What did the Prophet do? [1]
(sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam)
An Evaluation of the "Islamic Basis"
for Female-Led Prayer
Prepared by Ali Yahya [ 1 2 3 4 5 ]

A response to Nevin Reda's article: What Would the Prophet Do? about Muslim women leading prayers

[ In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful... ]

On March 18, 2005, for perhaps the first time in the history of Islam, a woman delivered a khutbah and led a mixed congregation in Jumu'ah prayers. Although this action was clearly at variance with Islamic teachings and the consensus of the Muslim Ummah, attempts have been made to legitimize it. The most notable of these is a piece by Nevin Reda, available on the Internet.

Sadly, Nevin Reda's arguments have convinced a number of Muslims of the admissibility, or even desirability, of such prayers. This essay is a response to those arguments.

A Guiding Principle: Adhering to the Understanding of the Companions and Eschewing Innovations

-- Abu Daawood and at-Tirmithee reported on the authority of Irbaadh bin Saariyah that Allah's Messenger said:

"Whoever of you lives (after me) shall see much difference of opinion; so adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Caliphs after me; bite on to it with your back teeth; and beware of innovations, for every innovation is misguidance."[1]

-- Al-Bukharee and Muslim reported on the authority of Ibn Masood that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:

"The best of mankind is my generation; then those who come after them; then those who come after them."[2]

These two narrations (and others of the same import) establish two very important principles: First, that the only correct way of understanding and implementing Islam is that of the Companions of Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam). Second, the obligation to shun all religious innovations.

It is possible for almost anyone who wishes to legitimize a particular belief or action and ascribe it to Islam to find, if they look hard enough, in the Quran (and to a lesser extent, the Sunnah) that which they can use to support their views. Hence we see vast numbers of sects and individuals with a wide and conflicting array of beliefs and practices, all of whom ascribe themselves to Islam and quote the Quran.

But the purpose of a true believer, when studying the Quran and Sunnah, is not to find support for what he already believes, but to learn the will of Allah, and submit his or herself accordingly. As Imam Ash-Shaafi'ee said: "I believe in Allah, and (the Book of) Allah, as Allah intended it; and I believe in Allah's Messenger, and (the Sunnah of) Allah's Messenger, as Allah's Messenger intended it."[3]

The criterion for this is the understanding and practice of the Companions. In addition to the fact that the Prophet extolled them and commanded us to follow their way, they were the ones who saw the Quran being revealed and witnessed the Prophet implement it. And therefore no one is more knowledgeable of the meaning of the Quran and Sunnah than them. Allah said:

( So if they believe as you believe,
they are indeed on the right path ) [2:137]

This verse was addressed to the Companions.

The above narrations also point to the danger of innovation in matters of religion. Allah has informed us that He has perfected this religion (5:3), and the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihe wa sallam) said:

"Nothing remains which brings one closer to Paradise, or further away from the Fire, that has not been explained to you."[4]

Imam Maalik elucidated this principle in his famous dictum: "Anyone who introduces an innovation into Islam, and believes that it is good, has claimed that Muhammad betrayed the Message. For Allah says, ( This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favor upon you, and chosen for you Islam as your religion. ) [5:3] So whatever was not from the religion on that day can never be from the religion today."[5]

Anyone, therefore, who attempts to introduce foreign ideas or practices into the religion – under the guise of "progressiveness," "American Islam," or otherwise – is implying either that Allah's revelation was insufficient or that the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) did not convey His message.

Yet this should not be understood as a call to maintain the status quo. Sadly, the vast majority of the Ummah has become profoundly ignorant of its religion, profoundly negligent in its practice, and has been inundated with foreign ideologies which are antithetical to Islam. The state of the Ummah definitely needs to change. But true "progress" lies in returning to the example of Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) and his companions, not straying farther away from it.

These points established, we now can examine Ms. Nevin Reda's research in detail.

Reda begins her piece with the contention that "there is no prohibition precluding women from leading mixed-gender prayer." This, apart from being inaccurate, is not a valid argument. The established principle in Islam is that, while worldly matters are assumed to be permissible until proven otherwise, all religious acts are considered forbidden unless a basis for them can be established in the Quran or Sunnah.[6] Allah says:

( Or do they have partners who have ordained for them a religion which Allah has not allowed? ) [42: 21]

And the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:

"Whoever introduces into this affair of ours (the religion of Islam) that which is not from it will have it rejected."[7]

Interestingly, Reda entitles her piece: What Would the Prophet Do? as if the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) was some imaginary creature who never set foot on Earth.

What we should ask is: What did the Prophet do?

The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) spent 10 years in Madeenah with his Companions, during which several masjids were established. If female-led Friday prayers were permissible -- or desirable, as Reda holds -- Why didn't the Prophet appoint Aa'ishah, Hafsah, Faatimah, Umm Salamah, Umm Sulaym, or any of the eminently qualified women of the Companions as Imams? Why didn't Aboo Bakr, Umar, Uthman, or Alee do so? Are we to accept that this important issue was neglected by the Prophet, his Companions, and then 14 successive centuries of Muslims until we came along – in 21st century New York – to set things straight...?

[ Part Two: The Evidences Against Nevin Reda's Argument... ]

FOOTNOTES

[1] Aboo Daawood (4607); at-Tirmithee (2678)

[2] Al-Bukhaaree (2652); Muslim reported it with several different wordings from several Companions, see #2533-5.

[3] See 'Abdul-'Aziz bin Muhammad as-Salmaan: al-As'ilah wal-Ajwibah al-Usooliyyah (Jeddah, 1409) p. 70.

[4] Reported by at-Tabaraanee in al-Mu'jam al-Kabeer (1647)

[5] See 'Alee Hasan 'Abdul-Hameed: 'Ilm Usool al-Bida' (Riyadh: Daar ar-Raayah 1417) pp. 17-21

[6] Ibid. pp.69-73

[7] Al-Bukhaaree (2697); Muslim [1718]

MORE FROM THIS SERIES

Part Two: The Evidences Against Nevin Reda's Argument

Part Three: Scholarly Consensus

Part Four: The Hadeeth of Umm Waraqah

Part Five: Conclusion - Compare and Contrast