Source: Fatāwā Muhammadiyyah, Vol. 1, p. 426
Can a man lead women in prayer when no other man is present in the congregation with them?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Ba‘d!
This practice is permissible, and there is no objection to it, provided that:
❀ The women are more than one.
❀ They are observing proper hijāb and wearing simple clothing.
Narrated from Ḥaḍrat Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (رضي الله عنهما):
جَاءَ أُبَيُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنْ كَانَ مِنِّي اللَّيْلَةَ شَيْءٌ يَعْنِي فِي رَمَضَانَ، قَالَ: «وَمَا ذَاكَ يَا أُبَيُّ؟» ، قَالَ: نِسْوَةٌ فِي دَارِي، قُلْنَ: إِنَّا لَا نَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ فَنُصَلِّي بِصَلَاتِكَ، قَالَ: فَصَلَّيْتُ بِهِنَّ ثَمَانَ رَكَعَاتٍ، ثُمَّ أَوْتَرْتُ، قَالَ: فَكَانَ شِبْهُ الرِّضَا وَلَمْ يَقُلْ شَيْئًا۔
(Abū Ya‘lā, al-Nasrānī in al-Awsaṭ, Hayshamī in Majma‘ al-Zawā’id Vol. 2 p. 74: Isnāduhu ḥasan, also narrated by Muḥammad ibn Naṣr al-Marwazī in Qiyām al-Layl, see Mir‘āt al-Mafātīḥ, Vol. 2 p. 230)
Translation:
Ḥaḍrat Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (رضي الله عنه) came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said:
"O Messenger of Allah! Tonight I did something (in Ramaḍān)."
The Prophet ﷺ asked: "What was that, O Ubayy?"
He replied: "There are women in my household who said: ‘We do not know the Qur’an, so please lead us in prayer.’ Therefore, I led them in eight rak‘āt of Tarāwīḥ and then in Witr."
The Prophet ﷺ listened and did not say anything, and it appeared as though he approved of this act.
❀ From this Sunnah Taqrīriyyah (tacit approval of the Prophet ﷺ), it is proven that a man may lead women in prayer.
❀ If the act of Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (رضي الله عنه) had been incorrect, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would have shown disapproval.
The scholars of Uṣūl state:
"Ta’khīr al-bayān ‘inda al-ḥājah lā yajūz"
(Delaying clarification when it is needed is not permissible.)
Hence, it is established that it is permissible for a man to lead women in prayer, provided that:
✔ The women are more than one.
✔ Proper hijāb and simple dress are observed.
❖ The Question
Can a man lead women in prayer when no other man is present in the congregation with them?
❖ The Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Ba‘d!
This practice is permissible, and there is no objection to it, provided that:
❀ The women are more than one.
❀ They are observing proper hijāb and wearing simple clothing.
Evidence from Ḥadīth
Narrated from Ḥaḍrat Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (رضي الله عنهما):
جَاءَ أُبَيُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنْ كَانَ مِنِّي اللَّيْلَةَ شَيْءٌ يَعْنِي فِي رَمَضَانَ، قَالَ: «وَمَا ذَاكَ يَا أُبَيُّ؟» ، قَالَ: نِسْوَةٌ فِي دَارِي، قُلْنَ: إِنَّا لَا نَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ فَنُصَلِّي بِصَلَاتِكَ، قَالَ: فَصَلَّيْتُ بِهِنَّ ثَمَانَ رَكَعَاتٍ، ثُمَّ أَوْتَرْتُ، قَالَ: فَكَانَ شِبْهُ الرِّضَا وَلَمْ يَقُلْ شَيْئًا۔
(Abū Ya‘lā, al-Nasrānī in al-Awsaṭ, Hayshamī in Majma‘ al-Zawā’id Vol. 2 p. 74: Isnāduhu ḥasan, also narrated by Muḥammad ibn Naṣr al-Marwazī in Qiyām al-Layl, see Mir‘āt al-Mafātīḥ, Vol. 2 p. 230)
Translation:
Ḥaḍrat Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (رضي الله عنه) came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said:
"O Messenger of Allah! Tonight I did something (in Ramaḍān)."
The Prophet ﷺ asked: "What was that, O Ubayy?"
He replied: "There are women in my household who said: ‘We do not know the Qur’an, so please lead us in prayer.’ Therefore, I led them in eight rak‘āt of Tarāwīḥ and then in Witr."
The Prophet ﷺ listened and did not say anything, and it appeared as though he approved of this act.
Clarification of the Issue
❀ From this Sunnah Taqrīriyyah (tacit approval of the Prophet ﷺ), it is proven that a man may lead women in prayer.
❀ If the act of Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (رضي الله عنه) had been incorrect, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would have shown disapproval.
The scholars of Uṣūl state:
"Ta’khīr al-bayān ‘inda al-ḥājah lā yajūz"
(Delaying clarification when it is needed is not permissible.)
Conclusion
Hence, it is established that it is permissible for a man to lead women in prayer, provided that:
✔ The women are more than one.
✔ Proper hijāb and simple dress are observed.
