Women in the Masjid (III)

By Husain Zakariyya Yawale,
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. All Praise is due to Allah! We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our evils and bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Allah is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and final messenger to mankind. May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon His last and final Apostle, his Household, his companions and all his followers until the end of time.
In this last part of our discourse on the topic above, I intend to discuss the second issue on whether it is permissible or not for a non-Muslim childminders to the mosque in company of her mistress employer for the alleged reason of sitting her kids while she prays. I will also discuss on the rationale of allowing playful children to come to the mosques in company of their mothers.

I ask Allah to grant me the knowledge and wisdom to talk to you sensibly and reasonably within bound of the Shari’ah. Islam has placed stern prohibition for Muslims to allow any non-Muslim (a pagan, Jew and Christian) to enter ka’abah in Makkah for any reason whatsoever! Allah says:

“O you who believe! Verily, the polytheists (Mushrikun) are impure (najasun). So let them not come near Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah) after this year” [al-Tawbah :28].

Thus, in aspect of the ka’abah in Saudi Arabia, there is no concession because clear-cut injunction has come from Allah since during the life time of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Howevr, there is nothing wrong with non-Muslims entering other mosques around the world provided there is acceptable reason. The reasons can for the purpose of listening to the sermon on Friday, listening to a lecture, needing some assistance, coming to undertake some maintenance services or generally anything that its benefit returns to the Ummah, on the invitation of a Muslim. The Messenger of Allah once permitted some non-Muslim delegations to stay in his mosque for the purpose of having their first glance on how Muslim perform their prayers and also to listen to his teachings; the delegations of Thaqeef and the Christians of Najraan.

One basic law we must understand and respect is that masjid is not an ordinary place where divine rules and regulations do not apply. A masjid is a place of worship specifically built or demarcated to serve Allah at least five times daily. It must be kept clean and tidy all the time. Similarly, the general manners for those attending must be govern by tranquillity, decorum, quietness, and respect for others. Anything which can intimidate the peace the worshippers are not allowed in the masjid. Things such as bad odour emanating from the body or cloth of a worshipper must not be allowed in. Allah says;

“O children of Adam! Attend to your embellishments at every time of the prayers…” [al-A’araf: 31]

But, women are proscribed from wearing perfumes or scented cloth to the masjid. They should only use the true garment (hijab) whenever they are going out of their peaceful homes. Thus, a mosque must be regarded, respected and honoured for the purpose it serves. Allah says:

“In houses which Allah has permitted to be exalted and that His name may be remembered in them; there glorify Him therein in the mornings and the evenings…”[An-Nur: 36]

This verse has further elaborated to us the purpose of masjid. We can thus, understand that majid is meant only to worshipping Allah in accordance with His commands. It is a place to glorify Him alone without partners throughout seasons. The Messenger of Allah was reported as saying, “These mosques are not the places meant for urine and filth, but are only for the remembrance of Allah, prayer and the recitation of the Qur’an”[Muslim 285: Book 2, Hadith 127: Book 2, Hadith 559]

This hadith has taken us to the real issue of our discourse; keeping the masjid clean and tidy. This attitude is not limited to washing, sweeping and cleaning the surface and the walling, but also the unqualified people (unclean and impure) from attending it without any of the above outlined reasons.

Thus, bringing non-Muslim babysitters continuously to sit in the mosque and take care of their babies does not fall under the exceptions. This is more when they maids are in their states of impurity or menstrual period. But, if they are given a room outside or attached to the mosque, there is no sin. Otherwise sitting them in the mosques like the rest of the Muslimah in the saff (row), will not only inconvenient them but will make them very uncomfortable and miserably irritating. More so the little benefit is only for an individual. If the maids are provocatively dressed with their heads uncovered, legs bared and armpits exposed, such are maids should not be allowed into the mosques. Even improperly dressed Muslimah should be shown the way out because she does not deserves any respect or dignity for her appearance disgraces the masjid!

Aishah (RA) narrated; “Had Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) known what the women were doing, he would have forbidden them from going to the mosque as the women of Bani Israel had been forbidden”. Yahya bin Sa`id (a sub-narrator) asked `Amra (another sub-narrator), “Were the women of Bani Israel forbidden?” She replied “Yes.” (al-Bukhari 869: Book 10, Hadith 260: Vol. 1, Book 12, Hadith 828)

This comment was passed by our mother on both manners and dressing codes of the wives of the Sahabas a short while after the demise of the prophet (pbuh), what would she wished to the Prophet to do, if she alive today?

