Several verses talk negatively of those who prevent believers from
mosque and warn them of severe punishment as for example Al Quran states:
And who is more unjust than he who forbids mention of God's name from
any of His houses of worship and strive for their ruin although they have
no right to enter them save in fear of God. For them, in this world,
there is ignominy in store; and for them, in life to come, awesome
suffering [2 (Surat Al Baqarah):114].

In another verse Al Quran states: But what have they now in their favor
that God should not punish them- seeing that they bar the believers
from the Sacred Mosque, although they are not its rightful guardians? None
but the God-conscious can be its guardians; but most of them do not
know [8 (Surat Al Anfal):34].

In another verse Al Quran states: Behold, as for those who are bent on
denying the truth and bar others from the path of God and from the
Sacred Mosque which We have set up for all people alike - both those who
dwell there and those who come from abroad - and all who seek to profane
it by deliberate evildoing, all such shall We cause to taste grievous
suffering in life to come [22 (Surat Al Hajj):25].

Al Quran in another verse states: They are the ones who disbelieved and
hindered you from the Sacred Mosque and the sacrificial animals,
detained from reaching their place of sacrifice. Had there not been believing
men and believing women whom you did not know that you were trampling
down and whose account a guilt would have accrued to you without your
knowledge, Allah would have allowed you to force your way, but He held
back your hands that He may admit to His mercy whom He will. If they had
been apart, We should certainly have punished the unbelievers among
them with a grievous punishment [48 (Surat Al Fatah):25].

The aforementioned verses [2:114, 8:34, 22:25 and 48:25] indicate the
right and obligation of every Muslim to participate in the mosque
activities. The context of these verses indicates and suggests that this
applies to all believers regardless of gender although participation of
women has not been mentioned in explicit terms in the aforementioned
verses.

Other verses however specifically mention women's participation in
group prayer. Al Quran states: The believers, men and women, are protectors
(Arabic word used awliya) of one another, they enjoin what is just and
forbid what is wrong; they perform regular prayers, pay zakat and obey
Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His mercy on them. Surely
Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise [9 (Surat At Taubah):71].

The above verse signifies togetherness in prayers as well as in
enjoining good, forbidding evil, giving charity and obeying God and His
Prophet. These activities clearly have a public aspect to their fulfillment
and are mandated for both men and women.

The term awliya have different meanings: helpers, allies, supporters,
friends, protectors, neighbors, followers or close unto one another and
also used to describe relationship between Ansar and Muhajirun [8
(Surat Al Anfal):72] and also relationship between God and His close ones
[10 (Surat Yunus):62].

This responsibility of counseling (awliya) is not restricted of giving
advise by man to man and woman to woman but also man to woman and woman
to man. This responsibility has been fulfilled by the woman who was
present in the mosque when she opposed the fixation of dower mahr by
Caliph Umar ibn al Khattab while giving sermon in the mosque on the ground
that the Quran does not limit this [4 (Surat An Nisa):20]. This incident
also indicates that women were present in the mosque during the time of
Caliph Umar ibn al Khattab.

In another verse Al Quran specifically addresses Hazrat Marayam to
offer prayer in congregation. Al Quran states: O Mary! Worship your Lord
devoutly, prostrate (Arabic word irkai) yourself and bow down in prayer
with those who bow down (Arabic word ar-rakiun) [3(Surat Al Imran): 43].

Here in this verse the term used with those who bow down is ma'a al
rakiin. Rakiin is the masculine plural form. According to Arabic grammar
and lexicography, as also mentioned earlier, it may or may not include
women, but must include men.

The feminine plural would have been rakiat, which is not used in this
verse. It is thus clear that Hazrat Marayam is ordered to pray with a
group that includes men. The words used in the verse with those who bow
down- Arabic words ma'a al rakiin. Rakiin is interesting. The word ma'a
means with and not behind or away from or segregated from. Thus it is
also crystal clear and established that Hazrat Marayam was asked to pray
with men and not behind men or away from men or segregated from men.

The presence of Hazrat Marayam in the mosque is further indicated in
verse 3 (Surat Al Imran): 37. The word mihrab used in this verse is not
the prayer direction commonly used but 'a place of praying or private
room'. [Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali and Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan,
Interpretation of the meanings of The Noble Quran In the English
Language, King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Quran, Saudi
Arabia.] That a woman is depicted as being present in its inner most sanctum
means that she had full access to the mosque.

This verse also present Hazrat Marayam as not being segregated from
men, since Prophet Zakariya entered the mihrab when she was there and talk
to her and then offered prayer [3 (Surat Al Imran): 37-39]. This
clearly illustrates the position of the Quran as regards the presence of
women in the mosque.

That Prophet Zakariya was praying in the mihrab [3 (Surat Al Imran):
39], he came out of mihrab [19 (Surat Marayam): 11] and Prophet Dawud was
present in the mihrab [38 (Surat Sad): 21-22] establish that marhab was
not a ladies' chamber.

The Quran testifies to the legitimacy of the women's using the mihrab
and entering with men in Masjid al Aqsa, the third major Muslim shrine.
General and gender specific verses indicate that women had full access
to the mosque and that praying next to men was considered normal and
legitimate. The material and textual sources dating to Islam's ideal
period point that women had full access to the mosque.

We can conclude from the aforementioned evidence that material and
textual records appear to support full female access to the mosque during
the time of Prophet, both Makkan and Madinan periods. What is noteworthy
is that at the two earliest and most important shrines, there were no
barriers separating women from men and no separate entrances. Although
some changes took place during the time of Caliph Umar ibn al Khattab,
there was however no walls or barriers separating men from women within
the courtyard.

The first one in which partitions separating men and women was
introduced was al Aqsa mosque for there were three maqsurat (separate
enclosures or compartments shut off by wooden lattices or even by balustrades)
for women in 912-913, the first maqsurah probably built during the early
Umayyad era that was an enclosure near the mihrab that separated the
ruler from the people and this was disapproved by the scholars.

We shall now examine the Hadith literature which is often misquoted.
Eminent Islamic scholar Muhammad Nasiruddin Albani in his book 'Sifatu
Salatin Nabie Minat Taqbire Ilat Taslim Kaannaka Tarahu' quoted a Hadith
from Muslim, Abu Dawud, Ibn Khojaimah in which Prophet is reported to
have said: A dog, an ass and a woman interrupt prayer if they pass in
front of the believer, interposing themselves between him and the qiblah
[Muhammad Nasiruddin Albani, Rasulullahr Namaj, Shatabdi Prokashoni,
491/1 Moghbazar Wireless Rail Gate, Dhaka-1217, 1998, p 45]. This Hadith
seems to aimed at placing women behind men during prayer. Hazrat Aisha,
mother of the believers, however contradicted this Hadith saying: You
compare us now to asses and dogs.

In the name of God, I have seen the Prophet saying his prayers while I
was there, lying on the bed between him and the qiblah and in order not
to disturb him, I did not move [Fatima Mernissi, The Veil & The Male
Elite: A Feminist Interpretation of Women's Rights in Islam, Perseus
Books, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1991, p 70]. She criticized the lumping
together of women with dogs and donkeys which she regarded as insult on
the person and personality of women.

In another Hadith the Prophet is reported to have said: The better rows
for men are front ones, and the worst are the last ones. The better
rows for women are the last ones and the worst are the first ones.

