Women Leadership in Prayer: A Critical Analysis of Muslim Scholarly Views

Abstract

This article explores the question of women's leadership in congregational prayer (Imāmah) within the broader context of contemporary Islamic discourses on gender, guided by classical and modern Muslim scholarly thought. Focusing particularly on the case of Umm-e-Waraqah (RA) and the precedent of female-led prayer in her household, the study analyzes primary hadith sources and the interpretations of various jurists and scholars across Islamic legal schools. While some jurists affirm the permissibility of women leading other women in prayer—citing practices of figures like Hazrat Aisha (RA) and Umm-e-Salamah (RA)—others restrict such acts, invoking principles of modesty and communal harmony. The article offers a nuanced analysis of these viewpoints and examines how contemporary Muslim societies might reconcile traditional jurisprudence with the modern educational and spiritual needs of women. It argues that the discourse on women’s religious leadership must account for both historical precedents and contemporary realities, making space for responsible and context-aware reinterpretation within the Islamic framework.

Keywords: women’s imamah, female-led prayer, contemporary Islamic thought, women religious authority, muslim thinkers