Question

What is the mainstream Hanafi position on:

1. A woman leading women only in congregational prayer (e.g. Zohar salaah)
2. A woman leading women only in Jumuah prayer (together with khutbah).
3. A women leading women only in Eid Salaah (together with khubah)

What is the scope within the Hanafi position for any of these to be permissible/encouraged?

Answer

According to the mainstream Hanafi opinion it is prohibitively disliked (makruh tahrimi) to have an all-female congregation with a female imām, though the prayer of both the imām and followers would be valid.

The only notable exception to this ruling would be the opinion of Ibn al-Humam, according to whom all-female congregation with a female imām would be mildly disliked (makruh tanzihi). However, this is not the majority opinion of the Hanafi madhab.

Due to this difference of opinion, it would not be necessary for us to try to stop a female-led all-women congregation if it were to take place. However, it should in no way be encouraged because even according to the most permissive Hanafi opinion it is disliked.

الفتاوى الهندية (185) – وَيُكْرَهُ إمَامَةُ الْمَرْأَةِ لِلنِّسَاءِ فِي الصَّلَوَاتِ كُلِّهَا مِنْ الْفَرَائِضِ وَالنَّوَافِلِ إلَّا فِي صَلَاةِ الْجِنَازَةِ. هَكَذَا فِي النِّهَايَةِ فَإِنْ فَعَلْنَ وَقَفَتْ الْإِمَامُ وَسَطَهُنَّ وَبِقِيَامِهَا وَسَطَهُنَّ لَا تَزُولُ الْكَرَاهَةُ وَإِنْ تَقَدَّمَتْ عَلَيْهِنَّ إمَامُهُنَّ لَمْ تَفْسُدْ صَلَاتُهُنَّ. هَكَذَا فِي الْجَوْهَرَةِ النَّيِّرَةِ وَصَلَاتُهُنَّ فُرَادَى أَفْضَلُ هَكَذَا فِي الْخُلَاصَةِ.

فتح القدير للكمال ابن الهمام (1/ 354) – وبتقدير التسليم فإنما يفيد نسخ السنية، وهو لا يستلزم ثبوت كراهة التحريم في الفعل بل التنزيه ومرجعها إلى خلاف الأولى، ولا علينا أن نذهب إلى ذلك فإن المقصود اتباع الحق حيث كان

Answered by:
Apa Myra Hamid

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