This Hadith however does not clearly prohibit women from the mosque and
only seeks to place women behind men in prayers and not intended to
prevent women from praying next to men in most crowded mosque. This Hadith
also need to be reconciled with another Hadith in which the Prophet is
reported to have said: The first rows [of the prayers] were perceived
as superior, specially the first one, for God and the angles bless the
first row and the first few rows. To interpret this Hadith in a way that
goes against the principle of human equality as enshrined by Islam
cannot be acceptable for this is against the very spirit of Islam and
principle of natural justice of which Islam is exponent. Prophet in all
fairness cannot deny blessings to women keeping them in the rear rows. In
fact some scholars got confused and compared the best rows with the
prayer rows. In fact the Hadith has been explained in a misplaced context.
The best row is the first row of the battle. In other words, the
Prophet encouraged women to stay behind the lines during the battles. This
becomes clear if the aforementioned Hadith is read together with Quran.
Al Quran states: God loves those who fight in His cause in row, as if
they were an ordered structure [61 (Surat As Saff): 4]. The problem with
this particular Hadith arose as later compiler of Hadith categorized
this Hadith with the chapter of prayer, salat.

That woman is not barred from the mosque is clear from the Hadith in
which Prophet is reported to have said: O women. When the men prostrate
themselves, then lower your gaze, so you do not see the private parts of
the men due to tightness of their loin cloths.

Al Fanjari cites a tradition showing that a beautiful woman used to
pray behind the Prophet and in front of other men. [See al-Hafiz 'Amad
al-Din Abi al-Fida' Ismail ibn Kathir al-Qurashi al-Dimashqi, Tafsir
al-Quran al-Azim (Cairo: Dar Ihya al-Kutub al-Arabiyah), 548-50; and
al-Fanjari, Ikhtilat, 46, quoted in Nevin Reda's Women in the Mosque:
Historical Perspectives on Segregation, American Journal of Islamic Social
Sciences, vol. 21, no. 2, spring 2004, p 88 ]

Did any woman lead prayer in which male participated in any point of
history. According to Hadith Prophet had commanded Umm Waraqah bint Abd
Allah ibn al Harith al Ansari to lead people of her area (dar) in
prayer. She had her own muadhdin, and she used to lead the people of her area
(dar) [Al Banna, Fath, vol. 5, 3:1375, quoted in Nevin Reda's Women in
the Mosque: Historical Perspectives on Segregation, American Journal of
Islamic Social Sciences, vol. 21, Spring 2004, no. 2, p 91]. The use of
muadhdin indicates that she lead prayer in which a good number of
Muslims were present.

The aforementioned Hadith of the Prophet is also recorded in the Hadith
Compilation Sunan Abu Dawud which reads: The Apostle of Allah (may
peace be upon him) used to visit her (Umm Waraqh daughter of Abd Allah b.
al-Harith) at her house. He appointed a muadhdhin to call adhan for her;
and he commanded her to lead the inmates of her in prayer. Abd
al-Rahman said: I saw her muadhdhin who was an old man. On the basis of this
tradition a group of scholars maintain that a woman can act as imam for
the people who reside with her in her house, although they include males
[Sunan Abu Dawud, vol. 1, Chapter 212-The Imamate of Women, Hadith No.
592, note 260, English tr. by Prof. Ahmad Hasan, Al-Madina Publications
(P) Ltd, C 11 Preet Vihar, New Delhi- 110092, First Edition in India
1985, pp155-156].

Eminent Nigerian Islamic scholar and jurist Barrister Adeleke Dirisu
Ajijola commenting whether a woman can become Imam wrote: "There are no
priests in Islam. . there is no ritual in Islam which cannot be
performed by any believer of sound mind, either a man or a woman, some
functions, such as that of prayer leader (Imam) may fall to a particular person
because of knowledge, particularly of the Quran, respectable, of repute
or age but could be performed by anyone, male or female with required
qualification. . Therefore, during the Prophet's time, women prayed in
the mosque. They were not separated from men by any screen or curtain in
the mosque; they did not wear veils although they were dressed decently
. In fact, they have acted as Imams while men followed them in prayers"
[The Concept of Family in Islam, Chapter 3- Can a Woman Become an Imam?
Adam Publishers & Distributors, New Delhi, 2002, pp 227-230].

