Can a Lone Wife or Mahram Woman Stand Beside the Imam in Prayer?

Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri

❖ Question:​

Is it permissible for a lone wife or maḥram woman to stand beside the Imam during prayer?

✿ Answer:​

No, it is not permissible.
Even if the woman is alone, she must stand behind the Imam, not beside him.
A single woman constitutes a complete row (ṣaff) by herself.

❀ Evidence from the Sunnah:​

ʿAbdullāh ibn Abī Ṭalḥah رحمه الله narrated:


“When the son of Abū Ṭalḥah رضي الله عنه, named ʿUmayr, passed away, Abū Ṭalḥah sent for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The Prophet ﷺ came and led the funeral prayer over him in their house.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood in front,
Abū Ṭalḥah رضي الله عنه stood behind him,
and Umm Sulaym رضي الله عنها (the wife of Abū Ṭalḥah) stood behind her husband.
There was no one else present besides them.”
(Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār by al-Ṭaḥāwī, 1/508; al-Mustadrak by al-Ḥākim, 1/365)


Imām al-Ḥākim رحمه الله graded this ḥadīth as ṣaḥīḥ according to the conditions of al-Bukhārī and Muslim, and Ḥāfiẓ al-Dhahabī رحمه الله agreed with him.

❀ Important Note:​

This arrangement of rows — where a man stands directly behind the Prophet ﷺ and a woman behind the man —
was specific to the funeral prayer (Ṣalāt al-Janāzah).


In regular congregational prayers, the rule differs:

• The prayer of a lone man standing behind the row is invalid.
• But in the case of a woman, even when she is alone, she forms her own row behind the Imam.

❀ Supporting Evidence:​

Abū Saʿīd, the freed slave of Abū Usayd رضي الله عنه, narrated:


“I got married, and many Companions attended the wedding.
When the time for prayer came, Abū Dharr رضي الله عنه wanted to lead it,
but Ḥudhayfah رضي الله عنه pulled him back, saying:
‘The host has the greater right to lead the prayer.’
He then asked Abū Masʿūd رضي الله عنه, ‘Is that correct?’
Abū Masʿūd replied, ‘Yes.’

So I stepped forward and led the prayer — even though I was a slave at that time.
Abū Dharr and Ḥudhayfah رضي الله عنهما instructed me:
‘When you go to your wife, pray two rakʿahs.
And if she wishes to pray, let her pray behind you.’”
(al-Awsaṭ by Ibn al-Mundhir, 4/156 – chain ḥasan; Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah, 2/217, abridged)


This narration clearly shows that a wife prays behind her husband, not beside him — even if both are praying alone in their home.

Summary:​

• A woman — whether a wife or a maḥram — cannot stand beside the Imam during prayer.
• If she is alone, she must stand behind him, as she is considered a separate row by herself.
• This is based on authentic narrations and the continuous practice of the early Muslims.