And speak in a customary manner HaditbeenfromanyonebesidesAllahtheywouldhavefoundmanydiscrepanciesinit.VerilyhaveWerevealedtheReminderandverilyshallWepreserveit.Don’ttheyconsidertheQur’anwithcare?HaditbeenfromanyoneotherthanAllahtheywouldhavefoundmanydiscrepanciesinit.VerilyWehaverevealedtheReminderandverilyWeshallpreserveit.Don’ttheyconsidertheQur’anwithcare?HaditbeenfromanyoneotherthanAllahtheywouldhavefoundmanydiscrepanciesinit.VerilyhaveWerevealedtheReminderandverilyWeshallpreserveit.Don’ttheyconsidertheQur’anwithcare?HaditbeenfromanyoneotherthanAllahtheywouldhavefoundmanydiscrepanciesinit.VerilyhaveWerevealeditandverilyWeshallpreserveit.Don’ttheyconsider

SHOULD MUSLIM WOMEN SPEAK?

A comprehensive introduction to the Islamic textual evidence against the

prohibition of Muslim women speaking in public

Da’wah Institute of Nigeria Islamic Education Trust

2

A comprehensive introduction to the Islamic textual evidence against the prohibition of Muslim women

speaking in public

(Module 101 of the Train-the-Trainers course in Islam and Dialogue)

Da’wah Institute of Nigeria Islamic Education Trust

SHOULD MUSLIM WOMEN SPEAK?

3

©Islamic Education Trust, 1429/2008

ISBN 978-2159-55-7

All rights reserved: No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner except with written permission from the publisher.

Da‟wah Institute of Nigeria Islamic Education Trust Headquarters

PMB 229, Ilmi Avenue, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. Phone: +234-803-600-5535

Email: dawahinstitute@yahoo.com Website: www.ietonline.org

4

CONTENTS

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Notes on Terminology and Transliteration

Preface

“Should the voice of a woman be heard by men outside her

family? Some scholars have said that her voice is part of her

„awrah”

Part I: Arguments for the voice being „awrah

1. The Hadith: “Men should say „subhānallah‟ while

women should clap”

2. Women perform their salāt silently.

3. Women do not call the adhān.

4. The Saying: “A woman is „awrah”.

5. The Hadith: “the voice of a woman is „awrah”.

6. The Qur‟anic verse: “stay quietly in your houses”.

7. The Qur‟anic verse: “do not speak in a soft or seductive

way”.

8. The avoidance of fitnah (corruption and mischief) in

society.

Part II: Arguments against the voice being „awrah

1. A woman‟s voice in congregational salat

2. Women speaking in places of worship

3. Women making the adhan (call for prayer)

5

4. Woman‟s voice in salat, and when leading other women

5. Women reciting Qur‟an aloud

6. The Saying: “the voice of a woman is „awrah”

7. The Hadith: “A woman is „awrah”

8. Women spoke to the Prophet ()

9. Women spoke to non-mahram Companions

10. Saying “salam” to and by women

11. Hadith narrated orally by women

12. Women singing

13. Women giving oral testimony

Conclusion

Bibliography

Recommended Websites

Other Publications of the Da‟wah Institute of Nigeria (DIN)

6

FOREWORD TO THE SERIES

Islam is considered by many observers to be the fastest growing religion in the world, yet it is the most misunderstood of the world‟s major faiths. Some misconceptions about Islam stem from calculated propaganda against Islam, but a good amount of it is attributable to the ignorance of many Muslims whose limited knowledge and practice of Islam perpetuates these misconceptions.

Due to the deficiencies of the common, restricted way of teaching Islam to children, many Muslims grow up believing that Islam requires only blind faith and invites no intellectual challenges. Often such Muslims manage with minimal knowledge of their faith until they interact with larger circles of people, in higher institutions or the work place, where they are confronted with many misconceptions about Islam, and face questions they cannot answer.

It is in response to the need for empowering Muslims to know their religion, and to share its beautiful message with the rest of humanity, that this work was begun.

This effort is part of a wider project of intellectual empowerment of the global Muslim world. Among the programs designed by the Islamic Education Trust over the past decade and a half is the Train the Trainers Course (TTC) in Islam and Dialogue. As its name indicates, the course is designed to train da‟wah volunteers in clarifying misconceptions about Islam, handling differences of opinion among Muslim scholars, and extending personal leadership training to others. The contents of this series of books evolved from teaching manuals from the TTC. It is hoped that this publication will serve as intellectual resource material for Muslims of different backgrounds.

7

Justice Sheikh Ahmed Lemu, OFR National President Islamic Education Trust November 2008/Dhul-Qa‟dah, 1429 AH

8

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

All praise and gratitude is due to Allah Who has made this work possible. And may the peace and blessings of Allah be in His last messenger, Prophet Muhammad.

The Prophet () said: “Whoever does not show gratitude to people does not show gratitude to Allah”. It is therefore with great pleasure that the Da‟wah Institute of Nigeria (DIN) takes this opportunity to express its sincere gratitude to all the brothers and sisters from all over the world, who have in various ways contributed to the development of the Train the Trainers Course in Islam and Dialogue (TTC) and its study material of which this book is a part.

The material has evolved into its present form over a long period before and after the TTC became an organized course in 1994.

The contributions to the course and its material have come in many ways, through numerous channels, both formally and informally, and from all over the world. They have come from contributors of various backgrounds, age-groups, organizations, and specializations.

It has unfortunately become practically impossible to cite all who deserve mention - but Allah has counted them all, and we continue to pray Allah to bless them with the best in this life and the next. We will however mention at least the countries where the major contributors have come from, and may Allah forgive us for any omissions.

Contributions to the development of the course have come from Australia, Bahrain, Burundi, Cameroun, Egypt, the Gambia, Ghana, Jordan, Kenya, Liberia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Niger, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, U.K., U.S.A., and most importantly, Nigeria.

9

In Nigeria, we would like to acknowledge the following organizations for their key support in the development of the TTC material. They include the Da‟wah Coordination Council of Nigeria (DCCN), the Federation of Muslim Women‟s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), the Movement for Islamic Culture and Awareness (MICA), the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), the Muslim Corpers Association of Nigeria (MCAN), and the Nasirul Fatih Society of Nigeria (NASFAT). Others include numerous University departments, Colleges of Education, Colleges of Arts and Islamic Legal Studies, etc.

We wish to acknowledge those who, to the best of our knowledge, had the greatest input to the TTC 101 Series. The chief editor of the material was Asiya Rodrigo, who also located most of the references and citations in this work. Others who greatly assisted in important capacities such as structure, content, clarity, style and preparation of the materials for printing include Justice Sheikh Ahmed Lemu, B. Aisha Lemu, Abdullahi Orire, Isa Friday Okonkwo, Muhammad Dukuly, Salatu Sule, Bashir Mundi, Nuruddeen Lemu, and Aliyu Badeggi.

Finally, and on behalf of all the research team and staff of the Da‟wah Institute of Nigeria (DIN), I would like to pray for the Trustees and minds behind the Islamic Education Trust (IET), and the DIN in particular, Justice Sheikh Ahmed Lemu and B. Aisha Lemu, whose wisdom, support, encouragement and leadership have helped bring the DIN to where it is today alhamdulillah and jazākum Allahu khair.

As only the Qur‟an is perfect, this material will by Allah‟s leave continue to evolve through revisions and improvements with better contributions from people like you, the reader, inshā Allah.

May the reward for whatever benefit comes from this material go to those who have in any way contributed to it. The Da'wah Institute of Nigeria (DIN) takes full responsibility for any

10

imperfection in this work, and we pray that such will be forgiven by Allah and you the reader. Alhaji Ibrahim Yahya Director Da‟wah Institute of Nigeria January, 2009 Muharram, 1430 A.H.

11

NOTES ON TERMINOLOGY AND TRANSLITERATION

Use of “”

It is a time-honored and cherished tradition among Muslims that whenever the name of any of the numerous Prophets of God is mentioned, peace and blessings of God are invoked upon him. In line with this tradition and the injunction in Qur‟an 33:56, wherever the title “the Prophet,” “Messenger of Allah,” “Apostle of Allah,” or the Prophet's name, “Muhammad,” appears in this

text, the blessing in Arabic () appears next to it. It means “may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.” Contemporary writings on Islam by Muslims use many variations and abbreviations of this benediction in Arabic or English or other languages such as “S.A.W.”, “s.a.s.”, “s”, “p”, “pbuh” and others. In deciding which customary symbol to use, it is worth mentioning that in manuscripts belonging to the first two centuries of Islam‟s intellectual heritage the writers did not rigidly adhere to the custom of writing a benediction after the Prophet‟s name1, and hence, there is no „best‟ way of representing it.

References to ahadith2 and commentaries drawn from

computer software

Efforts have been made to ensure that all ahadith (narrations

or reported actions of Prophet Muhammad ()) in this material are drawn from reliable and well-respected collections.

1 Jeffrey Lang, Struggling to Surrender: Some Impressions of an American

Convert to Islam (Beltsville, USA: Amana Publications, 1994), p. ix. 2 Plural of hadith, i.e., a report about the actions and sayings of the Prophet

Muhammad ().

12

Reservations expressed by respected authorities about the authenticity of any hadith have been indicated in footnotes, even as its presence in this text indicates that it is considered authentic by other scholars of repute. An abundance of Islamic classical texts and some of their translations now exist on CD-ROMs.3 The present material has made use of some of these CD-ROMs for obtaining ahadith and their commentaries (tafasir). The most commonly utilized CD-ROM database of hadith in English has been the Alim Version 6.0 software. Hence, references to hadith collections that end with the phrase “in Alim 6.0” throughout this material refer to those obtained from the Alim Version 6.0 database (ISL Software Corporation, 1986-2000). References to collections of hadith commentaries which have been drawn from other CD-ROMs have been noted in footnotes throughout the text.

Transliteration of Arabic words

Modern Islamic literature in English utilizes a number of transliteration systems for Arabic words. With a few exceptions, this material has followed the system used by the majority, the details of which may be found in the International Journal of Middle East Studies.4 However, for our ease and simplicity, we have omitted the diacritical dots and dashes which facilitate exact pronunciations. It is expected that this should not render the words unreadable.