In Islam women could be confined to home only as a measure of
punishment if the charge of fornication is proved by four witnesses [4(Surat An
Nisa):15]. This verse of the Quran need to be read together with saying
of the Prophet: Do not stop Allah's women slaves from going to Allah's
mosques [Sahih Al Bukhari, Vol. 2, Book of Jumua- XIII, Chapter 11,
Hadith No. 23, Dar Al Arabia, Beirut, p 10]. Because of this tradition of
the Prophet, Caliph Umar ibn al Khattab, despite personal dislike of
his wife going to mosque, refused to prohibit her from going to the
mosque and she continued to attend prayer in the mosque.

I shall conclude the article narrating the prayer arrangement in one of
the mosque in Toledo, Ohio, U.S. in which "the main prayer is conducted
with women and men praying together separated by a three-foot partition
that runs through the centre of the hall. The women therefore do not
pray behind the men but along with them" [Akbar S. Ahmed (Ibn Khaldun
Chair of Islamic Studies, American University, Washington, DC), Islam
Under Siege, polity, U.K. in association with Blackwell Publishing Ltd.,
2003, p136].

(The writer is the Chairman of Islamic Information Bureau Bangladesh

Sister.....

One good advise.....first do Dawah in your own area and then do Dawah in other areas.....This is the best idea.......what you are doing is just wrong!!!! So please heed.....

Dear Shameema dont take it personally but it looks like this sisters and mpacuk have targeted certain mosques and areas... what next deepdale in preston... tayibah masjid on blackburn road, bolton... they are 2 million muslims in UK so im sure you should target areas where they is high drugs and crime rate among muslims.

i have to agree with the points made by brother sword, brother melas you seem to be reasonable yet you accuse the sister of commmitting haram by being impatient and argumentative you have not bothered to read the article she clearly says she has been lobbying this mosque for years and that letters have been written meetings requested, yet there has been very little positive reponse also i dont see how simply giving some leaflets out and speaking to a few people can be considered argumentative and haram! You have also completely overlooked the rude, threatening and chauvinistic behavoiur of the men of the mosque...this you seem to think is acceptable but the sisters actions are haram! Also to imply mpac are sinister forces is very offensive are they not your brothers and sisters in Islam?... mpac keep up the good work the sisters inshallah support you ignore the chauvinistic brothers!

Assalaamu alaikum wa rehmatullah wa barakatuHu
Let me start of by saying that it is the underlying and sincere desire of every Muslim to try to do good for his/her community/ummah. So every Muslim is trying to do good according tothis/her limited understanding of the Religion.
The desire of some women to fulfill a sunnah by praying in a masjid is not the real issue. Some of the sisters involved in such campaigns may not realise this. The real agenda of the “modern school of thought” behind these acts is to change the role of women in society by way of neo-ijtihaad. Unfortunately most people do not realise this and the plan will take some years to unfold. Furthermore it seems extremely likely the so-called “modernist school of thought” is going to succeed in their agenda.
The young educated Muslims who have become disullioned by the state of the Muslims in this present day and age have taken it upon themselves to derive at their own conclusions and rulings using the Quran and Sunnah. Such people feel that with their western degrees and qualifications they are just as qualified to derive at their own rulings in religious matters as are the so-called “scholars.”
The Muslims and in particular the Muslim religious heirarchy are in a weak position at present so this is an opportune moment for the modernist school of thought to act. Indeed the modernist school of thought is gaining ground amongst the young Muslims to such an extent that just stating the beliefs/ rulings of the of the most knowledgeable, the best exegetists of the Quran and hadith, one is likley to be verbally attacked if such rulings are not in accordnace with the beliefs of the modernist school of thought.
One thing one learns from such articles as “Women and Dogs not allowed….” is that the descendecy of the Muslim Ummah is destined to continue for the foreseeable future.
Wassalaam, A.H.
10th Ramadan 1427

This discussion to me is not about womens rights to pray as an end to itself, it is about creatinga community of muslims who can defend the umma. that means taking on the zionist and islamophobes who run this country. and unless we as a community do that we will never succeed. it has become painfully obvious that the current institutions have failed in their islamic duty to teach us how to implement jihad in this country.

so we need a new order a new way of doing things. in fact we regenerate by going back in time to the example of the Prophet (pbuh) and get rid of the bida that has polluted islam.

this will ensure that the community men, and women take their islamic responsibility to tackle the curse of zionism.

while women are excluded from islamic social life, this will never happen. long live womens rights!

