Is it permissible for women to pray in the mosque?

In principle, there is nothing wrong with women attending the mosque and praying in congregation. However, it is preferable for them to pray at home [1].

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

لَا تَمْنَعُوا نِسَاءَكُمْ الْمَسَاجِدَ وَ بُيُوتُهُنَّ خَيْرٌ لَهُنَّ

“Do not prevent your women from going to the mosque. But their homes are better for them than the mosque” [2], he said.

According to the Hanafi school, scholars considered it disliked (makruh) for young women to attend the mosque for congregational prayer due to the risk of fitnah (temptation or social discord). This is because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Their homes are better for them than the mosque.” However, elderly women are permitted to attend the mosque for Fajr, Maghrib, and Isha prayers. This is the view of Imam Abu Hanifa, who explained that those with bad intentions are usually present at Dhuhr and Asr, while at Maghrib they are busy with dinner, and at Fajr and Isha they are asleep. According to Abu Yusuf and Muhammad, elderly women may attend all obligatory prayers in the mosque [3].

However, if there is a separate area for women in the mosque and the route to it is not exposed to the public, then there is no problem. The main goal is to protect the dignity of women and prevent any social discord.

Department of Sharia and Fatwa, Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan

• [1] "al-Hidaya", 2/354. "Bada'i al-Sana'i", 1/275.

• [2] Abu Dawud, No. 5468.

• [3] Mausuli, "al-Ikhtiyar", 1/204-207. Burhanuddin, "al-Muhit", 2/208-209. Marghinani, "al-Hidaya", 1/57. Ibn Abidin, "Radd al-Muhtar", 2/307.