Women Must Stand Behind the Imam – Shari‘ah Ruling and Evidence
Source: Fatawa ‘Ilmiyyah, Vol. 1, Kitab al-Salah, p. 280
Question:
If the Eidgah is near the mosque towards the east, and men perform the Eid prayer in the Eidgah, while women pray in the mosque (which is located further ahead, towards the Qiblah, in relation to the Eidgah) and follow the Eid prayer behind the Imam — in such a case, the Imam would be positioned between the men and the women.
Is offering Eid prayer in this arrangement correct according to Shari‘ah?
(Asked by: Muhammad Siddiq, Abbottabad)
Answer:
Wa ‘alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
Alhamdulillah, wa-s-salatu wa-s-salamu ‘ala Rasulillah, amma ba‘d:
In the described scenario, the women’s prayer is invalid.
According to Shari‘ah, women must be positioned behind the Imam.
The requirement for women to stand behind the Imam is proven by mutawatir evidence, and this principle applies to all congregational prayers — whether Eid prayer or any other Salah.
If women stand in front of or at the same level as the Imam, their prayer becomes invalid.
Therefore, such an arrangement is not permissible.
(Shahadat, May 2004)
ھذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب۔