Shameema says:
Dear Shoeb - please go back to denying your wife and mother her rights, and leave the rest of us sisters alone!

Looks like the "wise mafia of the mosque" have got their children to write in!

Please note none of the people defending the mafia are woman - because they are too busy watching bollywood movies to learn to write!

Basil says:
Shameema with an attitude like yours you will not be welcomed in my dustbin yet alone in a Masjid. You are the typical example of FITNAH. Calling Muslims "Mafia" and their wives illiterate.
FITNAH FITNAH FITNAH FITNAH
"Ena kaydahunim kaydan atheem"

MPAC is up to it's old tricks again

Setting Muslim on Muslim

Instead of man on man

They use WOman on man

In their anti-Masjid hidden agenda

MPAC hands of the Masjids

MPAC trying to instigate a coups d'état against the Masjids

Nay! MPAC will not succeed

MPAC BUILD YOUR OWN MOSQUES WITH YOUR BEHIND THE SCENES BENEFACTORS & PATRONS

& LEAVE THE MASJIDS & MUSLIMS ALONE

mpac STOP follwing the government's agenda

First of all, good on the sisters!!
Why are they being condemned as fitna and the chauvinistic attitude of the elders of the Mosque seen as being acceptable??? Women have equal rights in worship as men in Islam. It is easier for sisters today to enter a nightclub today than it is to enter a masjid!!! Are you all not ashamed of yourselves??? We should all be supporting the sisters rather then condemning them as fitna with our superpious attitude.
This incident is typical of the 'madrassa' styled backwards Tableeghi Jamaat with dawah techniques that are stuck in the 1950's. Out of date and out of sync with modern times! They are the ONLY Jamaat in the UK that actively discriminate against women by not allowing them in UK masjids and somehow try and use Sharia to justify that.
There are clear hadith in Sahih Muslim and Bukhari where the Prophet (saw) said 'do not prohibit women from entering the Mosques'. And also others;

"Do not stop the maid servants of Allah from going to the mosques of Allah." (Muwatta of Imam Malik)

"When the wife of one of you asks about going to the mosque, do not stop her." (Bukhari)

Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Do not deprive women of their share of the mosques, when they seek permission from you. . Bilal said: By Allah, we would certainly prevent them. ‘Abdullah said: I say that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said it and you say: We would certainly prevent them! (Sahih Muslim Book 4, Number 891)

This last hadith sums up what we are experiencing today and therefore going directly against the command of our Prophet (saw) and no amount of fiqh twisting can justify that. Incidentally, every madhab (school of thought) allows women to pray in Mosques. In the Hanafi stronghold countries of Turkey and Syria, women are allowed to pray in the Mosques. The grand Mosques constructed during the time of the previous khilafahs e.g Ummayad Mosque from Ummayyad Khilafa, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Mosque from Ottoman Khilafa, all allow women to pray there and is a clear example that our predecessors and preceeding scholars allowed this. This is also true for all other Hanafi areas e.g. Chechnya, Dagestan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan. The only exception is Tableeghi/ Deobandi Jamaat from India. Their interpretation of the Hanafi fiqh has become extreme and out of sync with the rest of the Hanafi madhab. They are interpreting things now in a way that our great Imam Abu Hanifah (ra)did not interpret and the rest of the Hanafi madhab do not follow. To support their extreme stance they also only quote scholars from their own back yard e.g Darul Uloom Deoband in India. And not other mainstream Hanafi scholars like the renowned Shaykh Asad Sagharji from Syria who's books on the Hanafi fiqh are currently being taught in Al Azhar.
If there are differences of opinion than the eitquette is that you respect the other opinion (as the great Imams did) because differences of opinion are a blessing to this Ummah. And therefore the elders of the Mosque should have respected the sisters and their desire to pray in the Mosque and allowed them to pray rather then behave in the rude manner that they did. Lack of space is NOT an acceptable excuse. In my local Mosque there is very little space, but if women want to pray they will make space for you even if it means you have to pray in the basement.
Finally, the majority of scholars have never held that a women's voice is part her awrah. Indeed there are many scholars today seeking to make these injunctions so they do not have to listen to women in the first place. The 'seen and not heard mentality'. Allah (swt) knows best. Serious work needs to take place to bring Tableeghi Jamaat out of their village mentality and this has to start by listening to more mainstream scholars e.g Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, who has been trained in Traditional Islam with credited ijazas, and less of scholars from your own village in India under the guise of 'Tableegh'.

First of all, good on the sisters!! Why are they being condemned as fitna and the chauvinistic attitude of the elders of the Mosque seen as being acceptable??? Women have equal rights in worship as men in Islam. It is easier for sisters today to enter a nightclub today than it is to enter a masjid!!! Are you all not ashamed of yourselves??? We should all be supporting the sisters rather then condemning them as fitna with our superpious attitude. This incident is typical of the 'madrassa' styled backwards Tableeghi Jamaat with dawah techniques that are stuck in the 1950's. Out of date and out of sync with modern times! They are the ONLY Jamaat in the UK that actively discriminate against women by not allowing them in UK masjids and somehow try and use Sharia to justify that.There are clear hadith in Sahih Muslim and Bukhari where the Prophet (saw) said 'do not prohibit women from entering the Mosques'. And also others;"Do not stop the maid servants of Allah from going to the mosques of Allah." (Muwatta of Imam Malik) "When the wife of one of you asks about going to the mosque, do not stop her." (Bukhari) Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Do not deprive women of their share of the mosques, when they seek permission from you. . Bilal said: By Allah, we would certainly prevent them. ‘Abdullah said: I say that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said it and you say: We would certainly prevent them! (Sahih Muslim Book 4, Number 891)This last hadith sums up what we are experiencing today and therefore going directly against the command of our Prophet (saw) and no amount of fiqh twisting can justify that. Incidentally, every madhab (school of thought) allows women to pray in Mosques. In the Hanafi stronghold countries of Turkey and Syria, women are allowed to pray in the Mosques. The grand Mosques constructed during the time of the previous khilafahs e.g Ummayad Mosque from Ummayyad Khilafa, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Mosque from Ottoman Khilafa, all allow women to pray there and is a clear example that our predecessors and preceeding scholars allowed this. This is also true for all other Hanafi areas e.g. Chechnya, Dagestan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan. The only exception is Tableeghi/ Deobandi Jamaat from India. Their interpretation of the Hanafi fiqh has become extreme and out of sync with the rest of the Hanafi madhab. They are interpreting things now in a way that our great Imam Abu Hanifah (ra)did not interpret and the rest of the Hanafi madhab do not follow. To support their extreme stance they also only quote scholars from their own back yard e.g Darul Uloom Deoband in India. And not other mainstream Hanafi scholars like the renowned Shaykh Asad Sagharji from Syria who's books on the Hanafi fiqh are currently being taught in Al Azhar. If there are differences of opinion than the eitquette is that you respect the other opinion (as the great Imams did) because differences of opinion are a blessing to this Ummah. And therefore the elders of the Mosque should have respected the sisters and their desire to pray in the Mosque and allowed them to pray rather then behave in the rude manner that they did. Lack of space is NOT an acceptable excuse. In my local Mosque there is very little space, but if women want to pray they will make space for you even if it means you have to pray in the basement.Finally, the majority of scholars have never held that a women's voice is part her awrah. Indeed there are many scholars today seeking to make these injunctions so they do not have to listen to women in the first place. The 'seen and not heard mentality'. Allah (swt) knows best. Serious work needs to take place to bring Tableeghi Jamaat out of their village mentality and this has to start by listening to more mainstream scholars e.g Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, who has been trained in Traditional Islam with credited ijazas, and less of scholars from your own village in India under the guise of 'Tableegh'.

As Salaamu'alaikum

In reference to FARAZANA's post.

"Women have equal rights in worship as men in Islam." - Women reading salaah at home recieve similar reward compared to a man reading salaah in the masjid.

"We should all be supporting the sisters rather then condemning them as fitna with our superpious attitude" - Safety of a womans body and imaan is within the confines of her home. This doesnt mean that they have to stay in the house forever. Instead to limit being without a mahram in public, and leave for what is a necessity.

"This incident is typical of the 'madrassa' styled backwards Tableeghi Jamaat with dawah techniques that are stuck in the 1950's." - Why not question the all hadith of the Prophet SAW, which the whole Da'wah effort is based on? You think this effort was an overnight idea without any religious basis? Questioning the effort of Da'awah is questioning the hadith of the Prophet SAW. (Be Careful)

"They are the ONLY Jamaat in the UK that actively discriminate against women by not allowing them in UK masjids and somehow try and use Sharia to justify that." - In Urdu the phrase 'mustooraat' refers to women. The scholars involved in the effort of Da'awah encourage women to join the effort (accompanied with a mahram). The women stay in a nearby house the men stay in the masjid. The effort understands that children are mor comfortable with their mother in the absence of their father, so it is difficult for 'some' women to join the work of Da'awah regularly.

DON'T ANYONE 'EVER' QUOTE THE PROPHET SAW's SAYINGS WITHOUT BEING GIVEN THE RIGHT TO DO SO. TO HAVE A RIGHT ONE MUST (AND MUST!!) BE A SCHOLAR. TODAY YOU SO CALLED MUSLIMS QUOTE HIS BEAUTIFUL SAYINGS LIKE ITS NOTHING!!! (only if you knew the predicament you are putting yourselves in!!)

As i'm not a scholar i won't stoop to your level and comment on that which neither i know nor a have right to. But there are hadith which if you (being a muhaddith I assume) will find the refers to not allowing women to the masjid as well.

"In the Hanafi stronghold countries of Turkey and Syria, women are allowed to pray in the Mosques." - If you've been to Turkey (sounds like you have) and went into these Masjids at salaah times you will realise there are, unfortunately, very little numbers of men and even fewer women who read there. It would be very difficult for women to hear the imaam's takber as NO mics were used when I was there. I personally witnessed this. In the smaller local street masjid that I frequented ONLY men were present. Think and look wider sister.

You mention "the renowned Shaykh Asad Sagharji from Syria who's books on the Hanafi fiqh are currently being taught in Al Azhar." - His book being taught has no direct effect on the ruling made in the Masjid. The question you have to ask first is 'What is the overruling Madhab in Masjid Al-Azhar?' From that you will gain a better understanding. Note the takbeer before salah is NOT Hanafi. (go figure - oh yes, i've been to a few Islamic places across the globe)

I appreciate you have these views and opinions, but please check your facts beforehand to avoid embarassment. The pitfalls of quoting hadith are there and will be there always. So consult your local Mufti to argue/debate these issues, and others you've have.

Yaghfirullaho lanaa wa lakum

As Salaamu'alaikum

) The Prophet said, ‘Do not prevent the female servants of Allaah from going to the mosque of Allaah.’
(ii) And husbands were specifically told by him, " When your women folk ask you for permission to attend the mosque, do not prevent them." (Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book of Salaah, Chapter 80, Hadith No. 832)

(iii) From the time the Prophet (pbuh) entered Madeenah, after Hijra, till his demise, he never prevented women from entering the mosque.

(iv) During the time of the Prophet (pbuh), women not only went to the mosque for prayer but also for religious education and literary discussions as the mosque was the center of community. Several Ahaadeeth tell us that the Prophet (pbuh) addressed people in the mosque, and the audience consisted of both Muslim men and women, and women many a times asked questions to the Prophet (pbuh) in the mosque.
get ur facts straight before u state ur opion...there might be losts of questions against muslims, the only way u can solve them is by gettin them answered accusing ppl wont do u shit