3 Database software for viewing information on computers.

4 With a few exceptions.

13

PREFACE

The participation of women in society is a frequent theme of discussion at international development conventions. Throughout the world, women‟s voices have played a significant role in the recognition of numerous issues of community concern. Traditional Islamic jurisprudence and educational circles were also founded upon the oral traditions of many learned women of earlier generations. Today, however, though women constitute no less than 50% of the Muslim community‟s human resources, their positive public contributions in many Muslim societies have been discouraged and even condemned. One of the reasons for this is the opinion held by some Muslims that a woman should not speak in public. With the Muslim community (Ummah) presently under immense internal and external challenges, the idea that a woman‟s voice is „awrah5 (private) and therefore should not be heard by any man outside her immediate family is one of the greatest impediments to mobilizing more human resources for Islamic propagation (da’wah) and societal development. Women have been prevented from contributing in public lectures, or asking their questions verbally. Those who cannot write or express themselves well in writing have thereby been denied access to a learned person. In some places, women have been prevented from participating in Islamic quizzes and Qur‟an recitation competitions. Many women who face issues that require communication between men and women have had to bear a sense of guilt over their interactions.

5 „Awrah, in this context, means private, concealed, and not to be heard or

revealed to the public.

14

The restriction of women and girls from making use of the opportunities provided by Islam also threatens their participation in Islamic propagation, cooperation with males in the co-ordination and implementation of various activities at grassroots and professional levels, and the fulfillment of numerous social responsibilities (fardu-kifāyah) where female involvement is crucial. This book aims to clarify the position of Islam regarding communication between men and women, and to present evidence from the Qur‟an, the Sunnah and the lives of the Companions as to whether or not women are permitted to speak in public. The issue is evaluated on the basis that a prohibition in the area of social transactions (mu’āmalāt) requires explicit categorical evidence from the Qur‟an or Sunnah.

15

Should Muslim Women Speak?

“Should the voice of a woman be heard by non-mahram6

men? Some scholars have said that her voice is part of her

awrah”

A popular view in some Muslim societies is that a woman

should not speak aloud because her voice is „awrah‟ (private,

concealed, and not to be heard or revealed to the public). The

basis for this view includes the following arguments:

1) The Prophet () said women should correct an imam when

he makes a mistake in prayer by clapping, and not by saying

“subhānallah” like men.

2) Women customarily perform their salāt silently.

3) Women generally do not

make the adhān (call

for prayer).

4) The Prophet () is

reported to have said,

“A woman is „awrah.”

5) There is a common

saying attributed by

some people to the

Prophet () that “sawt

al-mar‟ati „awrah” (i.e.

“the voice of a woman

6 A Mahram man is a man that is prohibited for a woman to marry, such as

her father, son, brother, father - in – law, son – in – law, uncle, etc.

“As in all the Churches of the

Saints, the women should keep

silence in the churches. For they

are not permitted to speak, but

should be subordinate, as even

the law says. If there is anything

they desire to know, let them ask

their husbands at home. For it is

shameful for a woman to speak

in church.”

1Corinthians 14:34-35

16

is „awrah”).

6) Allah says in the Qur‟an, “stay quietly in your houses...”

(Q.33:33)

7) The Qur‟an says, “do not speak in a soft or seductive way…”

(Q.33:32). It is assumed that all women‟s voices are

inherently soft and seductive, and therefore the Qur‟an is

indirectly telling women not to speak to men at all.

8) The lack of taqwa (God-consciousness) of today‟s Muslims

necessitates extra

restrictions on women

to avoid fitnah

(corruption and

mischief) in society.

Though the view that

the voice of a woman is

„awrah is common, the

supporting arguments above, upon further investigation, suffer

from some defects. Indeed, abundant evidence exists from the

Qur‟an and Sunnah to the contrary. These proofs will be

examined in the light of the general juridical principle that in

matters which have to do with social norms and affairs

(mu‟āmalāt), “everything is permissible except what is

prohibited by an explicit and categorical text of the Qur‟an or

Sunnah”7.

7 This well-known universal principle of Islamic jurisprudence (Usul al-Fiqh)

states: “the legal premise of everything is permissibility” (in Arabic, “Al-„asl

fil ashya„i al-ibaahah”). See Yusuf al-Qaradawi‟s discussion of this principle

in The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam (London: Al-Birr Foundation,

In matters which have to do with

social norms and affairs

(mu‟āmalāt), the principle in

Shari‟ah is that “everything is

permissible except what is

prohibited by an explicit and

categorical text of the Qur‟an or

Sunnah”

17

1. A woman’s voice in congregational salat

One of the most frequently repeated hadith that is used as

evidence for the voice of a woman being „awrah relates to the

rules for interrupting the imam in salat (ritual prayers) if it is

necessary to direct his attention to something.

This story is narrated by both Sahl ibn Sa'd and Abu

Hurayrah. Sahl reports, “The news about the differences

amongst the people of Bani 'Amr bin 'Auf at Quba reached

Allah‟s Apostle and so he went to them along with some of his

companions to affect a reconciliation. Allah‟s Apostle was

delayed there and the time for the prayer became due. Bilal

came to Abubakr and said, „O Abubakr! Allah‟s Apostle is

detained (there) and the time for the prayer is due. Will you lead

the people in prayer?‟ Abubakr replied, „Yes, if you wish.‟ So

Bilal pronounced the Iqāmah and Abubakr went forward and

the people said Takbir. In the meantime, Allah‟s Apostle came

piercing through the rows till he stood in the (first) row and the

people started clapping. Abubakr would never look hither and

thither during the prayer but when the people clapped much he

looked back and saw Allah‟s Apostle. The Prophet beckoned

him to carry on. Abubakr raised both his hands, praised Allah

and retreated till he stood in the row and Allah‟s Apostle went

forward and led the people in the prayer. When he had finished

the prayer, he addressed the people and said, „O people! Why

did you start clapping when something happened to you in the

prayer? Clapping is for women. Whenever one is confronted

with something unusual in the prayer one should say, “Subhān

Allah”.‟ Then the Prophet looked towards Abubakr and asked,

2003), pp.3-7; Mohammad Hashim Kamali, Qawa‟id al-Fiqh: The Legal

Maxims of Islamic Law, (The Association of Muslim Lawyers, UK, 1998),

p.2.

