بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

All praises are due to Allah, the One who revealed the Criterion (al-furqaan) to His slave so that he would be a Warner (nadheeran) to all of the worlds.  Then he explained (bayyana) to mankind what He revealed to them so that they would reflect (liyudabbaru) on His signs and bear in mind the reminder by means of it.  He unveiled the meaning (ma’aani), interpretation (ta’weelan) and explanation (tafseeran) of the clear verses (muhkamaat), they are the foundation of the Book (umm al-kitaab).  Others are those verses that are not so clear (mutashaabihaat), their speech is symbolic (rumuuz al-khitaab).  May Allah Bless him, his family and his companions.  And grant him and them abundant peace.

From the poor slave in desperate need of the mercy of his Lord, Na’eem Abdullahi to Amina Wadud and the rest of the Muslims.  As to what follows:

This risaalah is dealing with the issue of “The leadership (in Salaah) of the Woman (imaamah al-mar’ah)”, particularly with regard to Jumu’ah Khutbah & Salaah.  The motivating factor behind this composition is an upcoming event that is being advertised as “The First Muslim Woman on Record to Lead Mixed-Gender Prayer”.  The proponents of this public relations stunt claim to have proofs from the Seerah of our beloved Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to support their shaytanic activities.  This small paper is divided into four issues, which includes an introduction and a conclusion.  In the [1] first and introductory issue we will mention some of the proofs obligating humanity to follow and submit to the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and the Ijma’ of the mujtahid Imaams.  The [2] second issue will mention the conditions (shuruut) of imamate (imaamah).  The [3] third issue will mention the Hadith of Umm Waraqah, may Allah be pleased with her.  The [4] forth and concluding issue will address the silence of the contemporary leaders.  Success is with Allah.

Shehu ‘Uthman ibn Fudi says in his book The Revival of the Sunnah and the Destruction of Innovation (Ihya us-Sunnah wa Ikhmaadu ul-Bida’), in the first chapter entitled “An Explanation of the Scope of the Book, the Sunna, and the Consensus (al-ijma`) and the Proofs of the Obligation to Follow Them”.

“The Scope of the Book:

            As for the scope of the Book it is as Abd'r-Rahmaan as-Suyuti[1] said in his an-Niqaya, "It is the heavenly speech which was revealed to Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the form of chapters as a wondrous miracle from Him."

The Scope of the Sunna:

            The scope of the Sunna is as Ahmed ibn Ali ibn Abd'r-Rahmaan al-Manjuri said in his commentary upon the Minhaj 'l-Muntakhib, "The sunna linguistically means a way (at-tareeqa) and a custom (al-`aadat). The sunna technically is a word which is a combination of a form of worship (al-`ibaadat) and a form of proof (al-adaalat).  The sunna with regard to worship are the supererogatory acts which the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, practiced constantly, or it was understood by it that it was to be done continuously, even when its cause was not recurrent - like the eclipse prayer (salaat 'l-khusuuf). And some of the Companions added: and it was publicly demonstrated to be done in congregation (jama`at). The sunna with regard to proof is meant here everything which proceeded from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, (other than the Qur'an) pertaining to words, deeds or decisions.  It is in accordance with this meaning that the realized ones (al-muhaqqiqeen) explained it. In the Minhaj al-Muntakhib it says, "That about which Muhammad, the master of mankind, was silent, his words, his deeds which were done always, or that in which he had made a decision - that is the sunna."

The Scope of the Consensus (al-ijma`):

            The scope of the consensus, it is as Abd'r-Rahmaan as-Suyuti said in his an-Niqaya, "It is the unanimous agreement of the fuqaha of the time. That means its mujtahids who pass legal judgments upon new occurrences which occur in any time."  In the al-Kawkab as-Saati` it says, " (Consensus) is the agreement which comes from the mujtahids of our umma after the death of Ahmed, may Allah give him peace, who give legal decisions on new issues in any time as it occurs.  This is the boundary of excellent proficiency."

The Proofs of the Obligation to Follow the Book:

            As for the proofs of the obligation to follow the Book, the Sunna, and the Consensus, realize, and may Allah give you and us success, that following the Book is an obligation in accordance with the Book. Allah ta`ala says, "This is a blessed scripture which We have revealed: so follow it."[2]  Following the Book is obligatory in accordance with the Sunna by the words of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "Verily I have left for you two admonitions. They will never mislead the one who takes hold of them. They are plain speech and silence. For plain speech is the Qur'an and silence is death." Following the Book is obligatory in accordance with the Consensus because consensus upholds that.

The Proofs of the Obligation of Following the Sunna:

            Likewise, following the sunna is obligatory according to the Book by the words of Allah ta`ala, "Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it.  And whatever he forbids you, abstain from it."[3]  Following the sunna is obligatory in accordance with the sunna by the words of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "Take hold of my sunna and the sunna of the Khalifs[4] after me. Hold on to them stubbornly."  Following the sunna is obligatory in accordance with the Consensus because consensus upholds its obligation.

The Proofs of the Obligation of Following the Consensus (al-ijma`):

            Likewise, following the Consensus is obligatory in accordance with the Book by the words of Allah ta`ala, "Those who oppose the Messenger after the guidance has been made clear unto him and then follows other than the way of the believers; We shall appoint him to that unto which he himself has turned, and expose him to Hell - an evil destiny."[5] Following the consensus is obligatory in accordance with the sunna by the words of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "My umma cannot agree upon an error. Take hold of the great majority. For whoever separates himself from the community even the length of a hands span, then has removed the noose of Islam from his neck."

            If you have realized the obligation of following the Book, the Sunna, and the Consensus based upon what we have mentioned here, then let the weight of your actions conform with them. Question those who act by them concerning all that you desire to do.  If that action is in accord with the sunna, then do it; if not then leave it.  Here ends the explanation of the boundaries of the Book, the Sunna and the Consensus; and the proofs of the obligation to follow them.

O Allah! make us successful at following the Sunna of Your Prophet

Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,

by his standing with You!”

What the Shehu mentioned is sufficient with regard to this subject.  The only thing that I will add to this issue is the fact that most people who are advancing this progressive agenda are in a state of rebellion to the above-mentioned authorities.  They submit to nothing except their intellect (‘aql) and their desires (hawa).  If you were to debate one of them, you could not even find a common ground to establish your debate upon.  Even if they agreed to submit to the infallibility of the Qu’ran, and the Sunnah, they would argue the validity of the Consensus.  And on top of that they would demand the freedom to interpret the primary sources according to their own intellects, meanwhile, ignoring 1400 years of an unbroken chain of scholarship.  May Allah protect us from that and them.

Regarding the conditions of the imam (shuruut al-Imam), Shaykh ‘Uthman dan Fodiyo said in his ‘Umdat al- Bayaan that “The prerequisites of the imam are five: [1] that he be male; [2] Muslim; [3] rational; [4] just; and [5] mature.  He should be knowledgeable of what makes the prayer valid.”

وَشُرُوطُ  اِلإِمَامِ  خَمْسَةٌ:  أَن  يَّكُونَ  ذَكَرًا  مُّسْلِمًا عَاقِلاً عَادِلاً   بَالِغًا  عَالِمًا بِمَا  لاَ  تَصِحُّ  الصّلاَةُ  إِلاَّ  بِهِ

The Imamate spoken about here is the Imaam of Salaah.  Abdullahi ibn Fodio said in his book, the Light of the Governors (Diya’ al-Hukaam).  “In the Fawaakih ad-Diwaani (commentary on the Risaalah of Ibn Abi Zayd) of an-Nafraawi; it says, ‘The imamate is in four divisions: [1] the Imaam which receives revelation - this is prophecy (an-nubuuwa); [2] the Imaam of inheritance - this is knowledge; [3] the Imaam of worship - this is the imaam of salaat; and [4] the Imaam of authority - this is the great vicegerency (khilaafa) in order to enact the overall welfare of the entire Ummah.’”

قال عبد اللّه بن فُودُىَ في كتابه ضياء الحكام: " وفي الفواكه الدّوانى للنّفراوى - والإمامة أربعة أقسام: إمامة وحى وهى النّبوة, وإمامة  وراثة وهى العلم, وإمامة عبادة وهى إمامة الصّلاة, وإمامة مصلحة وهى الخلافة العظمى لإقامة مصلحة جميع الأمة ".

In fact, Imam Ibn Abi Zayd said clearly himself in his Risaalah that, “The one who leads the people in prayer, is the best of them and the most knowledgeable of them.  The woman does not lead, in an obligatory prayer or in the supererogatory prayer, neither men nor women.”

وَ يَؤُمَّ النَّاسَ أَفْضَلَهُمْ وَ أَفْقَهُمْ .  وَلا تَؤُمُّ الْمَرْأَةُ فِي فَرِيضَةٍ وَلا نَافِلَةٍ لا رِجَالاً وَ لا نِسَاءً.

