Can A Woman Really Lead Other Women in Salah?

Friday 28-Jun-2019, 1:34AM / 1328

Transcription: Abul 'Aamaal

Question: Is it permissible for a woman to lead other women (as Imam in Salah)

Answer: Yes it is permissible for a woman to lead women and also to raise her voice in salah as long as she's not heard by strange men.

And the sunnah for her is to stay in their middle and not to be in their front.

For Taymeemah bint Salamah had said: _"Aa'isha led women in the obligatory Maghrib (sunset) Salah and she stood in their middle and recited aloud."_

Also Yahyah bin Sa'eed had said: _"Aa'isha would lead women in tatawwu' (voluntary Salah) and stay in their middle",_ then this report is about the voluntary Salah while the other is about the obligatory Salah.

And the daughter of Hussein said: "Umm Salamah led us in Asr (evening) Salah, and she stood between us."

All these reports are evidencing the permissibility of woman leading women in both the obligatory and voluntary Salawaat and also raising the voice in that which the voice is normally raised, and also to stand in their middle.

In addition, it is also permissible for a woman to make Aadhan (call to prayer) and Iqaamah, and the hadith about it (it's prohibition): _"It is not for women to make aadhan"_ has no basis. 

And the principle with the people of knowledge is that women are like men in address, therefore in any speech in which men are addressed, women are also inclusive as subsidiary, and the prophet —Allah raise his rank and grant him peace— had said: "Women and the pairs of men"

But as for address directed towards the women specifically, then men are not inclusive in it except with indication. 

And Allah —the exalted— is All-Knower.

Ash-Shaykh Mashūr bin Hasan Aale-Salmaan

خدمة الدرر الحسان من مجالس الشيخ مشهور بن حسن آل سلمان