Statement of Hazrat Imaam Shaafi’ee (rahimahullah)

Statement of Hazrat Imaam Shaafi’ee (rahimahullah)

Hazrat Imaam Shaafi’ee (rahimahullah) has written in Ikhtilaaful Hadith:

We do not know of any of the respected wives of Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) leaving their homes to attend the Jumuah Salaah or any other salaah in the musjid, even though the respected wives of Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), on account of their special position and relationship with Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), would have been more rightful and worthy than any woman to fulfil the faraaidh in the musjid, yet they did not do this.

There were many women who were close to Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), from the women of his household, his respected wives, his daughters, his slave women and the slave women that belonged to his household, yet I do not have knowledge of even a single woman from them who left the home to attend the Jumuah Salaah behind Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), despite Jumuah Salaah being compulsory on the men to a greater degree than all the other salaah. Similarly, we do not have knowledge of any of them leaving the home to attend the congregational salaah, neither during the night nor during the day, nor did they even go to the musjid in Qubaa, although Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would go to Qubaa, sometimes riding his conveyance and sometimes on foot, nor did they go to any of the other masaajid. I have no doubt that on account of their special relationship with Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), they were eager to acquire virtue and reward and they knew the avenues of earning reward better than other women, yet they did not go to the musjid for salaah.

I do not have knowledge of any of our pious predecessors instructing any one of their womenfolk to attend the Jumuah Salaah nor the congregational salaah, neither during the night nor during the day. If they knew that there was any virtue in the women leaving their homes and attending the congregational salaah, they would have definitely instructed them and permitted them to do so. Rather, it is related that Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “The salaah of a woman in her bedroom is better than her salaah in the communal room of her home, and her salaah in the communal room of her home is better than her salaah in the musjid.” (Ikhtilaaful Hadith Pg. 625-626)