Women and leading prayer

[Tanha]

I read an article in NY times about about Amina Wadud who led prayer for a crowd of 60 women and 40 men. Although she claims that Quran does not forbid women from leading the prayer, I want to know how much truth lies behind this argument. Please help me understand this.

[Ansar Al-Haq]

how much truth lies behind this argument.

Truth and lies should not be mixed together, but that is what Amina Wadud has done. There is no truth to a lie. I have read her website and they offer no proof from the Qur'an and Sunnah.

Read the following:
http://www.islamonline.net/fatwaappl...FatwaID=122881

[Tanha]

Truth and lies should not be mixed together, but that is what Amina Wadud has done. There is no truth to a lie. I have read her website and they offer no proof from the Qur'an and Sunnah.

Read the following:
http://www.islamonline.net/fatwaappl...FatwaID=122881

If that is the case, then why other Islamic scholars have not voice thier opinion about such serious matter? Can't any body reason with her?
thanks.

[bdb85]

I heard about this whole issue on NPR this morning, there is actually stepped-up security at my University now, as a lot of the people participating in the prayer were from the Muslim Student Association at my school (Virginia Commonwealth University), and since some Muslim clerics in the ME denounced, they automatically assumed a truck bomb would go off at VCU or some stuff.

[newsX]

If that is the case, then why other Islamic scholars have not voice thier opinion about such serious matter? Can't any body reason with her?
thanks.

Maybe, in some weird way, she might have a valid point; although, I think it is more because of ommission (or the alleged silence of scripture on this) than mere justification.

I am intrigued by her bold claim too that the koran does not state any prohibition. Is this true?

[Hashim]

Aslaam

This claim is false as the Qur'an clearly states that these responsibilites are decreed for men. The women is not nothing new, she is dispised and hated by the muslimk world for a long time now. She was working with the CIA and the US government for a long time, and made many attacks against islam in her time. This is just another one of here stunts to divide the muslims.

Wa.salaam

[afzaal]

This claim is false as the Qur'an clearly states that these responsibilites are decreed for men.

Can you please elaborate on that?

[razwan1979]

Hash,

"This claim is false as the Qur'an clearly states that these responsibilites are decreed for men"

Although I agree with your sentiment, can you show us this verse? Jazakallah khayr.

salaam alaykum

[razwan1979]

"She was working with the CIA and the US government for a long time, and made many attacks against islam in her time"

Many scholars work the Saudi, Egyptian, Pakistani, Iranian, Syrian, Jordanian, Tunisian, Chinese, British and French governments. Any many more. We don't dismiss their opinions because of these facts.

[Hashim]

Allah has made men the maintainers of women and not given to women the status of guardianship. It is not permissible for a woman to lead men in prayer under any circumstances.

Razwan, this women is known for her notorious onslaught against islam, she causes nothing but trouble and fitnah in the muslim community. She spreads dangerous lies and ideas, and this latest stunt of hers, is the same.

Wa'salaam

[Guest]

May Allah destroy the butchers of the faith.

This "prayer" was held at an Episcopal church in Manhattan. Church. That says something. Check this out what she said:

With this prayer service we are moving forward. This single act is symbolic of the possibilities within Islam. What possibilities? Like the west? Messed up?

We are standing up for our rights as women in Islam. We will no longer accept the back door or the shadows. At the end of the day, we'll be leaders in the Muslim world Back door? Shadows? I foresee another development as occured in Britain. Progress and development are good, but eventually they reach a pinnacle called "going bad" - e.g. an egg.

And she is one bad egg.

[razwan1979]

wa'alaykum salaam

I have not read anything other than a few articles by Wadud, so it isn't prudent for me to comment on her directly.

However, I was looking for the verse that specified hat you said here:

"This claim is false as the Qur'an clearly states that these responsibilites are decreed for men"

I don't see how men being the guardians of women relates to the salaat, but maybe I do not understand. So please help me.

Let me be clear, however, so as people do not misjudge my intentions.

I might even agree that there appears to be nothing in the core sources of Islam that says a woman cannot lead the prayer with men behind her. However (and this is a big however) a female leading a male/female congregation has never -- afaik -- occurred. In this respect why do we need to go against a practice that transcends all sectarian and schismatic views?

A counter argument might be that it is "justice" and "equality" to allow a female to lead the salaat with men in the jammat. However, anyone making this argument would need to demonstrate that analytically "justice" is the same as "equality". Then they would need to demonstrate that this issue has anything to do with "justice" and "equality". If ultimately we are judged only by our taqwa -- and not by any historical gender orientations -- and the prayer of a man is "equal" to that of a woman, then how can there be an issue of "justice" and "equality"? We pursue justice when someone is denied rights bestowed upon him or her by God; like in cases involving distribution of wealth or protection from the law. I could understand if the man's prayer was worth more than the woman's; but it isn't and no one has ever said it is.

I think the individuals involved in promoting this method of salaat need to ask themselves if is the adl of God, Almighty they want to promote or their own hawa.

And God knows best

assalaamu alaykum

[Hashim]

Aslaam

Yes a bad egg hatched by the americans to disrupt the muslims even further.

127 mosques refused to let her do her dirty work in their masjid!! So she read in a church?!!?!!! Nit only is it not permissable for her to lead the jamaat, but further more, it is not permissable to worship allah azzawajjal were other deitys are worshipped (like in churchs)!!!!!

Wa'salaam

[Hashim]

Aslaam

Brother i understand your doubts, but do become open to the tricks of the shaytaan. We know in islam, that men and women are equal, if anything women are more respected. They are blessed by allah with birth, and men are not open for this blessing. Women are held in high status, respect, and modesty. But we know, free mixing is haraam, we know even hearing a womens c=voice or shaking their hand is not permissable (unless it is mahraam). So how is it even possible, that a women can lead the jamaat? Furhtermore, if we look to the time of the salaaf, there is no incident were any women lead the jamat. So how dare we invent this ridocuouls thing out of the blue? I hope this clears it up a bit more razwan.

Wa'salaam

[razwan1979]

"Furhtermore, if we look to the time of the salaaf, there is no incident were any women lead the jamat"

This is the point I was trying to stress. Jazakallah khayr brother.

assalamu 'alaykum