LURING LADIES INTO THE PUBLIC DOMAIN – WIFAAQUL ULAMA’S CAPITAL BLUNDER

Q. “What is the Fatwa pertaining to having separate ladies facilities for special programmes in public? Wifaqul Ulama South Africa recently had a special programme for Maktab teachers. I observed two discrepancies in their poster:

(1) ‘Separate accommodation for ladies’. If separate accommodation for ladies is acceptable for a Maktab programme, then by the same token modernist women and zindeeqahs may argue that the Masaajid could have separate facilities for ladies.

(2) The venue was Khanqah Zakariyya in Lenasia. I find this venue questionable because everyone who attended the year end jalsahs cannot deny that it’s more like a fashion parade at the Khanqah. By choosing this venue, they are promoting the girls Darul Ulooms which are also another big Fitnah. I have read your book against the KMSZ souk which clearly explains the Shaytaaniyyat of these ‘Khanqah Zakariyya’ people in Lenz.

Despite these things which came to my mind, I don’t understand how Wifaqul Ulama could have such a programme at such a venue and then even have ladies facilities. Please explain to me if I am correct.”

ANSWER WITH THE TAWFEEQ OF ALLAH

Allah Ta’ala commands: ‘And (O Women!) Remain firmly in your homes.’ (Surah 33 – Aayat 33)

Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: “Woman is Aurah (i.e. an object of concealment). When she emerges (from her home), Shaytaan casts surreptitious glances at her (to ambush her and manipulate her for fitnah). And undoubtedly the closest she is to Allah Ta`ala is when she is at the innermost corner of her house.”

1. According to the Shariah, women may not leave their home precincts without a valid Shar’i reason. The ‘Maktab programme’ of Wifaaqul Ulama is not a valid reason for the permissibility of female khurooj (emergence from the home). When it is not permissible for women to attend the Masaajid, to a greater degree is it impermissible for women to attend lectures in public gatherings.

As far as females attending lectures publicly is concerned, Wifaaqul Ulama should present their academic proofs in case they argue in favour of its permissibility. They should respond to Mufti Kifaayatullah who has explained in detail the prohibition of females attending lectures in a treatise which is elucidated thoroughly in a 220 page book against the so-called ‘Mastooraat Jamaat’ titled as ‘Sabeelul Munkaraat Fee Jamaa-aatil Mutakash-shifaat’ (The Way of evils in the groups of female expressionists) which demolishes the flaccid arguments of the Makshufaat clique.

This treatise is available from page 143 to 163 in Sabeelul Munkaraat. The treatise is known as ‘Kafful Mu’minaat An Hudooril Jamaa-aat’ which appears in Kifaayatul Mufti and it has been translated as The Prohibition of Women Attending Gatherings and Lectures. The download link of Sabeelul Munkaraat is: http://www.asic-sa.co.za/images/books/sabeelul_munkaraat-pdf.pdf

2. There is much Fitnah in unnecessary female emergence. It is moronic to deny the evils of these girls Madaaris and even the Fitnah of females attending lectures at the ‘female halls’ next to the Darul Ulooms and even at the girls Darul Ulooms. Unfortunately, many ‘Ulama’ are not willing to close the door of Fitnah, but instead they justify such unnecessary female emergence. By behaving in such an injudicious manner, they become pioneers of greater acts of Fitnah. There is a need to understand Fiqh properly. Faqaahat is not to be shortsighted!

The availability of ‘separate accommodation for ladies’ at the Khanqahs and Masaajid is indeed a satanic inspiration. If the Ulama are not willing to acknowledge the Fitnah germane to this topic and are not prepared to stand up for the Deen and guard the Imaan, Hayaa and Akhlaaq of the masses, then they should not lament when they see the Fitnah rebounding on them.

The advertisement of ‘separate accommodation for ladies’ is undoubtedly erroneous. It should be remembered that from amongst the masses, genuine seekers of the Haq do not lose confidence in the Ulama who sincerely rectify their errors as we all are human and we all make errors. However, true honour and the status of being from amongst the Ulama-e-Haq is by stating the Haq unambiguously. It is unbecoming for Ulama to lay the foundations of future Fitnahs that can be discerned from a million miles away. Rather, they should close the doors to future Fitnahs.

3. When looking at the current scourge of separate facilities for women, it is not merely an issue of a future fitnah. It is a CURRENT FITNAH! We are sure Wifaaqul Ulama does not require us to elaborate and enumerate the innumerable instances of Fitnah which we are referring to. They have Darul Ulooms and they are supposed to be more aware of the Fitnah of female emergence than us. But unfortunately, Shaytaan has been given the upper hand.

Despite the prevalent Fitnah, it is a dereliction of one’s duty as an Aalim and a complete injustice to the Ilm which we studied for so many years and for which we claim to uphold until Maut (death), that we intentionally turn a blind eye to the Fitnah and evil of ladies facilities at public venues and that so many of us are only concerned with ‘benefits’. Is this what Ilm teaches us? Can this be called the upholding of Amr Bil Ma’roof Nahi Anil Munkar? Never! Instead, we are now calling to evil and watering down the Haq with these Shaytaani ‘separate’ ladies facilities!

The place of a woman is her home as the Qur’aan and Sunnah teach us. Moreover, everyone understands that when we say that the ‘separate ladies facilities’ are impermissible, then it is obvious that the free mixing and intermingling of men and women is even worse. The Fitnah of luring women out of their homes for Waleemahs, weddings, receptions, to the cemetery, Masaajid, public women functions, etc. etc. cannot be swept under carpet.

In fact, in most cases (if not all) the separate facilities at the weddings and Waleemahs are a farce. Even outside the Masaajid, the men and women mix. Now what to say about other functions? The Sahaabah Radhiyallahu Anhum were so farsighted that they even took up positions outside the Masaajid and threw small stones at the women to drive them away from the Masaajid! They discerned the Fitnah and acted in accordance with the principles taught to them by Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. But, today’s Molvis, are doing the direct opposite. They invite and encourage women into the public rather than upholding the Law of Allah which emphatically commands women to remain glued to their homes!

Recently in Benoni was a haraam reception at the Bazme Adab Hall. This Hall is a Haraam venue without doubt. But, the Ulama of Benoni are scared to speak against these things. The reception had so-called ‘separate ladies facilities’. But, there was no Hijaab at all. The Nazm was sung by a male at the female section and females were listening to it. Now what was so ‘separate’ between the males and females? The entire Sunnah was murdered. It was a mockery of the Deen. Even photography took place. And people stupidly harp on the claim that the women and men are ‘separated’ in different sections. In addition, what about all the other violations? The very function was Haraam even for males! Now this clearly illustrates the consequences of the so-called ‘permissibility’ of the Shaytaani ‘separate ladies facilities’!

THE SOLUTION

The solution is for women to remain at home. We should never depart from the age-old Sunnah methodology (Tareeqah) of Ta’leem for women. The unostentatious, small gatherings of women in a nearby house (not public venues or neighbouring towns) without attracting any outside attention, are permissible. A pious elderly Aalim (not a digital or Facebook Molvi) should give bayaans to the womenfolk of the neighbourhood at a private venue, not a public one. He should be behind a screen, and his wife or a mahram lady should also be with him to act as a guard against nafsaaniyat and shaytaaniyat.

Women attending walimahs, Jalsahs, funerals and other social events is not permissible. The Fuqaha have explicitly prohibited all such female participation. Why did the Fuqaha not mention ‘separate ladies facilities’??? Consider the following statements of the Fuqaha:

Allamah Ibn Hajar Haitami Rahimahullah stated: “And, no one will hesitate in prohibiting women (from the Musjid, the Eidgah, the shopping malls, and emerging from the home in general) except a ghabi (moron) who is a jaahil, and who lacks ability in understanding the subtleties of the Shariah …………The correct verdict is categorical Tahreem (i.e. haraam for women to come to the Musjid), and this is the Fatwa. And, this in a nutshell is our Math-hab.” (Al-Fataawal Fiqhiyatul Kubra)

Qaadhi Iyaadh said: ‘And when they are prohibited from the Musjid, then to a greater extent they will be prohibited from attending other places.” (Mawaahibul Jaleel)

Allamah Fakhrud Deen Zayla’ee states: “And (regarding) his statement ‘women should not attend Jamaa’aat’. Allamah Aini said: ‘And included under the scope of the word ‘Jamaa’aat’ is Jumuahs, Eids, Istisqaa, Lecture gatherings, especially by those juhala who misleadingly present themselves in the garb of the Ulama.” (Tabyeenul Haqaaiq)
Imaam Ahmed Bin Hambal was asked about women attending the Eidgah. He responded: “Verily, in this era of ours, NO! Because they (the women) are a Fitnah.” (Several Hambali Kutub)

Furthermore, the venue chosen by Wifaaqul Ulama does not do justice to the lofty pedestal of Ilm. It creates the impression to the masses that all the activities of KMSZ are in conformity to the Shariah. Or does Wifaaqul Ulama agree to all the evils in which this Khanqah is involved? Are they incapable of discerning the violation of Hijaab and the Fitnah when the females come driving to the Khanqahs? And have they seen how the young girls line up in front of the Madrasah like prostitutes waiting for their lifts?

If Wifaaqul Ulama is not going to utilize its foresight and intelligence, then we fear that eventually it will also become like the Munaafiq uucsa.

We should reflect very carefully on the following Hadeeth. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: “Soon will there dawn an age when nothing of Islam will remain except its name – nothing of the Qur’aan will remain except its text. The Musaajid will be elaborate (and ornate) structures, but bereft of guidance. The worst of the people under the canopy of the sky will be the ulama. From them will emerge fitnah, and the fitnah will rebound on them (and hem them in).”

IT IS NOT PERMISSIBLE FOR FEMALES TO ATTEND PUBLIC LECTURES AND PUBLIC GATHERINGS. WOMEN MAY LEAVE THEIR HOMES ONLY FOR NECESSITIES DEEMED IMPERATIVE BY THE SHARIAH.