◈ Ruling on Women Leading Prayer and Holding Authority in Islam – With Authentic Hadith and Scholarly Opinions ◈
Source: Fatawa Muhammadiyyah, Vol. 1, Page 414
A woman may lead other women in both obligatory and voluntary prayers, but she must not stand in front of the row like a male Imam. Instead, she should stand in the middle of the row of women.
This ruling is established through several authentic narrations and scholarly statements, as outlined below:
عن أم ورقة بنت عبد الله بن نوفل الأنصارية…
Narrated in Abu Dawood (with ‘Awn al-Ma‘bood, Vol. 1, p. 230)
Umm Waraqah رضي الله عنها, a female memorizer of the Qur’an, sought permission from the Prophet ﷺ to appoint a Mu’adhdhin in her house. The Prophet ﷺ granted permission and appointed a caller to prayer for her. He also instructed her to lead her household in prayer.
The Mu’adhdhin was an elderly man.
✔ Imam Ibn Ḥibbān declared both narrators, Walid ibn ʿAbdullah and ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Khalad, to be trustworthy (thiqah).
✔ Walid is also a narrator in Sahih Muslim.
✔ ʿAllāmah ʿAyni declared this Hadith authentic (ṣaḥīḥ).
[al-Taʿliq al-Mughni: Vol. 1, p. 404]
عن ريطة الحنفية، قالت: أمّتنا عائشة…
[al-Daraqutni: Vol. 1, p. 403]
Rayṭah al-Ḥanafiyyah narrated that ʿA’ishah رضي الله عنها led us in an obligatory prayer and stood among us in the row.
This narration also appears in Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq and Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah, indicating that ʿA’ishah رضي الله عنها used to lead women in prayer while standing in the middle of the row.
[al-Taʿliq al-Mughni: Vol. 1, p. 405]
عن حجيرة بنت حصين…
[al-Daraqutni: Vol. 1, p. 405]
Ḥujayrah bint Ḥuṣayn narrated that Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها led us in the ʿAsr prayer while standing among us.
✔ Though one narration is weak due to Ḥajjāj ibn Arṭāh, there are other authentic chains affirming that Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها used to lead women in prayer while standing in the row.
[Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr: Vol. 2, p. 42; al-Taʿliq al-Mughni: Vol. 1, p. 405]
عن ابن عباس قال: تؤم المرأة النساء، تقوم وسطهن
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنه said: “A woman may lead women in prayer, and she stands among them.”
[al-Taʿliq al-Mughni: Vol. 1, p. 404]
◈ Imam Muhammad ibn Isma‘il al-Yamani: The Hadith of Umm Waraqah proves a woman may lead her household in prayer, even if men are present.
[Subul al-Salam: Vol. 2, p. 2]
◈ Imam Shams al-Ḥaqq: The congregational prayer of women and their leadership is authentically established by the Prophet ﷺ.
[ʿAwn al-Maʿbood: Vol. 1, p. 230]
◈ Imam al-Nawawi, Imam al-Shafiʿi, Imam al-Awzaʿi, Imam al-Thawri, Imam Ahmad, Imam Abu Ḥanīfah: All consider it recommended (mustahabb) for women to lead other women in prayer.
[Fatāwā ʿUlamā’ al-Ḥadīth: Vol. 2, p. 187]
◈ Imam ʿAbd al-Jabbār Ghaznavi: A woman’s Imamate for women is permissible, but she must stand within the row.
[al-Taʿliq al-Mughni: Vol. 1, p. 405]
◈ Sayyid Muhammad Sābiq: It is recommended for a woman to lead women, as proven by the actions of ʿA’ishah and Umm Waraqah رضي الله عنهما.
[Fiqh al-Sunnah: Vol. 1, p. 200]
◈ Maulana Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri: Imam Ibn al-Humām also issued the same ruling—that it is permissible for a woman to lead women in prayer.
[Bazl al-Majhūd: Vol. 1, p. 331]
✔ A woman may lead other women in obligatory and voluntary prayers.
✔ She must stand in the middle of the row, not ahead of it.
✔ This practice is based on the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and the practice of the righteous predecessors.
✔ To consider it abrogated or conditional is incorrect.
Islam does not allow women to hold ruling authority over a nation. Their natural disposition and responsibilities are oriented toward family, child-rearing, and household management. Appointing women as rulers contradicts their nature and is detrimental to the society.
((لَنْ يُفْلِحَ قَوْمٌ وَلَّوْا أَمْرَهُمْ امْرَأَةً))
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī – The Letter to Khosrow and Caesar, Vol. 2, p. 637]
“A nation that appoints a woman as its ruler will never succeed.”
✔ This statement was made by the Prophet ﷺ when the Persians appointed Buran Dukht as their ruler.
✔ Shortly afterward, the centuries-old Persian Empire collapsed, confirming the truth of this Prophetic statement.
◈ A woman may lead other women in prayer—this is Sunnah and permissible.
◈ A woman may not hold governance or rulership—this is prohibited in Islamic Shari‘ah.
ھٰذا ما عندي، واللہ تعالیٰ أعلم بالصواب
Source: Fatawa Muhammadiyyah, Vol. 1, Page 414❖ Women Leading Congregational Prayer
Women May Lead Other Women in Salah
A woman may lead other women in both obligatory and voluntary prayers, but she must not stand in front of the row like a male Imam. Instead, she should stand in the middle of the row of women.
This ruling is established through several authentic narrations and scholarly statements, as outlined below:
❖ Hadith of Umm Waraqah رضي الله عنها
عن أم ورقة بنت عبد الله بن نوفل الأنصارية…
Narrated in Abu Dawood (with ‘Awn al-Ma‘bood, Vol. 1, p. 230)
Umm Waraqah رضي الله عنها, a female memorizer of the Qur’an, sought permission from the Prophet ﷺ to appoint a Mu’adhdhin in her house. The Prophet ﷺ granted permission and appointed a caller to prayer for her. He also instructed her to lead her household in prayer.
The Mu’adhdhin was an elderly man.
✔ Imam Ibn Ḥibbān declared both narrators, Walid ibn ʿAbdullah and ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Khalad, to be trustworthy (thiqah).
✔ Walid is also a narrator in Sahih Muslim.
✔ ʿAllāmah ʿAyni declared this Hadith authentic (ṣaḥīḥ).
[al-Taʿliq al-Mughni: Vol. 1, p. 404]
❖ Hadith of ʿA’ishah رضي الله عنها
عن ريطة الحنفية، قالت: أمّتنا عائشة…
[al-Daraqutni: Vol. 1, p. 403]
Rayṭah al-Ḥanafiyyah narrated that ʿA’ishah رضي الله عنها led us in an obligatory prayer and stood among us in the row.
This narration also appears in Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq and Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah, indicating that ʿA’ishah رضي الله عنها used to lead women in prayer while standing in the middle of the row.
[al-Taʿliq al-Mughni: Vol. 1, p. 405]
❖ Hadith of Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها
عن حجيرة بنت حصين…
[al-Daraqutni: Vol. 1, p. 405]
Ḥujayrah bint Ḥuṣayn narrated that Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها led us in the ʿAsr prayer while standing among us.
✔ Though one narration is weak due to Ḥajjāj ibn Arṭāh, there are other authentic chains affirming that Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها used to lead women in prayer while standing in the row.
[Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr: Vol. 2, p. 42; al-Taʿliq al-Mughni: Vol. 1, p. 405]
❖ Fatwa of ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنه
عن ابن عباس قال: تؤم المرأة النساء، تقوم وسطهن
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنه said: “A woman may lead women in prayer, and she stands among them.”
[al-Taʿliq al-Mughni: Vol. 1, p. 404]
❖ Views of Muhaddithīn and Fuqahā’
◈ Imam Muhammad ibn Isma‘il al-Yamani: The Hadith of Umm Waraqah proves a woman may lead her household in prayer, even if men are present.
[Subul al-Salam: Vol. 2, p. 2]
◈ Imam Shams al-Ḥaqq: The congregational prayer of women and their leadership is authentically established by the Prophet ﷺ.
[ʿAwn al-Maʿbood: Vol. 1, p. 230]
◈ Imam al-Nawawi, Imam al-Shafiʿi, Imam al-Awzaʿi, Imam al-Thawri, Imam Ahmad, Imam Abu Ḥanīfah: All consider it recommended (mustahabb) for women to lead other women in prayer.
[Fatāwā ʿUlamā’ al-Ḥadīth: Vol. 2, p. 187]
◈ Imam ʿAbd al-Jabbār Ghaznavi: A woman’s Imamate for women is permissible, but she must stand within the row.
[al-Taʿliq al-Mughni: Vol. 1, p. 405]
◈ Sayyid Muhammad Sābiq: It is recommended for a woman to lead women, as proven by the actions of ʿA’ishah and Umm Waraqah رضي الله عنهما.
[Fiqh al-Sunnah: Vol. 1, p. 200]
◈ Maulana Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri: Imam Ibn al-Humām also issued the same ruling—that it is permissible for a woman to lead women in prayer.
[Bazl al-Majhūd: Vol. 1, p. 331]
Summary Ruling on Women Leading Prayer:
✔ A woman may lead other women in obligatory and voluntary prayers.
✔ She must stand in the middle of the row, not ahead of it.
✔ This practice is based on the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and the practice of the righteous predecessors.
✔ To consider it abrogated or conditional is incorrect.
❖ Ruling on Women in Leadership or Governance
Islam does not allow women to hold ruling authority over a nation. Their natural disposition and responsibilities are oriented toward family, child-rearing, and household management. Appointing women as rulers contradicts their nature and is detrimental to the society.
❖ Prophetic Statement:
((لَنْ يُفْلِحَ قَوْمٌ وَلَّوْا أَمْرَهُمْ امْرَأَةً))
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī – The Letter to Khosrow and Caesar, Vol. 2, p. 637]
“A nation that appoints a woman as its ruler will never succeed.”
✔ This statement was made by the Prophet ﷺ when the Persians appointed Buran Dukht as their ruler.
✔ Shortly afterward, the centuries-old Persian Empire collapsed, confirming the truth of this Prophetic statement.
Final Conclusion:
◈ A woman may lead other women in prayer—this is Sunnah and permissible.
◈ A woman may not hold governance or rulership—this is prohibited in Islamic Shari‘ah.
ھٰذا ما عندي، واللہ تعالیٰ أعلم بالصواب
