Can a Woman be an Imam? (FATWA)

The Question

What do the scholars of the religion and jurists of Islāmic law say in the following issue:

Can a covered ḥāfiẓah (who cannot be seen by any man) lead the prayers of tarāwīḥ or not? In other words, such a congregation in which only women are present.

Explain and be rewarded!

The Answer

Women are not even commanded to congregate for farḍ prayers, the nafl prayers are only nafl! The congregational prayer of women is makrūh. Even if it is done (despite it being makrūh), the one who becomes the imām from them will stand in the middle of them. She will not stand in front like the imām of men. It will be this way in farḍ and tarāwīḥ prayers for if their imām stands in front, the karāhah will be doubled and the imām will be twice the sinner.

It is in al-Durr al-Mukhtār:

ويكره تحريما جماعة النساء ولو في التراويح

The congregational prayer of women is prohibitively disliked even if it is in tarāwīḥ.

Allāh E knows best.

Answered by:

Al-Muftī al-A`ẓam, Imām Muṣṭafā Raḍā Khān V