By Haroon Balogun

The question of “segregation” in the mosque during events other that salat has been a topic of discussion in Islamic fora.

A reader last week drew my attention to a scenario where a Governor and his wife sat together in Mosque during a prayer session. It was not a salat but a dua organised to mark the birthday of the governor.

Yes, there are restrictions of both sexes but not in all forms. The idea of different section for male and female is obligatory during salat. No question. In other events like special dua, supplication, or conferences, or any other legal activities held in the mosques, the there may be no partition and both sexes can seat in different rows. But in the case specifically mention, both may not be separated.

This is because they are husband and wife and both are celebrants for the dua. I stand to be corrected though but I surmise that they can seat together for the purpose of the dua just like it is permissible for a woman to be assisted by a mahram in the Holy land during hajj rites.

Mosques during the time of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) did not have partitions. Under that scenario, men and women perform their salat in a mosques where there is no partition or separate room for the women.

Asma’ daughter of Abu Bakr said, I heard the Apostle of God say, “One of you who believes in God and in the Last Day should not raise her head until the men raise their heads lest she should see the private parts of men.”(Sunan Abu Dawud, No. 850)

It is clear from the above hadith that women can pray behind the men if there is no partition or a separate compartment for women. The partitioning was later done to prevent unnecessary socialisation and distraction during prayers.

However, segregation of sexes in mosques and prayer spaces is reported in a hadith in Sahih Muslim, one of the two most authentic Hadith books in Islam. It says that the best rows for men are the first rows, and the worst ones the last ones, and the best rows for women are the last ones and the worst ones for them are the first ones.

It is also recorded that Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) ordered that mosques have separate doors for women and men so that men and women would not be obliged to go and come through the same door.

He also commanded that after the Isha evening prayer, women be allowed to leave the mosque first so that they would not have to mix with men. It is also noteworthy that it has not been reported that there was any barrier between men and women in the Prophet’s mosque.

These are means that serve as precautionary for distractions and to avoid committing sin.

The intention of all restrictions is to keep interaction at a modest level. The restriction is trying to ensure that there is no obscenity, touching, secret meetings or flirting, and that all manners of socialisation must be according to the general rules of interaction between the genders.

Salat is so unique that it is our direct connection to Allah (SWT.) We should not get caught up with materialistic things while praying.

That is why the Quran Surat An-Nur vs 30-31 “Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: And Allah is well acquainted with all that they do.”

But unfortunately, some Muslims are using this to exclude women from society. Segregation is not a concept compatible with Islam.

And neither the Qur’ân nor the Sunnah orders or even encourages that women should always be out of sight, never to be heard, never to be able to contribute their God-given abilities to improve their societies and communities, never to be able to take on tasks that may take them away from their homes or should I say kitchens precisely.

It was on this column a couple of weeks ago we talked about career Muslim women contributing their quota to the development of the society and not by relegating them to the background as mere house wives.

While remaining firmly attached to our religious traditions and values, we don’t have to be hypocritical in the way we do things. A situation where women would never interact with men, where they would not attend conferences and seminars with male counterparts, where they would walk on separate walkways, take separate cabs yet driven by men and practically live in totally separate worlds, I do not believe Islam teaches that idea.

These same men go to shops and they are served by women (most times uncovered non-Muslims); work with female colleagues, talk freely, sit in the same room, and eat in the same canteens; walk around in markets with women all around them; sit and stand on buses and the underground next to and close to women and yet with resounding hypocrisy, say mixing of both sexes is prohibited in Islam.

Is that Islam? Where do these ideas come from? Islam/Shariah truly does not condone immorality, the laws are there to guide us , we should constantly check ourselves to see where we go wrong and immediately make amends.

Much as our women observe their prayers behind men, consciousness of the true concept of hijab will truly liberate, rather than isolates them in all social gathering.

If they are conscious of this, they will be guided from sin related to adultery and fornication. Segregation in salat should not make women who are just as capable and competent as men in many fields of life be relegated to the background.

Islam does not dwell on physical segregation neither did it stop women from socialising.

Rather, Islamic teachings manage human affairs and address issues common to both sexes in such a way that it will engender peace, harmony and a near perfect environment. Ma sallam.

-via Vanguard

Posted by admin on Jan 2 2014. Filed under Headlines, Religion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry