Now, as far as I was led to believe, it is permissible for women to pray in their own congregation as long as the woman acting as imam stood in line with the women in the front row but lately I have seen many fatawa discouraging women from praying in congregation and urging them to pray in the darkest, dankest closets of their homes. Since when did praying in congregation become makruh for women? Things like this really burn me up!
from Ask Imam:
http://www.askimam.org/fatwa/fatwa.php?askid=7a7619bf4ffd7fb4af6315e4e11676cc[qoute]Question
Is it permissible for women to pray taraweeh salah in their own congregation?
Answer
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
It is makrūh tahrīmi for women to perform salāt in congregation. This is a general rule and includes all salāt, whether fardh or nafl. Janāzah salāt is however an exception to this, but in certain circumstances only. This is the verdict of our Fuqahā and Muslim Jurists.
The Fuqahā have stated
two reasons for impermissibility (Makrūh Tahrīmi). Firstly, congregational salāt demands that the Imām stands at the front of the congregation. If a woman stands as Imām, it will be inappropriate for her to stand at the front, as she will be exposing herself. Secondly, if she stands in the first saff (row) with her muqtadi?s, she would not be observing the etiquette of an Imām (i.e. to stand at the front of the congregation).*Love the circular logic used here*
Furthermore,
Rasulullāh (sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam) has stated: ?Salāt of a woman performed in the darkest (inner most area) of her house is most beloved to Allāh? (Sahih Ibn Khuzaimah). Ibn Hummān (rahimahullāh) comments on this Hadīth and states that for women to host congregational salāts in the darkest (innermost portion) of their homes is not possible. Hence, the Hadīth advises women to perform salāt individually rather than in congregation. Women that have memorised the qurān and desire to recite it in tarāwīh salāt, are encouraged to do so, however individually. It will not be permissible for them to perform tarawīh salāt in congregation, as congregation salāt for women is not permissible. This has been the verdict of our Fuqahā and Mufti?s like, Mufti ?Azizur Rahmān Deobandi, Mufti Mahmūdul Hassan Ganghohi, Mufti Abdur Rahīm Lājpuri and Mufti Yūsuf Ludyānwi (Rahimahumullāh). [/quote]
*All emphasis is mine.
Really, I think these hair brained beardos are just afraid of large groups of women coming together and using their collective noodle to instigate a plan to overthrow these misogynistic twerps!
Okay, that's my rant for the day.
Topic: Women praying in congregation