18

„What prevented you from leading the prayer when I beckoned

you to carry on?‟ Abubakr replied, „It does not befit the son of

Abu Quhāfah to lead the prayer in the presence of Allah‟s

Apostle.‟”8

The argument of those who infer a woman‟s voice to be

„awrah is that, in the above-mentioned hadith, the women would

have been commanded to speak up with “Subhān Allah!” (Glory

be to Allah) if this were permitted for them, but since the

Prophet () did not tell them to do so, it must be because their

voices are „awrah.

It is difficult to conclude a universal rule on speech at all

times based on the Prophet‟s specific instruction on how a

woman may call the attention of the imam during

congregational prayer. The only ruling that may be extrapolated

from the hadith above is that a woman should avoid saying

“Subhān Allah!” to call the imam‟s attention towards a matter

when worshippers are concentrating on congregational prayer.

However, scholars have not prohibited her correcting his

recitation aloud if he makes a serious mistake or needs help in

recollecting what verses to recite in salat.9

8 Sahih al-Bukhari, book 22, no.309. Other versions of Sahl's report may be

found in Sahih al-Bukhari, book 11, no.652, Sahih Muslim, book 4, no.845

and al-Muwatta, book 9, no.9.20.64. Abu Hurayrah's narration may be found

in Sahih al-Bukhari, book 22, no.295 and Sahih Muslim, book 4, no.850, etc. 9 For more discussion on juristic deductions and analysis of this hadith, see

Khaled Abou El-Fadl, Speaking in God‟s Name: Islamic Law, Authority and

Women (Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 2001), pp.185-188.

A woman openly disagreed

with Caliph „Umar in the

mosque over the issue of the

19

2. Speaking in places of

worship

In a well-known incident

during the Caliphate of „Umar

ibn al-Khattab, a woman openly disagreed with him in the

mosque over the issue of limiting the value of the bridal gift

(mahr) given in marriage. Being convinced of her argument,

„Umar agreed with her and publically reversed his opinion. He

even went so far as declaring, “… everyone‟s knowledge is

better than mine”.10

In another version, „Abdul-Razaq cites

„Umar as saying, “A woman debated with „Umar and outdid

him in the debate.”11

Had the voice of a woman been part of her „awrah, and had

women been prohibited from speaking in public, or in the

mosque, the lady would surely have been corrected by „Umar or

any of the several Companions present.12

3. Women calling the Adhan for prayer

Al-Baihaqi further reported that Aisha, the wife of the

Prophet (), would make the adhan (call for prayer), and lead

10

Tafsir Ibn Kathir 1/468 11

Tafsir Ibn Kathir 7/180. A similar narration is found in Ibn Hajr‟s Fath al-

Bari, vol.9, p.191; cited in Afzalur Rahman, The Role of Muslim Woman in

Society (London: Seerah Foundation, 1986), p.79 12

Prohibiting women from speaking in church is a teaching found in early

Christianity, as observed in the New Testament of the Bible, 1Corinthians

14:34-35 that, “As in all the Churches of the Saints, the women should keep

silence in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be

subordinate, as even the law says. If there is anything they desire to know, let

them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in

church.” This is a view that is not found in any of the two foundational

sources of Islamic Law (i.e. the Qur‟an and Sunnah).

value of bridal gift (mahr)

given to the bride.

- Ibn Kathir

20

women in congregational prayer. „Ata also reported from Aisha

that she called the adhan, recited iqamah before prayers, and led

the women in prayers while standing in the middle of the row as

their imam.13

The authenticity of such hadiths have been

verified by other contemporary hadith scholars such as

Nasiruddin al-Albani, who quotes other hadiths which show that

some of the companions of the Prophet (), such as Abdullah

ibn „Umar even discouraged those who felt uncomfortable with

women calling the adhan from trying to stop them. In one

incidence, a man approached Ibn „Umar, requesting, “Will you

not stop the women from making the adhan”, whereby he

responded by repeating to the man three times, “Do you want

me to stop women from calling people to the dhikr

(remembrance) of Allah?” 14

The fact that some men

were complaining about

women calling the adhan

indicates that the adhan was

called to the hearing of men,

even if it was not for the

congregational salat of men.

Accordingly, the Shafi„i and

Hanbali Schools of jurisprudence consider the adhan of women

as permissible.15

This is provided that the women hold their

13

Mustadrak, vol.1, p.204; cited in Afzalur Rahman, The Role of Muslim

Woman in Society (London: Seerah Foundation, 1986), p.91; also reported in

al-Baihaqi as cited in Fiqh us-Sunnah, vol.1, no.104a in Alim 6.0 14

See al-Albani‟s book Silsilat al Hadith Daeef, hadith no.879, p.269-271,

for an example of a “fabricated hadith” prohibiting women from calling the

Adhan, and hadith strengthening its permissibility. 15

Fiqh-ul-Sunnah, vol.1, no.104a in Alim 6.0

The fact that some men were

complaining about women

calling the adhan indicates that

the adhan was called to the

hearing of men, even if it was

not for the congregational salat

of men.

