Why Muslim women are not praying in the local Mosque?

[r.gonzales]

i thought i would post these since none of my muslim brothers or sisters have mentioned them yet…

al-imaam aboo daawud as-sajjistaanee included a chapter in his book, as-sunan, entitled: “what came regarding the women going t to the masjid”. under this heading, he included 4 narrations, all of them graded as “authentic” by the hadeeth scholar of our times, ash-shaikh muhammad naasir ad-deen al-albaanee. they are as follows:

565 (hasan saheeh) - from abee hurairah: that Allah’s messenger (s) said: “do not prevent Allah’s female servants from Allah’s masjids. but let them go out while they are not perfumed.”

566 (saheeh) - from naafi’: from ibn 'umar who said: Allah’s messenger (s) said: “do not prevent Allah’s female servants from Allah’s masjids.”

567 (saheeh) - from ibn 'umar who said: Allah’s messenger (s) said: “do not prevent your women from the masjids. and their homes are better for them.”

568 (saheeh) - mujaahid said: 'abdullah bin 'umar said: the prophet (s) said: “allow the women to [go to] the masjids at night.” then a son [of his] said to him: “by Allah, we do not allow them for they took it out of corruption. by Allah we do not allow them.” (mujaahid) said: so he (ibn 'umar) cursed him, became angered and said, "i say Allah’s messenger (s) said: allow them, and you say: we don’t allow them?!

this last report is also reported by al-bukhaaree and muslim in their saheehs.

so whoever prevents their women from going to the masjids to pray, then they have disobeyed a direct command from prophet muhammad (s).

 

[Faith101]

Fitz:

I understand that you think you are protecting women keeping them separate. However I disagree with women being separated out, and I also disagree that they are treated equal in that respect. I think that everything that you show the world on this issue is that you think women are like children. I really am not a die hard feminist, but this seems very unfair to all the women in your religion.

When women have to cover up to protect men from them, it just seems very sad. You many say not to look to cultural ways as religious ways, but one seems to follow the other.

Please do not think I think less of the women in these cases. I meet many women that wear the veils and I find most of them to be very nice and knowledgeable people. I just don’t like how it seems. It seems like a very bad case of discrimination.

What is really frustrating is being told how we Muslim women are supposed to feel!

I realize your intention may be good and your Islamic knowledge limited. So here it comes, straight from one of those “covered up” muslim females.

I do not cover so as to protect myself from men.

I do not cover so as to not be viewed as an object

I do not cover so that people can appreciate me for my intelligence and not the length of my legs

I do not cover because some man has told me to

I cover because I believe this is pleasing to my Lord. Period! As a result, I am pleased.

As a muslim female, i am very comfortable praying in a secluded area behind the men in a separate room. I do not feel like I am being treated like a child…if anything, i am being treated like how a woman should be treated…protected and honored and not up for display. Prayer is the time between me and my Creator…and I shouldnt have to worry about who is looking at my rear end!

if you are not a muslim female who understands Islam…than you cant say how a muslim female who understands Islam feels…no offense ofcourse

 

[Eetaq]

Faith101:

What is really frustrating is being told how we Muslim women are supposed to feel!

I realize your intention may be good and your Islamic knowledge limited. So here it comes, straight from one of those “covered up” muslim females.

I do not cover so as to protect myself from men.

I do not cover so as to not be viewed as an object

I do not cover so that people can appreciate me for my intelligence and not the length of my legs

I do not cover because some man has told me to

I cover because I believe this is pleasing to my Lord. Period! As a result, I am pleased.

As a muslim female, i am very comfortable praying in a secluded area behind the men in a separate room. I do not feel like I am being treated like a child…if anything, i am being treated like how a woman should be treated…protected and honored and not up for display. Prayer is the time between me and my Creator…and I shouldnt have to worry about who is looking at my rear end!

if you are not a muslim female who understands Islam…than you cant say how a muslim female who understands Islam feels…no offense ofcourse

faith you do a very good job on this forum. I really want to congratulate you for keeping a level head and having a good tone about you.

 

[Fitz]

Faith101:

What is really frustrating is being told how we Muslim women are supposed to feel!

I realize your intention may be good and your Islamic knowledge limited. So here it comes, straight from one of those “covered up” muslim females.

I do not cover so as to protect myself from men.

I do not cover so as to not be viewed as an object

I do not cover so that people can appreciate me for my intelligence and not the length of my legs

I do not cover because some man has told me to

I cover because I believe this is pleasing to my Lord. Period! As a result, I am pleased.

As a muslim female, i am very comfortable praying in a secluded area behind the men in a separate room. I do not feel like I am being treated like a child…if anything, i am being treated like how a woman should be treated…protected and honored and not up for display. Prayer is the time between me and my Creator…and I shouldnt have to worry about who is looking at my rear end!

if you are not a muslim female who understands Islam…than you cant say how a muslim female who understands Islam feels…no offense ofcourse

Faith, I respect your right to do as you do and to honor God as you please. However, this is my opinion. I never told you how to feel. I grew up praising God as a whole family together and this is what I feel is best. This is my opinion.

You must admit that not all muslim women think like you do. I believe they have the right to have things different if they so choose. I believe that women can have rights and not be trashy like some females that prance around half clothed. None of us here advocate for that look either. My husband respects me and I don’t use veils.

You need not be defensive with me. I respect your rights, but I fear that many men in your culture do not respect women’s rights.

 

[Faith101]

Faith, I respect your right to do as you do and to honor God as you please. However, this is my opinion. I never told you how to feel. I grew up praising God as a whole family together and this is what I feel is best. This is my opinion.

and i respect your right to have an opinion But, your opinion is that the situation the Muslim women is in is similiar to treating her like a child, or that it is discriminating. I just dont understand how you can come to a conclusion about something you are not involved in.

You must admit that not all muslim women think like you do. I believe they have the right to have things different if they so choose. I believe that women can have rights and not be trashy like some females that prance around half clothed. None of us here advocate for that look either. My husband respects me and I don’t use veils.

One time i went to lunch with a bunch of Christian women from different denominations. I think they spent 1/2 hour arguing about what is considered “modest.” One girl choose to not show her legs, the other thought showing her arms was ok, the other thought that there was nothing wrong with showing a little bosom.

All i did at that moment was thank God for defining what modesty is for me and sparing me this agony.

Its not about people respecting you or not. It is about doing what you believe God has ordered you to do. That is why I choose to cover.
I have to admit thought that being recognized as a Muslim is one of the greatest feelings in the world. Its like those people who wear hats with names of their favorite teams. My “hat” says “i am a slave of God and i am proud of it!”

You need not be defensive with me. I respect your rights, but I fear that many men in your culture do not respect women’s rights.

I apologize for being a little defensive. Its just that people feel the need to to say “oh look at those poor muslim women, they gotta cover up to prevent those perverted men from looking at them” and it gets irritating after a while.

My sister in humanity, I dont have a culture that is called Islam. I have a **way of life ** that is called Islam. I have to agree with you that some Muslim men dont understand how to treat women…and that is partly due to the fact that they have neglected to follow the best of mankind, prophet Mohamed (peace be upon him).

.

 

[Faith101]

Eetaq:

faith you do a very good job on this forum. I really want to congratulate you for keeping a level head and having a good tone about you.

Jazak Allah Khair brother.

Anything good I say is from the blessings of Allah and everything messed up i say is from my own self.

 

[Fitz]

Faith101:

and i respect your right to have an opinion But, your opinion is that the situation the Muslim women is in is similiar to treating her like a child, or that it is discriminating. I just dont understand how you can come to a conclusion about something you are not involved in.

Faith, I meet many Muslim women that cover in my line of work. I respect them greatly and I also meet some that don’t cover and I think they have that right and I respect them also. Some have left more oppresive countries. I feel like my opinion is somewhat based on some reality. Obvioiusly I have to rely on what Muslim women tell me or what I observe and that does not tell me everything. I don’t think men should ever be the ones that decide how grown women dress. I think that is why some of us think that men in your culture are treating women like children. We are used to freedom to be whatever we study to become. We can also choose a very traditional life of staying home and not working. I know many that choose to do this when they have children. When I had young children I stayed home and mothered them and believe that was my responsibility and also what God wanted me to do.

I believe that what you experienced when meeting Christian women that all have different opinions about what is modest in term of dress is really great. I do believe that we are all different. I would tend to think that the fact that they were discussing modesty makes them more conservative than the likes of say Brittany Spears and the entertainment women that I find totally demeaning to all women.

I was brought up with strict rules and regulations about dress because I went to a private Catholic school. We never were allowed to dress immodestly. I believe in that. I have no real problem with the modesty decision and honoring God, of course.

I do have major problems with women and girl children being denied any rights. I am talking- education, property rights, etc. I also cry when I hear of honor killings and things so cruel. I know you will tell me that is not what Islam teaches and I do believe that. However, these things happen in the Middle East and I fear that women have been taken advantage of in some of those countries.

I apologize for being a little defensive. Its just that people feel the need to to say “oh look at those poor muslim women, they gotta cover up to prevent those perverted men from looking at them” and it gets irritating after a while.

I love my country because we allow people to follow their religion and their dreams. We have Muslim women that cover, and we have Amish people that drive with horses and wagons and we all have the right. It is how it should be. Someone in the Middle East should not be imprisoned for having a Bible, as well as someone in a Mosque shoud be able to preach to their people. I think that many women have been abused in many countries, mine included at times. However, I will not change my basic opinion that women have rights. Those are God given, and no organized religion can take them away.

God Bless you Faith. I don’t know why you come to the Catholic website but welcome and enjoy the discussion.

 

[Faith101]

I was brought up with strict rules and regulations about dress because I went to a private Catholic school. We never were allowed to dress immodestly. I believe in that. I have no real problem with the modesty decision and honoring God, of course.

I agree with much of what you said. May God shower you with light to guide you on a straight path.

I

do have major problems with women and girl children being denied any rights. I am talking- education, property rights, etc. I also cry when I hear of honor killings and things so cruel. I know you will tell me that is not what Islam teaches and I do believe that.

I swear to you, when i hear these things I want to cry too. Not only is it completly brutal, but it damages the name of the dearest thing to me, Islam. Its like someone has just accused your child of murder when you know they are completely innocent.

When i hear women being denied education, i think of Aisha (may God be pleased with her), the prophet’s wife. She was extremely knowledgeble about Islam and the Prophet had told his MALE companions to “learn from Aisha, she is your teacher”.

When I hear about women being denied the right to own property, i think of the time when they **were ** property, and how Islam went against all customs at that time to change them from being owned…to owners themselves.

Thank you for understanding that these things are not part of Islam.

However, these things happen in the Middle East and I fear that women have been taken advantage of in some of those countries.

women are being taken advantage of in almost all countries…just in different ways.

I love my country because we allow people to follow their religion and their dreams

I truly believe that America has made me a better Muslim, and if i was born and raised somewhere else I may never have gotten a chance to interact with so many different people, question my faith and be forced to study it intensely…and then realize its truth for me

However, I will not change my basic opinion that women have rights. Those are God given, and no organized religion can take them away

I agree! (except to say that I know my God-given rights through “organized” religion). Lets say, women have God-given rights and no culture/man/animal/alien is gonna take it away from them!

God Bless you Faith. I don’t know why you come to the Catholic website but welcome and enjoy the discussion.

I really enjoyed reading your reply. Truly you are a good person.

I came here on the advise of someone on an Islamic forum who said that misconceptions about Islam are spreading like wildfire on this catholic forum. I’m here to set the story straight, may God help me in doing that