Women Praying In A Separate Room From Men, Allocated For Them In The Masjid, Where They Cannot See The Imām Nor The Rows Of Men — Is That Allowed? (Shaikh Al-Albānī)

Women Praying In A Separate Room From Men, Allocated For Them In The Masjid, Where They Cannot See The Imām Nor The Rows Of Men — Is That Allowed? (Shaikh Al-Albānī)

Question to Shaikh Al-Albānī (no. 58):

There are some mosques where the women pray in the lower ground floor or on the floor above the prayer area. Us women pray in these mosques sometimes, and we follow the imām’s prayer though we cannot see him nor can we see the rows of men. It is sometimes the case that the prayer hall of the men is large and mostly empty. So, is our prayer valid when we cannot see the imām nor can we see any of the men who are praying behind him? We sometimes enter the masjid and we do not know what rak’ah the imām is praying — so is it permitted in this condition for us to just follow the voice of the imām on the loud-speakers? Is it correct (valid) that we follow the imām while we are on the floor above and the floor below while there is in the main hall of the masjid ample space for us to pray (behind the men)?

Answer: The answer can be divided into two parts:

The first part: The prayer (of the women) in this state is valid so long as the women are praying in the masjid regardless of whether they are on the floor above or or the floor below — and so long as they can hear the takbeers of the imām that are being carried to them when he is standing to his rukoo’ (bowing) to his sujood (prostrating).

The second part: It is not allowed for the women to pray in these separate areas except if the area of the men is full, and they cannot find any space for themselves in the back rows. So, in that state it is allowed for them to pray in the section upstairs or downstairs. However, if there is ample space in the masjid area wherein the imām and the men behind him are praying, then it is not allowed for the women to go upstairs or downstairs where they cannot see the movements of the imām or the movements of the men praying behind him. There are two reasons for this:

Firstly: The Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: “The best rows for the men are the front rows, and worst are the back rows — and the best rows for the women are back rows, and worst rows are the front rows.” So what he intended by this is the floor upon which the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) prayed and his Companions behind him prayed. (Secondly) There was not a separate area for women upstairs or downstairs. Apart from this: the sound of the loud-speakers cannot be heard sometimes, and can it can cut-out. Therefore the prayer of the females following the imām upstairs or downstairs (or in another room) from where they cannot see the prayer of the male worshippers, behind the imām, is exposed to being invalidated.

In summary of this answer: The prayer whether in the upstairs or downstairs sections is valid and correct. However, it is not permissible for the women to head towards those sections if there is in the men’s area enough space for them to pray in the back rows.

(Masā’il wa Ajwibatuhā lil-‘Allāmah Al-Muhaddith Nāsirud-Deen Al-Albānī, pp. 80-81)

Abu Khadeejah ‘Abdul-Wāhid.