Why are women not allowed to enter/pray in mosques?

Answer 1

People usually propogate that ISLAM prohibits intermingling of men and women only in non religious places. This is not true. ISLAM has that rule in every walk of life. Hence, mosques are no different. If women are allowed to freely mix in the mosque with men, it will create a lot of distraction, something not called for in such a place of piety where one is expected to only remember ALLAH. I know, a lot of people try to reason that in MECCA during the HAJJ, we have both sexes mixing. Well, the answer to that is quite logical. The number of people who come for HAJJ only explain the shortage of place so mixing of men and women is inevitable. Having said that I would like to add that during HAJJ a woman is supposed to be with her MAHRAM all the time, hence if women are seen with men, they have to be their relatives. Also it is not as if they are SUPPOSED to mix around during HAJJ. Women and Men are expected to remain in their respective groups as much as possible. Coming back to the question, even in times of PROPHET MUHAMMAD(P.B.U.H), women who were allowed to pray in the mosque prayed in the last order of the que. The logic which I understand was that when the women go in the position of bowing or prostration, men should not be tempted to look at their backs or get distracted. So it will be really unfair to say that women are not allowed in mosques. They are as long as there is a special area for them seperating them from the men collected there and giving them absolute privacy.

Answer 2

As everyone has said already women do enter the masjid or mosque, but we pray in a separated section to the men.
This goes back to the times of harems when women were kept out of the public gaze, always secluded form anyone except direct members of their families.
Some how the "rule' has never been altered and I think it will be a long tine before the women join their men in mixed company in the masjid.
I personally see nothing wrong with it being in the company of males outside my own family and in my work I am often the only female member of the team.
But I was raised in a Western country and my attitudes are a little different to many of my Muslim sisters and brothers.
In some Christian religions women also sat separately to the men up until quite recent times.

I would like to address the answer of "Dapper Napper". Women in Islam have actually more legal rights than their sisters of other faiths.
We are not "owned" and if we are then let me tell you I feel pretty good about belonging to someone who gives me all the love,care and material luxuries I need.
I drive the latest 4 wheel drive with DVD and GSP.
We live in a home that could only be described as palatially luxurious.I also own 3 properties in Luxor in my name only.
I don't do any housework as I have a cook, maid and gardener.
I choose to follow my career as an Egyptologist and fly back and forwards to Australia whenever I want to.
I am answering this on my laptop during a stopover in Singapore on my way to Australia.
How many kids I hear you ask,none and we don't plan on having any, no other wives either.
I have an excellent prenuptial contract that would leave me very wealthy, even if I choose to leave him.
So if that is being "owned" then its okay by me.
But I remember at my first marriage to a Christian that there were words said to the effect,"who gives this woman?"
Does that not mean I was owned by my family?

Answer 3

No.
They are allowed entry, if they can be separated.
Some Mosque in England does not allow women as they can not provide separate arrangement for women.
I think it is convenience factor, and also keeping men and women apart.
This practice is followed in some social setting in other cultures.
It does cause the problem for children, because both parents can not be together.
Enlightened cultures have changed with the demands of modern world.
Muslim world will eventually change, they have to give women voting right, driving right, property right etc.
Belinda get your facts straight, in Swaminarayan Temple they expect men and women to sit separate, no other temple expects that.

Answer 4

Your statement is not quite right.Women are allowed to enter mosque even though they have a menstruation.BUt women are not allowed to pray in the mosque if they have a monthly period.For muslim women praing in the mosque is not their obligation.They are suggested tp pray in their own house only,because they should raise their children,do their house works and for their own safety..Only muslim men are suggested to pray in the mosque especially on friday noon they should pray in togetherness.
If women want to pray in the mosque,they can do it but they should pray behind the row of the last row of muslim men.They should wear hijab so all of their privy were covered.

Answer 5

During pre-Islam era the Arabic society was male dominated. Women were deliberately not allowed to get educated by the repressive males and as a result most of the females in Arab remained illeterate. 'The Holy Koran' gives equal status to both man and woman since both are creations of 'Allah'. There is no restriction imposed by Allah for woman not to enter or pray in mosques. The male dominated Arab society although accepted Islam but continued to give more advantage to men and rather misinterpreted the status of woman in the Islamic world. Today unfortunately, the 'Holy Koran' although containing the most sublime truth has been distorted and misinterpreted by Muslim males and continue to repress their female counterparts in the name of the 'Islamic Laws'.

Answer 6

They are allowed to enter mosques. But usually men and women are separated and pray in individual sections.

Answer 7

hello anil

well this is a difficult question because i know that in some mosques, women are not allow to enter & in some they are allow to enter.


all the best *=)

Answer 8

Because Islam treats women as little more than slaves to do the bidding of men. Got to admit that it is an interesting "theory" but one that is so wrong that it, IMHO, makes Islam more of a "slave ring" than a religion. Before I get a million emails saying that I don't know what I'm talking about just let me say that I have read the Koran (sp) cover to cover at least 5 times and I realize that my statement is a very big generalization but in a nutshell that is the main problem with Islam ... if you read the Bible and the Koran you will see that there are many things they have in common ... this just happens to be one of the few things they don't.

Answer 9

Since when women not allowed to enter in mosque???? Where.. this has to be reported! Even non-Muslim women can enter with appropriate attire.

Answer 10

Because it is mosque's set up and not any ones