Should Women Join the Men’s Congregation?

Question

Some women in burqas also join the congregation, [standing] in a special place far away from the men; the gap in between is at least twelve rows. In the Friday prayer it is possible for this gap to be filled with worshippers, but in the daily prayers the rows being joined is out of the question. Thus the women’s taking part in the prayer is in practice possible only if they stand apart at such a great distance from the imam and the male followers (muqtadis).

Answer

Women, even in burqas, should be stopped from coming to the mosque to take part in the congregation; moreover, so large an empty space is itself a barrier to following the imam (iqtida’). [ar]وَلَا يَحْضُرْنَ الْجَمَاعَاتِ لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَقَرْنَ فِى بُيُوتِكُنَّ﴾، وَقَالَ ﷺ: صَلَاتُهَا فِي قَعْرِ بَيْتِهَا أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صَلَاتِهَا فِي صَحْنِ دَارِهَا، وَصَلَاتُهَا فِي…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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