The issue of a woman leading other women in prayer, separated from men, is a matter of scholarly disagreement:

The majority of scholars from the Ḥanafī, Shāfi῾ī, and Ḥanbalī schools, as well as ῾Aṭā᾽, Sufyān al-Thawrī, al-᾽Awzā῾ī, ᾽Isḥāq, and Abū Thawr, believe that it is permissible for a woman to lead other women in both obligatory and voluntary prayers. They cite the following evidence:

• ῾Aā᾽ishah, the Mother of the Believers, led women in the Maghrib prayer, standing among them and reciting aloud. [Narrated by Ibn Ḥazm and authenticated by Ibn al-Mulaqqin].
• Ḥujayrah bint Ḥuṣayn said: ᾽Umm Salamah, the Mother of the Believers, led us in the ῾Aṣr prayer, standing among us. [Narrated by ῾Abd al-Razzāq in his Muṣannaf and al-Dāraquṭnī, and authenticated by al-Nawawī].

A woman can recite aloud and stand in the middle of the row of women, as mentioned in the ḥadīth of ῾Aā᾽ishah.

The Mālikī school, in its relied-upon opinion, holds that it is not valid for a woman to lead anyone in prayer, whether the follower is a man or a woman, and whether the prayer is obligatory or voluntary. Thus, according to them, it is not permissible for a woman to lead the prayer.

Imam Mālik said: A woman should not lead anyone in prayer because it is disliked for her to call the ᾽adhān, which is an invitation to congregational prayer, so what the ᾽adhān is intended for is also disliked for her.

Furthermore, it is cited in Al-Bukhārī that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “A people who appoint a woman as their leader will never succeed.” Leading the prayer is considered a form of leadership.

Our view aligns with the majority opinion that it is permissible for a woman to lead other women and unaccountable children in prayer.

Fatwā issued by Dr. Khālid Naṣr