21

congregational prayer separately from men, and that it does not

cause any chaotic consequences.

4. Using the voice in private salat, and when leading

other women

Another argument also brought as evidence for the woman‟s

voice being „awrah is that whenever a woman performs her

salat (ritual prayers), she does so in silence, while a man

performs some of them aloud. This observation, if admissible

for any ruling, may apply to salat only, and should not be

generalized to include situations other than salat. Significantly,

it is also narrated that Aisha led women in the compulsory

Maghrib salat just after sunset, while reciting aloud.16

Aisha17

and Umm Salamah18

are also reported to have led women in

tarawih prayers.19

The Prophet () commands believers to “Pray as you see me

praying” (Bukhari). This Prophetic command does not

differentiate between males and females. Women‟s silence in

salat may be viewed as a custom carried down from the early

generations of Muslims to the present times.

16

See Al-Muhallah, vol.3, p.126 by Ibn Hazm; cited in Afzalur Rahman, The

Role of Muslim Woman in Society (London: Seerah Foundation, 1986), p.90 17

Abu Yusuf, Kitab al-Athar al-Iman, Hadith No.212, p.41, cited in Afzalur

Rahman, The Role of Muslim Woman in Society. London: Seerah Foundation,

1986, p.91. 18

Ibn Hazm, Al-Muhalla, Vol.3, p.127, cited in Afzalur Rahman, op. cit. 19

For numerous other examples of women leading other women in

obligatory and optional salat (such as tarawih prayers), see Afzalur Rahman,

The Role of Muslim Woman in Society, op. cit., pp.86, 90-91. For example,

Abdullah ibn Umar used to order his slave-women to lead the women of his

household in tarawih prayers during the month of Ramadan (Ibn Hazm, Al-

Muhalla, vol.3, p.128; cited in Afzalur Rahman, The Role of Muslim Woman

in Society, p.86).

22

The assumption, therefore, that women‟s silence in salat is

due to their voice being „awrah does not have a clear

authoritative basis from the Qur‟an or Sunnah. And Allah knows

best.

5. Women reciting Qur’an aloud

Yahya ibn Layth reported that Imam Malik20

was asked

whether a man in the company of a woman who was reciting a

passage of Qur'an requiring a prostration should prostrate with

her, and he said, “He does not have to prostrate with her. The

prostration is only obligatory for people who are with a man

who is leading them. He recites the piece and they prostrate

with him. Someone who hears a piece of Qur'an that requires a

prostration being recited by a man who is not leading him in

prayer does not have to do the prostration”.21

Here Imam Malik was clearly dealing with a situation where

a man is able to hear a woman reciting the Qur‟an, and the

Imam says nothing about it being unlawful. Some have said that

though the female voice is not „awrah, women may still not

recite the Qur‟an aloud near men. The fatwa (legal ruling) of

Imam Malik stated above lends no support to this view.

Another example of a woman reciting Qur‟an aloud is the

narration of Ibn Abi Malaika that Aisha used to recite the

Qur‟an 24:15 and she used to say “al-walaq” means “the telling

20

Imam Malik ibn Anas was the founder of the Maliki Madhhab (juristic

school of thought). The Maliki Madhhab is one of the major schools of

Islamic jurisprudence. 21

Al-Muwatta, book 15, No.15.5.16

23

of a lie.” Ibn Abi Malaika explained that she knew this verse

more than anybody else because it was revealed about her.22

6. The common saying: “Sawtul mar‟ati „awrah”

(meaning “the voice of a woman is „awrah”)

A common saying attributed to the Prophet is “sawtul

mar‟ati „awrah”. However, this saying is not found in any of

the authentic hadith collections, and indeed, evidence to the

contrary position is overwhelming.

7. The Hadith: “A woman is „awrah‟”

22

Sahih al-Bukhari, vol.5, no.465

A common saying attributed

to the Prophet is “sawtul

mar‟ati „awrah”. However,

this saying is not found in

any of the authentic hadith

collections, and indeed,

evidence to the contrary

position is overwhelming.

The Qur‟an actually commands

that when women speak, they

should “speak in a way that is

customary” (“wa qulna qawlan

ma‟rūfā”).

24

Some quote the

following hadith narrated

by Ibn Mas‟ud as evidence

that the woman‟s voice is „awrah: “The Prophet () said, „A

woman is „awrah (and thus should be concealed), for when she

goes out the shaytan looks at her.‟”23

Regarding this hadith, however, Ibn Qudama in Al-Mughni,

said that, “the face and hands constitute a specific exemption to

the general meaning of this hadith”. This is supported by Imam

al-Razi, who states, “Since the showing of the face and hands is

necessary, the jurists had no choice but to agree that they are not

„awrah.24

In addition, the fact that there are at least two

authentic hadiths making it explicitly clear that the hands and

face are not part of a woman‟s „awrah25

, and the fact that

women at the time of the Prophet () did speak in public to

„non-mahram‟ men as discussed below, means that the above

hadith must have restrictions to its apparent general meaning.

Moreover, this hadith is referring to physical attributes and not

to sound. The hadith, therefore, may not be used as evidence to

prohibit women from speaking in public.

