Hadith References:
وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا عَنِ النبى ﷺ قَالَ: إِذَا اسْتَأْذَنَّكُمْ نِسَاؤُكُمْ بِاللَّيْلِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ فَأَذَنُوالَهُنَّ – رواه البخاري
Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar (RA) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"If your women seek permission from you at night to go to the mosque, then grant them permission."
[Bukhari: 899, 865; Muslim: 442]
وَعِندَ أَبِي دَاوُدَ: لَا تَمْنَعُوا نِسَاءَكُمُ الْمَسَاجِدَ، وَبُيُوتُهُنَّ خَيْرٌ لَهُنَّ
Also reported by Abu Dawood, the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Do not prevent your women from the mosques, though their homes are better for them."
[Ahmad: 2/72, 77; Abu Dawood: 567; Mustadrak al-Hakim: 1/209]
وَعَنْ بُسْرِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ أَنَّ زَيْنَبَ الثَّقَفِيَّةَ كَانَتْ تُحَدِّثُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ: إِذَا شَهِدَتْ إِحْدَاكُنَّ الْعِشَاءَ فَلَا تَطَيَّبُ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ – أَخْرَجَهُ مُسْلِمٌ
Busar ibn Sa‘id narrated from Zaynab al-Thaqafiyyah who reported from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
"If any of you women attend the ‘Isha prayer in the mosque, she should not wear perfume that night."
[Muslim: 443]
➋ Islam has laid down etiquettes for women when leaving their homes. Among these, they should avoid wearing perfumes, makeup, or anything that draws undue attention.
➌ Women are allowed to attend mosques even during the dark hours of early morning or night, such as for Fajr and ‘Isha prayers.
➍ Women can pray in congregation with the Imam in the mosque. There is no objection to this, provided all necessary precautions and Islamic guidelines are observed.
This content is derived from the book “Ḍiyā’ al-Islām fī Sharḥ al-I‘lām bi-Aḥādīth al-Aḥkām” by Shaykh Taqi al-Din Abi al-Fatḥ, translated by Maulana Mahmood Ahmad Ghaznfar.
وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا عَنِ النبى ﷺ قَالَ: إِذَا اسْتَأْذَنَّكُمْ نِسَاؤُكُمْ بِاللَّيْلِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ فَأَذَنُوالَهُنَّ – رواه البخاري
Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar (RA) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"If your women seek permission from you at night to go to the mosque, then grant them permission."
[Bukhari: 899, 865; Muslim: 442]
وَعِندَ أَبِي دَاوُدَ: لَا تَمْنَعُوا نِسَاءَكُمُ الْمَسَاجِدَ، وَبُيُوتُهُنَّ خَيْرٌ لَهُنَّ
Also reported by Abu Dawood, the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Do not prevent your women from the mosques, though their homes are better for them."
[Ahmad: 2/72, 77; Abu Dawood: 567; Mustadrak al-Hakim: 1/209]
وَعَنْ بُسْرِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ أَنَّ زَيْنَبَ الثَّقَفِيَّةَ كَانَتْ تُحَدِّثُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ: إِذَا شَهِدَتْ إِحْدَاكُنَّ الْعِشَاءَ فَلَا تَطَيَّبُ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ – أَخْرَجَهُ مُسْلِمٌ
Busar ibn Sa‘id narrated from Zaynab al-Thaqafiyyah who reported from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
"If any of you women attend the ‘Isha prayer in the mosque, she should not wear perfume that night."
[Muslim: 443]
✿ Key Benefits Derived from These Hadiths:
➊ It is permissible for women to pray in the mosque. However, they must consider their state of purity and must seek permission before going. Families should not prevent them from attending, though it is preferable for women to pray at home. This means women should be left to their own discretion—not compelled to stay at home nor forced to attend the mosque.➋ Islam has laid down etiquettes for women when leaving their homes. Among these, they should avoid wearing perfumes, makeup, or anything that draws undue attention.
➌ Women are allowed to attend mosques even during the dark hours of early morning or night, such as for Fajr and ‘Isha prayers.
➍ Women can pray in congregation with the Imam in the mosque. There is no objection to this, provided all necessary precautions and Islamic guidelines are observed.
This content is derived from the book “Ḍiyā’ al-Islām fī Sharḥ al-I‘lām bi-Aḥādīth al-Aḥkām” by Shaykh Taqi al-Din Abi al-Fatḥ, translated by Maulana Mahmood Ahmad Ghaznfar.