Thus, I want at this juncture recommend that if a nursing mother must come to the masjid with her non-Muslimah maid, let her wait at the varrandar if there is no designated room for them. In the alternative, she can wait in the car, if she will not be trusted to stay with babies at home. If nannies and maids are not allowed in the offices in company of their oga mistresses, I wonder why we do not respect our masajid!

Allah’s messenger (pbuh) said: “It is not permitted for a menstruating woman or one who is junub (sexually impure) to stay in the mosque.” Related by Abu Dawud and Ibn Khuzaimah graded it as Sahih

Islam is not against bringing minors to the mosques, but, is frowning at parents who would their unruly kids who would disturb everybody and become source of nuisance and irritations to the obligated and duty-bound congregation. It is very important to raise our children with a strong affection and love for Allah and His Messenger, have positive regard to the mosque from a young age, especially in non-Muslim environments. Parents should train their wards properly not from the masjid back to the house, but right from the house to the masjid. Read this:

Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-’As narrated, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: Command your children to pray when they become seven years old, and beat them for it (prayer) when they become ten years old; and arrange their beds (to sleep) separately” [Sunan Abi Dawud 495: Book 2, Hadith 495]

However, if one insists of bringing his kids to the mosque, they should get ready and pray next to them at the back row as this is likely to ensure that they behave well. If there are a small number of children, it is best that they pray between their parents and never be allowed their own row or to stay close to their siblings or peers.

Notwithstanding what we frequently read relating to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to pray while carrying children, including Umama the daughter of Zaynab (RA) Hasan and Hussain to the mosque, yet he commanded that children be kept away from the mosque probably for fear that they may soil the mosque, or cause irritation.

Thus, even if they the children misbehave, they should not be reprimanded or scolded as that will make them dislike masjid as they grow. We should continue to bear with them and be gentle with them in our efforts to endear the religion of Allah to them. The fault should be against their insistent parents at the end. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, “Those who do not have mercy for our young and respect for our elders is not of us.” [Tirmidhi]

However, if the parents are reasonably sure that their child will behave, and are not expected to urinate or soil the masjid, then there is great advantage in taking them to the masjid at such an early age. But, who are not reasonably expected to behave well and will become source of excessive nuisance to those praying, then it is not tolerable to bring them to the mosque be left unattended.

It is the responsibility of the parents to see that they do not bring such children to the masjid. If they do so and the children violate the sanctity of Allâh’s house, the parents will be sinful because the children themselves are innocent. The masjid trustees can also prohibit such children from entering the masjid.

It was narrated from Wathilah bin Asqa’ that:

The Prophet said: “Keep your infants, your insane and your evil ones away from your mosques. Avoid engaging in transactions and disputes, raising your voices, carrying out your prescribed punishments and unsheathing your swords therein. Make places for purification at their gates, and perfume them with incense on Fridays.” (Maudu’)

[This is the category of children the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) referred to when he said, Keep the insane and [small] children away from your masjids. [Ibn Maja, and others] ]

(2) The second category is those children who are slightly older. They are between seven to eleven years old.

Such children understand the status of a masjid and respect it to a certain degree. However, due to lack of a complete understanding, they do not respect it fully. It is permissible to bring such children to the masjid but it is better not to do so [f: if there is still some fear that they may cause an undue nuisance. This goes back to the parents upbringing of the child and the child’s nature. The scholars mention that there is very strong benefit in bringing children to the masjid especially in non-Muslim countries, where they do not see a lot of Muslims around them, as this is a strong part of developing their Muslim identity.]

(3) The third category of children is those who are close to maturity. Their ages range from twelve to fourteen. However, a fifteen-year-old child is considered mature even if he does not have any signs of puberty.

The ruling for this category is that they should be brought to the masjid in order to inculcate the habit of prayer with congregation because prayer becomes obligatory on them the moment they reach the age of puberty. It is obligatory on them to attend the masjid for prayer with congregation. If this habit is not inculcated before puberty, it will take time after puberty as a result of which they will forgo their prayers with congregation. Thus it is imperative to bring the youngsters to the masjid while guiding them at home to respect the masjid. They should be taught not to make a noise in the masjid as it is a sanctified place where the name of Allâh is taken.

The Position of the Children’s Prayer lines

The children’s prayer lines should be made after the men’s prayer lines has been completed. [al-Bahr al-Ra(iq, Radd al-Muhtar, f: If there is only a small number of children, or it is feared that they may start misbehaving, they are dispersed among the adult lines.] This is the sunnah way. After the prayer has begun, those who arrive later should join the children’s prayer lines on the right and left side.

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