8. Women’s voices were heard by the Prophet ()

without condemnation

23

Tirmidhi, no.3109 in Alim Version 4.5 24

Tafsir al-Kabir of Fakhr al-Deen al-Razi, vol.20, pp.205-206 25

See the book, “The Hijab Q&A” , or the topic on “Hijab” in the relevant

sections of the Train-the-Trainers Course in Islam and Dialogue by the

Da‟wah Institute of Nigeria (DIN). Also, for more details on the face and

hands not being part of a woman‟s awrah, see “To Veil or Not to Veil: The

Niqab Debate” by the Da‟wah institute of Nigeria (DIN); also, Nasiruddeen

al-Albani‟s Jilbab Al-Mar‟ah Al-Muslimah fil Kitab was-Sunnah (Beirut: Al-

Maktab al-Islamiyyah, 1994), pp.57-59.

Qur‟an 33:32

25

The Prophet () used to

listen to the voices of women

other than his wives. In Qur‟an

58:1, reference is made to a

woman who came to lodge her

complaint verbally to the Prophet (), and a revelation came to

him about it. This is an obvious proof that the Prophet () never

considered women‟s voices as part of their “awrah”.

The Qur‟an actually commands that when women speak,

they should “speak in a way that is customary” - “wa qulna

qawlan ma‟rūfa” (Qur‟an 33:32). This is a clear command to the

Prophet‟s wives to speak to non-mahram men in a particular

way, and thus cannot be interpreted as a prohibition to be heard.

In fact, it is evidence that women are permitted to speak to men

who are not their mahram (i.e., men that are prohibited for them

to marry, such as fathers, sons, brothers, fathers - in – law, etc).

Women are not prohibited from speaking to non-mahram

men. However, they are advised not to speak in a seductive tone,

as Allah indicates in Qur‟an 33:32: “... be not over-soft in your

speech, lest any whose heart is diseased should be moved to

desire (you), but speak in a

customary way.”

Similarly, women are

not prohibited from raising

their voices. In a hadith,

Ibn Abi Hatim reported

that the Prophet () heard

a woman reciting the first

verse of Qur‟an 88 (Surat al-Ghashiyah) aloud at night as he

was walking in the streets of Madina and he did not stop her.

Women during Hajj and Umrah also regularly join in the

Women at the time of the

Prophet () did speak in

public to „non-mahram‟ men.

“... be not over-soft in your

speech, lest any whose heart is

diseased should be moved to

desire (you), but speak in a

normal/customary way.”

Qur‟an 33:32

26

chanting of the Talbiyyah aloud – an act which is recognized as

lawful and not prohibited by any known text (nass) from the

Qur‟an or Sunnah – and Allah knows best.

There is no record that the Prophet or any of his

Companions disapproved of women speaking publically.

9. Women spoke in the presence of non-mahram

Companions at the time of

the Prophet ()

The Companions of the

Prophet () used to ask the

wives of the Prophet ()

questions, and they used to

answer them. Other women

also initiated discussion in

their presence. An example is the case of the girl who

complained about being forced into marriage by her father, who

was heard by the narrator of the hadith.26

Numerous other hadith

may be found in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim of

conversations between male and female Companions that were

non-mahram to each other.27

If women‟s voices were „awrah,

these incidents would not have been permitted.

10. Saying “salam” to and by women

It is a highly recommended practice for all Muslims to greet

others, and the right of all Muslims to receive a greeting from

fellow believers. Women are not omitted from this directive.

26

Ibn Majah, also Sahih al-Bukhari vol.2, hadith no.95, etc. 27

E.g. Sahih al-Bukhari vol.1, no.340 in Alim 6.0), and of a woman standing

up in the mosque in the presence of men and asking the Prophet () a

question (Sahih Muslim Book 4, No.1926).

There are numerous hadith

found in Sahih al-Bukhari and

Sahih Muslim of conversations

between male and female

Companions that were non-

mahram to each other.

27

For example, the Prophet () said, “A Muslim has six

obligations to another Muslim.” When asked what these were,

he replied, “To greet another Muslim when you meet him; to

respond when he invites you; to give him your (sincerest) advice

when he seeks it; to say „may Allah have mercy upon you‟ when

he sneezes and says „may Allah be praised‟; to visit him when he

falls ill; and when he dies, to attend his funeral.”28

He also said,

“The young should greet the old, the passerby should greet the

sitting one, and the small group of persons should greet the

large group of persons.”29

None of these obligations mentions

gender as a condition.

Another example of greeting women is mentioned by Kuraib

who narrated, “I was sent to

Aisha by Ibn Abbas, Al-

Miswar bin Makhrama and

Abdur-Rahman bin Azhar.

They told me to greet her on their behalf....”30

Sahl ibn Sa„ad relates that, “There was a woman among us

who would put beetroot in a kettle and add some ground barley

and cook them together, When we returned from the Friday

service, we would greet her and she would offer it to us.”31

Umm Hani bint Abu Talib narrates, “I went to the Holy Prophet

on the day of the fall of Makkah. He was taking a bath while

Fatima was holding up a cloth to screen him. I offered him the

salutation of peace.”32

28

Fiqh us Sunnah vol.4, no.3 in Alim 6.0 29

Sahih al-Bukhari, vol.8, no.250 30

Sahih al-Bukhari, vol.2, no.325 31

Bukhari, cited in Riyadh us-Saliheen, no.867 32

Muslim, cited in Riyadh us-Saliheen, no.868; See also Sahih al-Bukhari,

vol.2, no.60 in Alim 6.0

“… I (Umm Hani) offered him

(the Prophet) the salutation of

peace.”

28

11. Hadith narrated orally by women

If the voice of women was

“„awrah”, we would not have

today so many hadith

originally narrated orally by

29

If the voice of women was

“„awrah”, we would not have

today so many hadith narrated

(orally) by female companions and wives of the Prophet.33

Indeed, the names of Hafsa, Umm Habiba, Maymuna, Umm

Salama, and A„isha, are familiar to every student of hadith as

being among its earliest and most distinguished transmitters.

Furthermore, many great scholars of Islamic history also had

female teachers. Among the most notable early women scholars

found in the books of Seerah and al-Rijāl are names such as

Rubaiyy‟ bint Mu„awwidh34

, Fatimah bint Qais (Tahdhīb al-

Tahdhīb, vol.12, p.44435

), Umm „Atiyyah (al- Isti‟ab fi Asma al-

Ashab36

), „Amra bint Abd al-Rahman (Ibn Sa‟d, Tabaqāt, vol.8,

p.35337

), A„isha bint Sa„d ibn Abi Waqqas whose pupils

included Imam Malik and other jurists (Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb,

vol.12, p.43638

), and Nafisah the grand-daughter of Hasan ibn

Ali who taught hadith to Imam Shafi‟i (Ibn Khalikan, Wafayat

al-A„yān, vol.2, p.12939

).

33

Bukhari Vol.2, No.26; Bukhari Vol.2, No.545; Bukhari Vol.5, No.168;

Vol.7, No.192 “Ubaid ibn Umar narrates “I heard Aisha saying…”; Bukhari

Vol.2, No.757; al-Muwatta Vol.20, No.170; Bukhari Vol.5, No.539 which

includes the words, “Asma' later on said, „I saw Abu Musa and the other

people

of the boat coming to me in successive groups, asking me about this

narration‟; Muslim No.1373 34

Al-Isti‟ab fi Asma al-Ashab, cited in Afzalur Rahman, The Role of Muslim

Woman in Society (London: Seerah Foundation, 1986), pp.62-63 35

Cited in Afzalur Rahman, The Role of Muslim Woman in Society. London:

Seerah Foundation, 1986, p.63 36

Cited in Ibid. 37

Cited in Ibid. 38

Cited in Ibid. 39

Cited in Ibid.

female companions and wives

of the Prophet (p)

30

12. Women Singing

The fact that women

sang songs and poetry at the

time of the Prophet and the

Companions is well-

documented and

authenticated. This included

girls singing during „Eid

festivals and weddings in

the presence of the Prophet

().40

Men and women sang together while welcoming the

Prophet () (and Abubakr) to Madina from Makkah.41

In the

ninth year A.H., the people of Madina also welcomed him in a

similar way on his return from Tabuk.42

Therefore, if it is

assumed that the first incident was a pre-Islamic practice which

was later abrogated as unacceptable, it is unlikely that the

Prophet () would permit the second incident to occur.

If a woman‟s voice was „awrah, women‟s singing in the

presence of men would certainly have been prohibited. What is

prohibited in a woman‟s voice, therefore, is not the sound of

melody43

, but for her to sing with the intention to seduce or

encourage what is prohibited. The same applies to men as well.

40

Sahih al-Bukhari Vol.5, No.336; Tirmidhi, No.943; An-Nasa‟i and al-

Hakim also transmitted it; Ibn Hibban transmitted it in his Sahih; and again

Tirmidhi, No.940 in the Alim 6.0 41

Muntaqan Nuqool, p.329; Al-Raheeq al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar:

Biography of the Noble Prophet), by Safiur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri,

Revised edition (Riyadh: Darussalam Publications, 2002), p.193 42

Ibn Qayyim, Zaad al-Ma‟ād, Vol.3, p.551 43

For more on the topic of women singing, refer to Nayl al-Awtar by Imam

Shawkani, vol.8, pp.264-266, and Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi‟s Fatawa al-

Men and women sang together

while welcoming the Prophet

(and Abubakr) to Madina from

Makkah. In the ninth year A.H.,

just a year before he passed

away, the people of Madina also

welcomed him in a similar way

on his return from Tabuk.

31

13. Women giving oral testimony

The fact that women were permitted by the Qur‟an to stand

as witnesses (Q.2:282) who may have to testify in court to what

transaction they witnessed is evidence that women at times were

not merely permitted, but even legally required to speak.

In conclusion, the position that

“the voice of women is

„awrah” is not a statement

found in the Qur‟an or Sunnah.

Rather, the directives in the

Qur‟an on how women should

speak to men other than their husbands, and the practice of the

Prophet () and his Companions suggests that women may

speak in public, provided it is done in the appropriate manner

and context.

Ma‟asira (Al-Mansura, Egypt: Dar al-Wafa‟, 1996), vol.2, pp.491-492,

where most of these examples along with others are also mentioned.

The position that “the voice

of women is „awrah” is not a

statement found in the

Qur‟an or Sunnah.

32

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AL-TABARI, ABU JA'FAR MUHAMMAD B. JARIR. Jami' al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an. Beirut: Dar al-Ma'rifah, 1989

IBN 'ABD AL-BARR, ABU 'UMAR YUSUF B. 'ABD ALLAH B. MUHAMMAD AL-NAMRI. Al-Tamhid li ma fi al-Muwatta' min al-Ma'ani wa al-Asanid. Eds. Mustafa al-'Alawi and Muhammad al-Bakri. Morocco: Maktabat Fadalah, 1982.

IBN HAJAR AL-ASQALANI, SHIHAB AL-DIN AHMAD B. 'ALI. Fath al-Bari bi Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari. Beirut: Dar al-Fikr, 1993.

IBN KATHIR, 'IMAD AL-DIN ABU AL-FIDA' B. 'UMAR. Tafsir al-Qur'an al-'Azim. Beirut: Dar al-Khayr, 1990

IBN QAYYIM AL-JAWZIYYAH, SHAMS AL-DIN ABI 'ABD ALLAH MUHAMMAD B. ABI BAKR, Zad al Ma’ād fi Hadyi Khayr al-Ibad. Kuwait: Maktabat al-Manar, 1995.

Ahkam Ahl al-Dhimmah. Ed. Subhi Salih. Beirut: Dar al-'Ilm li al Malayin, 1983

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IBN QUTAYBAH, ABU MUHAMMAD ABDALLAH B. MUSLIM AL-DAYNURI. Ta'wil Mushkilat Al-Qur'an. Cairo: Dar al-Turath, 1973.

Kitab Ta'wil Mukhtalaf Al-Hadith. Beirut: Dar al-Kitab al-'Arabi, n.d.

IBN RUSHD (AL-HAFID), ABU AL-WALID MUHAMMAD B. AHMAD B. MUHAMMAD B. AHMAD AL-QURTUBI. Bidayat al-Mujtahid wa Nihayat al-Muqtasid. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyyah, 1997

IBN TAYMIYYAH, TAQI AL-DIN AHMAD B. 'ABD AL-HALIM. Majmu' al-Fatawa. Ed. 'Abd al-Rahman b. Muhammad b. Qasim. Cairo: Maktabat Ibn Taymiyyah, n.d.

SABIQ, AL-SAYYID. Fiqh al-Sunnah. 13th edn. Cairo: al-Fath li al-A'lam al 'Arabi, 1996

WIZARAT AL AWQAF, KUWAIT, Mawsu'at al-Fiqhiyyah, Wizarat al-Awqaf, Kuwait, 2004

ZAYDAN, 'ABD AL-KARIM. Al-Mufassal fi Ahkam al-Mar'ah. Beirut, Lebanon: Mu'assasat al-Risalah, 1993

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RECOMMENDED WEBSITES44

www.altafsir.com www.discoverislam.net www.ietonline.org www.irf.net www.islam.about.com www.islam-guide.com www.islamic-awareness.org www.islamicgarden.com www.islamicity.com www.islamicweb.com www.islamonline.net www.islamunveiled.com www.jannah.com www.jannah.org www.masud.co.uk www.muhaddith.com/index.html www.muslimtube.blogspot.com www.renaissance.com.pk www.shamela.ws (Arabic) www.soundvision.com/info www.sunnipath.com www.uga.edu/islam www.witness-pioneer.org/ www.zaytuna.org

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These online resources have very useful information and products on

Islam. This list is, however, far from being exhaustive, as new websites debut

on the internet daily. Other Islamic websites may be even more informative

than the above listed, and whereas these websites are recommended, not all

the views and opinions expressed in them necessarily reflect those of DIN or

the IET.

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PUBLICATIONS OF THE DA’WAH INSTITUTE OF NIGERIA (DIN)

1. Understanding Misconceptions about Islam 2. Diversity in Muslim Scholarship

3. The Authenticity of the Qur‟an

4. What is “Islamic” Culture?

5. The Hijab Q&A

6. Should Muslim Women Speak?

7. Is Polygamy Fair to Women?

8. Muslim Women in the Public Space

9. Relations with non-Muslims

10. Jihad and the Spread of Islam

11. Sharing Islam through Dialogue

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“Should the voice of a woman be heard by men outside her family?”

Some Muslims have said that her voice is part of her „awrah‟ and

should therefore not be heard by any man outside her immediate

family.” Is this truly a teaching of Islam from its sources of the Qur‟an

and authentic Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (p)?

This book, Should Muslim Women Speak?, aims to clarify the

position of Islam on the communication between men and women, and

to elicit available evidence from the Qur‟an, Sunnah and the lives of

the Companions as to whether or not women are permitted to speak in

public. The issue is evaluated on the basis that in the principles or

methodology of Islamic jurisprudence (Usul ul-Fiqh), a prohibition in

the area of social transactions (mu‟āmalāt) requires explicit

categorical evidence from the Qur‟an or Sunnah.

The Da’wah Institute of Nigeria (DIN) is the research and Islamic

propagation department of the Islamic Education Trust (IET). The DIN

partners with other organizations for comprehensive capacity building and

improved da‟wah effectiveness. It conducts training programs on Islam and

Dialogue for Peaceful Coexistence, as well as Personal Development and

Leadership, Business and Financial Literacy, Pre-marital and Marital

Counseling, Da‟wah Resource Management, and other courses. DIN also

organizes a rural Da‟wah Grassroots Program, Imam training courses, and

produces audiovisual and other multimedia content. In addition DIN partners

with other organizations, Muslim or non-Muslim, governmental or NGO, in

furthering its objectives and the strategic good of society at large. DIN‟s

partners have bee organizations based in Nigeria as well as other countries in

Africa, North America, Australia, South Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

Da’wah Institute of Nigeria Islamic Education Trust Headquarters PMB 229, Ilmi Avenue, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. Phone: +234-803-600-5535 Email: dawahinstitute@yahoo.com Website: www.ietonline.org