Question:
If there is a barrier or a wall between men and women in the mosque, does the following Hadith of the Prophet (ﷺ) still apply, or does it become inapplicable, making the first row of women the best?
خَيْرُ صُفُوفِ الرِّجَالِ أَوَّلُهَا وَشَرُّهَا آخِرُهَا، وَخَيْرُ صُفُوفِ النِّسَاءِ آخِرُهَا وَشَرُّهَا أَوَّلُهَا
"The best rows for men are the first ones, and the worst are the last ones; and the best rows for women are the last ones, and the worst are the first ones."
(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Salat, Hadith No. 1324, narrated by Abu Hurairah (RA))
Please clarify this matter. May Allah reward you for your response.
Answer:
It appears that the reason the last row of women is considered better is because it is farther from men. The more a woman remains distant from men, the more her honor and dignity are preserved, and the further she remains from temptation.
However, if the area designated for women to perform Salah is already separated from men with a solid barrier such as a thick curtain or a wall, and the women are following the Imam through loudspeakers, then, according to the stronger opinion, the first row (closer to the Qiblah) becomes superior due to its proximity to the front, similar to the men’s arrangement.
— Sheikh Ibn Jibreen (رحمه الله)
