Question

Assalamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,

I hope you are in the best of health and Imaan inshaAllah. Recently, i have heard that some female scholars have been telling women in their bayaans that even in Jannah, women have to stay at home and have to observe the niqab and that all the ahadith about going out and experiencing the pleasures of Jannah are only for the men.

They base this on the hadith where the Prophet ﷺ said that people will go to the market in Jannah every Friday’s and when they return home to their family, they will have increased in their beauty and the family too, will have increased in beauty.

[Sahih Muslim, 2833]

They explained that they ‘people’ referred to in the above hadith are the men and that ‘family’ means their women folk.

My question is, is the above true? Will women still have to carry on their earthly restrictions even in Jannah? We would hope that after experiencing restrictions in this earthly world, we would no longer have to abide by these restrictions in Allahs perfect Jannah. But after hearing the above, many women are feeling hopeless and demotivated about Jannah. They are feeling more encouraged towards feminism and/or apostasy.

Your answer would be greatly appreciated.
Barakallahu feek

Answer

We have not come across any evidence to state that women will have to stay at home and observe niqab whilst in Paradise. Neither have we come across any evidence to state that only men will experience the pleasures of Jannah. One who makes such a claim must present evidence in support of their claim.

The hadith quoted makes mention of one incident that will take place in Jannah, where men will go to the market place. This cannot be used to argue that women are obliged to stay in their homes in Jannah, or that they have to wear niqab or that only men will experience pleasure in Jannah.

Women should not become demotivated about Jannah due to such claims. As for becoming encouraged towards apostasy due to such claims, this is unreasonable, as firstly the claims are not supported with valid evidence and secondly, apostasy leads one to eternity in Jahannam if one does not return to Islam before death.

Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow

Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel