Prepared by Maaz Qureshi

"PIVOTAL QUOTE"

If the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) saw what was innovated (ahdatha) by the women, he would have forbidden them (li man’a hunnaa) from the Mosque like the women of the Children of Israa’eel were forbidden.

[1] Chapter: Women Going To The Masjid

From Zaynab ath-Thaqafiyyah (radiyallaahu ’anhu) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said to us: 'If one of you attends the Mosque, then do not touch perfume.'

[Mukhtasar Saheeh Muslim of Shaykh al-Albaanee (no. 245)]

[2] "If one of your women seek permission to go to the Mosque, then do not forbid her."

[Reported by Ibn ’Umar (radiyallaahu ’anhu)] [Related by al-Bukhaaree, Muslim, Ahmad, and Nisaa‘ee]

Shaykh al-Albaanee cites it in Ghaayatul-Maraam (no. 201).

He declares it authentic in Saheehul-Jaami’ (no. 319).

[3] "If one of you attends ’Ishaa, then do not touch perfume."

[Reported by Zaynab at- Thaqafiyyah] [Related by Muslim, Ahmad And Nisaa‘ee]

Shaykh al-Albaanee cites it in Silsilatul-Ahaadeethus-Saheehah (no. 1093)]

He declares it authentic in Saheehul-Jaami’ (no. 634)

Note that the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) used the word ’Ishaa here. This is because the women in that time usually only attended the Mosque at night and in the dark as is reported from ’Umar(radiyallaahu ’andhu) in Saheehul-Bukhaaree under the chapter of letting the women go to the Mosque at night in the dark. Imaam al-Bukhaaree purposely used the word dark (ghalas) here, This was because the women were not seen by them men during the dark, and they used to leave before the men. They used to come and go from the Mosque according to ’Aa‘ishah in one narration, "unnoticed".

[4] Chapter: The Prohibition of Women To Go (to the Mosque)

From ’Amrah Bint ’Abdur-Rahmaan (radiyallaahu ’anhu) that she heard ’Aa‘ishah (radiyallaahu ’anhu) the wife of the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) saying, "If the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) saw what was innovated (ahdatha) by the women, he would have forbidden them (li man’a hunnaa) from the Mosque like the women of the Children of Israa’eel were forbidden." He said, "So I said to ’Amrah, 'Were the women of the Children of Israa’eel forbidden from the Mosque?" She said, "Yes."

[Mukhtasar Saheeh Muslim by Shaykh al-Albaanee (no. 264)]

This is also reported in the Muwatta’ of Imaam Maalik under the Chapter title, "Women Going To The Mosque". The additional statements are reported therein to have come from Yahyaa Ibn Sa’eed, and ’Umar (radiyallaahu ’anhu).

Also, it is interesting to note that Imaam Muslim used to use his chapter titles as rulings. The above Hadeeth is reported by him under the title, ‘‘The Prohibition of Women to Go (To The Mosque)", so it can be said that he was against women going to the Mosque because of what they invented after the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam). Among his proofs for this fatwaa is the above mentioned Hadeeth. So I hope that this is sufficient as an answer to your inquiry concerning ahaadeeth on women going to the Mosques.