format_quote Originally Posted by
sussana
Prophet (PBUH) used to visit Umm Waraqa in her own home; he appointed a Mu'adhin (one who calls the adhan for Prayer) for her, and ordered her to lead the members of her household (in Prayer)." Umm Waraqah-as stated in the sources-was an esteemed woman of Al-Ansar who had memorized the Quran. 'Abdul-Rahman Ibn Khalid, the narrator of the Hadith, further states: "I happened to see her Mu'adhin, who was a person advanced in age."
:sl:
There is something that frequently forgotten by Muslims when they take hadith as daleel (argument) in sharia. This is back ground of the hadith, why Rasulullah (saw) said that hadith.
Umm Waraqah was known as Shaleeha who very good in ibadah. One day she told Rasulullah (saw), she wanted to going jihad to the battlefield with men. Rasulullah (saw) forbade her to going jihad with men. But, because she's a pious woman, Rasulullah gave her a 'compensation', she could lead men in her home as Imam in salah, once. Umm Waraqah accept this 'compensation', then she became Imam in salah in her home.
According to Ulama, this 'compensation' was valid only for Umm Waraqah, not for every Muslimah.
So, it is incorrect if someone use this hadith as a daleel to allow women lead men in salah.
There is a question. Are men and women equal in Islam ?.
Answer : Depend on how you interpret what is equality. Men and women have their own rights and their own duties. Men have their own duty as husbands, women have their own duty as wives, that different than husband's duty. Men have their own right in seeking knowledge, women also have their own right in seeking knowledge. And many more.
Another question. If Islam does not discriminate women, why women have no right to lead men in salah jama'ah ?.
Answer : Salah is not right which people can take it or leave it, but salah is an obligation, is a duty. And in duty, everyone has his/her own role. Man's role in salah jama'ah with women is become Imam, and woman's role in salah jama'ah with men is become ma'moom. But if all jama'ah are women, one woman must change her role from ma'moom to Imam.