Ads by Muslim Ad Network

aaa

Why Inclusion of Women in the Masjid Matters

03 February, 2026
Q Muslim women must proudly carry our Islam all the time. We are identified as Muslims in the schools, in the workplaces, and in the public spaces. Everybody sees us as visible Muslims, unlike the brothers, correct? Since we are the ones being constantly at the forefront, despite this, we continue to lack meaningful leadership roles in the masjid and in other places. They're trying to point out: why is this fair that outside of the mosque we carry the bulk of the responsibility of being Muslim, and inside the mosque—this is from one of our sisters—as resident scholar of EPIC, don't you feel that you should help advocate for greater inclusion and greater leadership opportunities within the masjid? Additionally, I would like to understand why there are no microphones available for us to ask questions when the brothers can ask questions directly, knowing that a woman's voice is not `awrah? Also, when prizes are given, we see that the boys amongst the youth can talk about their achievements, and the women are never allowed to advertise their achievements when they get the awards. This is a very blunt question.

Answer

Dr. Yasir Qadhi
03 February, 2026

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. 

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

In this fatwa:

Dr. Yasir Qadhi acknowledges the visible burden women carry as representatives of Islam and calls for a “healthy middle ground” in the West. He argues that excluding women from the masjid’s communal life leads to a disconnect among the youth and is a collective failure.

In response to this question, Dr. Yasir Qadhi — the Dean of The Islamic Seminary of America and the resident scholar at the East Plano Islamic Center — states:

Ads by Muslim Ad Network

I have said this to you multiple times, dear brothers: these areas are ambiguous. In some cultures back home, women had a more private role, understandably. In Western cultures, women have a role beyond what the Shar`iah allows. In the Western culture, we are Masjids in the West with roots in the East. Living in the West, we have to reach a healthy compromise that is within the goals of the Sharia.

Those of you that have daughters: blunt question, do your daughters want to come to EPIC? Blunt question: are they excited to come to EPIC or not? Not just EPIC, any masjid. Your own daughters—if they are disconnected from the community, then what does that show? What does that show about our community? So for how long are we going to have this macho culture? We are doing this and that, when our own daughters don’t really feel enthused coming to the masjid. Don’t you understand this is a failure of all of us? We have to have a healthy middle ground.

So I’m saying this publicly, and the EPIC board, where are they? May Allah bless all of us, Inshallah. Appreciate all that you’ve done. There are ex-board members here; I see some of you Inshallah. OK, but the board as well, it can come to—I say this publicly, I know for a fact, listen to me sisters and brothers: the constitution of our community does not forbid women from being on the board. It does not. There’s nothing in the Sharia that forbids a woman being on the board.

Listen to me brothers, if you will forbid your daughters from what Allah has allowed them, don’t be surprised when they start demanding what Allah has not allowed them. Do you understand this point here? If you are that strict that you will forbid the Mubah—it is not haram for women to be on the board. It is not haram for women to have the leadership of certain tasks of the masjid. We want them to be active in the masjid in a halal manner.

If you say no, no, no, don’t be surprised in North America there’s a “woman masjid”—there is, I’m not making this up—where a woman gives the khutbah and some… I don’t want to mention where. This is the reality that is haram. I don’t want that to happen. I do not want that to happen.

If you will not give the women what Allah has allowed—and culture can make it [seem otherwise] but Allah has allowed it—if you’re going to say “no, no, no” to that, don’t be surprised to see either they leave Islam (I ask Allah for protection) or they don’t care about Islam, which is the default amongst many, or they will demand what Islam does not allow.

So please think long and hard. And if you ask me, the sisters, I’m telling you directly: Bismillah, find a sister that qualifies and vote her in. The constitution does not stop this. Find a sister that’s qualified. By the way, there are qualifications: she must be a volunteer, she must be resident in the zip codes, there are qualifications. Find a sister that is qualified and then Bismillah. It’s an open voting. The constitution does not prohibit the woman to be on the board. So in my opinion, yes, it should be done. Wallahu ta’ala a’lam.

Read more:

Are Women Permitted to Serve on Mosque Boards?
Having Mixed Gatherings in the Community Center Next to the Mosque: Permissible?
Are Mosques for Performing Prayers Only?
Are Mosque Partitions for Men and Women Sunnah?
Are Women Allowed To Be Part of Mosques Executive Committees?

Almighty Allah knows best.

Source: Dr. Yasir Qadhi Youtube Channel

Women in Mosque women in Mosques Executive Committees Inclusion of Women in the Masjid
About Dr. Yasir Qadhi
Yasir Qadhi was born in Houston, Texas and completed his primary and secondary education in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He graduated with a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Houston, after which he was accepted as a student at the Islamic University of Madinah. After completing a diploma in Arabic, he graduated with a B.A. from the College of Hadith and Islamic Sciences. Thereafter, he completed a M.A. in Islamic Theology from the College of Dawah, after which he returned to America and completed his doctorate, in Religious Studies, from Yale University.Currently he is the Dean of al-Maghrib Institute, the Resident Scholar of the Memphis Islamic Center, and a professor at Rhodes College, in Memphis, TN.