Is there a Hadith for not preventing women from the Masjid?


ⓘ Supported by Al Medina 313.

Quran

Hadith

Islamic Text

Yes, there are numerous Hadith narrations regarding women not being prevented from the Masjid.

عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ: كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ لِعُمَرَ تَشْهَدُ صَلاَةَ الصُّبْحِ وَالعِشَاءِ فِي الجَمَاعَةِ فِي المَسْجِدِ، فَقِيلَ لَهَا: لِمَ تَخْرُجِينَ وَقَدْ تَعْلَمِينَ أَنَّ عُمَرَ يَكْرَهُ ذَلِكَ وَيَغَارُ؟ قَالَتْ: وَمَا يَمْنَعُهُ أَنْ يَنْهَانِي؟ قَالَ: يَمْنَعُهُ قَوْلُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: لاَ تَمْنَعُوا إِمَاءَ اللَّهِ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ

(Sayidina) Ibn Umar (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) said, one of the wives of Umar (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) used to offer the Fajr and the Isha prayer in congregation in the Masjid. She was asked, ‘Why do you go for the prayer whilst knowing Umar dislikes it, and is protective?’ She replied, ‘What prevents him from prohibiting me (if he truly dislikes it)?’ He replied, the statement of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ, ‘Do not prevent the female slaves of Allah (Most High) from the Masaajid of Allah.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, 900).

The Hadith above makes it clear that women should not be prevented from the Masaajid. It is also true to say that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ advised women to pray at home (see the link below for details). The same Hadith is found in Sahih Muslim too. However, it is abridged:

عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: لَا تَمْنَعُوا إِمَاءَ اللهِ مَسَاجِدَ اللهِ

(Sayidina) Ibn Umar (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Do not prevent the female slaves of Allah (Most High) from the Masaajid of Allah.’ (Sahih Muslim, 442 – 136).

There are also narrations that clarify that the above Hadith narrations extend to all prayers, even those at night.

عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: ائْذَنُوا لِلنِّسَاءِ بِاللَّيْلِ إِلَى المَسَاجِدِ

(Sayidina) Ibn Umar (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Allow women to go to the Masaajid at night.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, 899).

Similar narrations regarding women going to the Masjid at night are found elsewhere in Bukhari (865) and Muslim (442 – 138 and 442 – 139) too. In the following Hadith we find some clarification as to why this ruling is in place.

عَنْ بِلَالِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا تَمْنَعُوا النِّسَاءَ حُظُوظَهُنَّ مِنَ الْمَسَاجِدِ، إِذَا اسْتَأْذَنُوكُمْ» فَقَالَ بِلَالٌ: وَاللهِ، لَنَمْنَعُهُنَّ. فَقَالَ لَهُ عَبْدُ اللهِ:  أَقُولُ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَتَقُولُ أَنْتَ: لَنَمْنَعُهُن

Bilal son of Abdullah ibn Umar (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) narrated that his father said, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Do not prevent the women from their share in the Masjid when they ask your permission.’ Bilal said, ‘By Allah, we will certainly prevent them.’ ‘Abdullah (Ibn Umar) said to him, ‘I say that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, and you say, we will certainly prevent them.’ (Sahih Muslim 442 – 140).

In the Hadith above and the following Hadith we find Sayidina Ibn Umar rebuking his son for not simply submitting to the words of the Hoy Prophet ﷺ. The Hadith also clarifies that men are not to encourage women to go to the Masjid. Rather they must not prevent them if women want to go.

سَالِمُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «لَا تَمْنَعُوا نِسَاءَكُمُ الْمَسَاجِدَ إِذَا اسْتَأْذَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْهَا» قَالَ: فَقَالَ بِلَالُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ: وَاللهِ لَنَمْنَعُهُنَّ، قَالَ: فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِ عَبْدُ اللهِ: فَسَبَّهُ سَبًّا سَيِّئًا مَا سَمِعْتُهُ سَبَّهُ مِثْلَهُ قَطُّ وَقَالَ: ” أُخْبِرُكَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَتَقُولُ: وَاللهِ لَنَمْنَعُهُنَّ 

Abdullah ibn Umar (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) said, I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, ‘Do not prevent your women from the Masaajid if they seek your permission to go to them.’ Bilal son of Abdullah said, ‘By Allah, we will certainly prevent them.’ Upon this Abdullah (his father) turned to him and reviled him harshly, in a manner which I had never heard from him at any other time. Then he said, I am narrating to you from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and you (have the audacity) to say: By Allah, we shall certainly prevent them. (Sahih Muslim, 442 – 135).

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

-Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (01.08.2022)

See also:
All Marfoo Hadith in Bukhari and Muslim are Sahih
No authentic Hadith encouraging women to pray at home?

See also video: