Women & Men Praying Next To Each Other
Question: What are the rules regarding men and women standing together during Eid prayers? There is a local group here that advertises this.
Answer:
All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his family, his companions, and those who follow them in righteousness.
It is highly recommended for Muslims, including men, women, and children, to participate in Eid prayers as an expression of glorifying Allah and partaking in congregational goodness.
When performing the Eid prayer, it is essential to arrange separate areas for men and women, just like the five obligatory prayers. This the precedent of the early Muslim men and women, as taught by the Prophet ﷺ.
Abu Malik Al-Ash’ari reported the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ structured prayers with men at the front, followed by boys, and then women, emphasizing the organized manner of the congregation’s prayers [Narrated by Abu Dawood].
Anas bin Malik recounted praying in his home with the Prophet ﷺ, where he and an orphan stood behind the Prophet, and his mother, Umm Sulaim, prayed behind them, indicating the practice of separating genders during prayer [Mutually agreed upon by scholars].
This method of organization is ensure the focus and purpose of worship are maintained, avoid any actions that could compromise modesty, or lead to evil.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ specifically advised having a separate exit for women from the mosque to underline these values. Ibn Umar relayed that the Prophet ﷺ suggested dedicating a door exclusively for women’s use [Narrated by Abu Dawood].
Therefore, women should not pray directly beside men without a partition. According to Hanafi scholars, such a prayer without a barrier is invalid, while most other jurists consider it disliked.
To avoid disagreement, ensure the unanimity of the prayer’s validity, and uphold the general decorum recommended by Sharia, you must follow these guidelines for arranging prayer rows and maintaining designated places for each gender.
Allah knows,
Suhaib Webb