As for the [3] third issue, we wish to mention the Hadith of Umm Waraqah bint Abdullahi ibn al-Haarith al-Ansaari al-Khazraji.  We mention this hadith because the ‘progressive Muslims’ are relying upon it to justify their actions.  Umm Waraqah became Muslim, gave the oath of Allegiance (bay’ah), and narrated from the Prophet, may Allah Bless him and grant him peace.  The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, named her “the Martyr”.  She was beaten by a slave and a slave woman and died as a result of the attack during ‘Umar’s Caliphate.  ‘Umar had the criminals captured and crucified in Medina - marking the first time someone received that punishment in the Illuminated City of the Prophet.  This information can be found in the Tabaqat al-Kubra of Ibn Sa’d as well as Imam Ahmad’s Musnad.  The hadith which concerns us can be found in both of those texts, as well as Abi Dawud, al-Haakim, Ibn Khuzaymah, and al-Bayhaqi.  It is as follows:

“…She used to collect the Qur’an.  The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to command her to lead the people of her house (ahl l-daariha) (in prayer).  He also used to appoint a mu’adhdhin and she used lead the people of her house (ahl l-daariha) (in prayer).”

حدثنا عبد الله حدثني أبي حدثنا أبو نعيم قال حدثنا الوليد قال حدثتني جدتي عن أم ورقة بنت عبد الله بن الحرث الأنصاري وكانت قد جمعت القرآن وكان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قد أمرها أن تؤم أهل دارها وكان لها مؤذن وكانت تؤم أهل دارها.‏

Its isnaad is sound according to Imaam Ahmad.  He also said that “the fuqaha differ regarding the permissibility of the imaamah of the woman leading the women.  Those who permit her say that she does not raise her voice, nor does she stand in front of them.  And she prays in the middle.”

أَخْتَلَفَ الْفُقَهَاءُ فِي جَوَازِ إِمَامَةِ النِّسَاءِ لِلنِّسَاءِ وَالَّذِينَ أَجَازُوهَا قَالُوا لا تَرْفَعُ صَوْتَهَا وَ لا تَتَقَدَّمَهُنَّ وَ تُصَلِّي فِي وَسَطِ

Ibn Rushd has a subsection on the imaamah of the woman in the section dealing with the conditions of the Imamate, in his famous book Bidayatul Mujtahid.  It is as follows;

“They disagreed (akhtalafu) about the imaamah of a women (imaamati l-mar’ati).  The majority (al-jamhuur) maintained that she cannot lead men, but they disagreed about her leading women (in prayer).  Ash-Shaafi’i permitted this while Malik prohibited it.  Abu Thawr and at-Tabari deviated (shadhdha) (from the majority opinion) and permitted her imaamah in absolute terms (al-itlaaqi).

The majority (al-jamhuur) agreed to prohibit her from leading men because had this been permitted such permission would have been transmitted from the first generation (of Islam) (as-sadri l-awwali).  Further, a known practice in prayer is that women should stand behind men; therefore it is obvious that their being at the front is not permitted (laysa yujuuz).  The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, (akhkhiru hunna haytu akhkhara hunna Allahu) “Keep them behind insofar as Allah has kept them behind.”  It is for this reason that some jurists permitted them to lead women, as they have equal precedence for purposes of prayer.  This has also been narrated from some members of the first generation (as-sadri l-awwali).

Those who permitted her imaamah argued on the basis of the hadith of Umm Waraqah recorded by Abi Dawud “that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to visit her at her house and appoint a mu’adhdhin for her to recite the adhaan for her.  He ordered her to lead members of her household in prayer.”

There are many issues under this topic of imaamah, including their disagreement about the qualifications stipulated for the imaam.  We have left out their discussion as they are not expressly mentioned in the law.

The Qadi (Ibn Rushd) said:  “What we have aimed for in this book is the discussion of issues that have been transmitted and of those that are closely related to the transmitted issues.”

)المسألة الرابعة) اختلفوا في إمامة المرأة، فالجمهور على أنه لا يجوز أن تؤم الرجال واختلفوا في إمامتها النساء، فأجاز ذلك الشافعي، ومنع ذلك مالك وشذ أبو ثور والطبري، فأجازا إمامتها على الإطلاق،

 وإنما اتفق الجمهور على منعها أن تؤم الرجال، لأنه لو كان جائزا لنقل ذلك عن الصدر الأول، ولأنه أيضا لما كانت سنتهن في الصلاة التأخير عن الرجال علم أنه ليس يجوز لهن التقدم عليهم، لقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام ))أخروهن حيث أخرهن الله(( ولذلك أجاز بعضهم إمامتها النساء إذ كن متساويات في المرتبة في الصلاة، مع أنه أيضا نقل ذلك عن بعض الصدر الأول،

 ومن أجاز إمامتها فإنما ذهب إلى ما رواه أبو داود من حديث أم ورقة "أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يزورها في بيتها وجعل لها مؤذنا يؤذن لها، وأمرها أن تؤم أهل دارها"

 وفي هذا الباب مسائل كثيرة أعني من اختلافهم في الصفات المشترطة في الإمام تركنا ذكرها لكونها مسكوتا عنها في الشرع.

 قال القاضي: وقصدنا في هذا الكتاب إنما هو ذكر المسائل المسموعة أو ماله تعلق قريب بالمسموع.‏

            Furthermore, Imaam Jamaal ad-Deen Ibn al-Farj Ibn al-Jawzi in his book Ahkaam An-Nisaa’, in the chapter on the Imaamah of the woman said, “If there are women with her in her house she leads them (in prayer).  She stands with them in the rank.  She doesn’t stand in front of them.  The male stands in front of this.   The (calling of the) Adhaan and Iqaamah is not prescribed with respect to women.

فصل في إمامة المرأة

وَ إِذَا كَانَ مَعَهَا فِي بَيْتِهَا نِسَاءُ أَمَّتَهُنَّ.  وَ تَقِفَ مَعَهُنَّ فِي الصَّفِّ.  وَ لا تَتَقَدَّمُهُنَّ.  وَ قَدْ سَبَقَ ذَكَرُ هَذَا.  وَلا يَسُنُّ فِي حَقِّ النِّسَاءِ أَذَانُ وَ لا إِقَامَةُ.

What the scholars have mentioned regarding the leadership of women in prayer is sufficient.  If the scholars differ with regard to a woman standing in front of other women to lead the prayer; how in the world can these people justify a woman leading men in the prayer?  On top of that, this prayer is going to be preceded by a Jumu’ah Khutbah – given by this same woman!  These people try to substantiate all of their base and provocative actions on one hadith (the hadith of Umm Waraqah) and ignore countless others which indicate the opposite of what they desire.  They don’t even come near the sharh of the hadith.  Why didn’t the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, establish this practice of women giving Khutbahs?  They don’t mention if Umm Waraqah’s dar comprised of men and women.  They just want you to assume that it was of mixed gender.  In fact, they are incapable of extracting any legal rulings from the hadith in a manner that a real ‘alim would, without invalidating their position.  The bottom line is that these people don’t care anything about legal rulings.  Their parable is like that of the Iraqi expatriate who allows himself to be used by outside forces to destabilize his own country.  These Islamic expatriates allow themselves to be used by the same outside forces to destabilize the Islamic movement in this (and other) country(s).  They have no connection or interaction with the Muslim community whatsoever.  Their platform is the platform of western academia – the very same ones who validate their scholarship.  They pose no threat to the firmly grounded, practicing Muslim.  The only ones who are vulnerable to this poison are the University educated, secular-minded, new-shahaadah (or one who is considering entering Islam).

This brings me to the conclusion of this discussion.  Imagine anycampus USA, where there are countless Muslims who have been trained in their classes and the overall campus atmosphere to practice, or at-least, consider illicit sex, drug use & homosexuality as valid lifestyle choices, trained to believe that everything is open for debate and deconstruction.  Even the existence of God is debated in the lecture halls.  This new Muslim or one who has been detached from its practice for years hears about a lecture taking place on his or her campus by Doctor, Professor, Islamic Scholar, International Lecturer, Author, etc…so-and-so.  Think about it.  Their arguments sound logical.  “What’s wrong with a woman leading the prayer?  We’re all equal, aren’t we?....”

This is why it is imperative for the leaders – especially the ones with Islamic and secular training - to go on record against these people, and their agenda.  Some may say, “If we do condemn them we will only be giving them more publicity.  So let’s just ignore them.”  The reality is, this approach was taken in the past (homosexual Muslims in Canada (and many other issues)) and now this same group has come out of the closet and is sponsoring this so-called Jumu’ah prayer in New York.  And not only that, the legitimate scholars have an obligation to go on record against them.  This is how later generations know the validity of a scholar of the past – they see what their contemporaries had to say about them.  I could give many examples but I’ll just give one.  Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab – we don’t have to listen what people have to say about him in this age – what did his father, brother and the rest of the ‘ulamaa’ have to say about him and his positions?

Furthermore, it is a major sin for the scholars to conceal their knowledge.  Imaam adh-Dhahabi lists it as number thirty-eight in his book al-Kabaa’ir.  Its chapter is entitled “Learning Knowledge (of the deen) for the sake of the dunya and concealing that knowledge.”  I intended to include the entire chapter but I will only summarize due to the fact that this paper is already longer than I intended.  After establishing the proof that the one who doesn’t have Taqwa is not a scholar he elaborates on the Jewish origin of concealing knowledge.  He concludes the chapter by mentioning the ahadith regarding the punishment that is waiting for those guilty of this sin (Hell). 

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace is reported to have said as related by Imaam at-Tirmidhi and Imaam Al-Haakim: “Whoever is asked about some knowledge and he then conceals it, Allah will bridle him with a bridle of Fire on the Day of Judgment.”

I pray that some scholar, some leader - who is genuinely qualified - will read this and because of its many deficiencies and my lack of qualifications step up and do what he or she was trained to do. 

Success is with Allah!