Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
Yes, Sayidah Ayeshah did say women cannot go to the Masjid.
عَنْ عَمْرَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا، قَالَتْ: لَوْ أَدْرَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا أَحْدَثَ النِّسَاءُ لَمَنَعَهُنَّ كَمَا مُنِعَتْ نِسَاءُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ
(Sayidah) Aishah (May Allah Most High be pleased with her) said, ‘If the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had seen what the women do now, he ﷺ would have forbidden them (from going to the Masaajid) as the women of Bani Israel had been forbidden.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, 869).
This Hadith has also been narrated in Sahih Muslim:
عَائِشَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَقُولُ: لَوْ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَأَى مَا أَحْدَثَ النِّسَاءُ لَمَنَعَهُنَّ الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا مُنِعَتْ نِسَاءُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ
(Sayidah) Aishah (May Allah Most High be pleased with her) the wife of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to say, ‘If the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had seen what the women have introduced he would have prevented them (from going to the mosque) as the women of Bani Israel were prevented (from the Masaajid).’ (Sahih Muslim, 445 – 144).
There is no doubt that these narrations are authentically narrated from Sayidah Ayeshah (May Allah Most High be pleased with her). They have been narrated in Bukhari and Muslim. Had they been narrated in either one of the two collections then we could confirm authenticity. Being narrated in both strengthens the Hadith further.
وأجمعت الأمة على صحة هذين الكتابين، ووجوب العمل بأحاديثهما (تهذيب الأسماء واللغات)
The Ummah is unanimously agreed that these two books are Sahih, and that their Hadith narrations must be acted upon. (Imam al-Nawawi, Tadheeb al-Ismaa wa al-Lughaat).
It is important to note that the Hadith narrations above speak about the opinion of Sayidah Ayeshah and not the direct words of the Holy Prophet ﷺ. There is no doubt that the Fatwa of Sayidah Ayeshah must be respected. However, since it is not a Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ it does allow for other Sahabah to differ.
And Allah Most High Knows Best.
-Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (16.08.2022)
See also:
Is there a Hadith for not preventing women from the Masjid?
No authentic Hadith encouraging women to pray at home?
Are all Hadith in Bukhari and Muslim Sahih?
See also video:
