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Women praying in non-Muslim countries

Question

I would like to ask about rule of women praying outside her home in non-Muslim countries. For example, if she can’t pray in her work, school and mosque is far. Can she to find another place for praying or it is suitable for her wait with praying to her home? Because some Muslim girls want to pray in cabin in the supermarket or in the corner of other public places such the shopping centre. But they are exposed problems from intolerant people or police.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

A Muslim woman should perform prayers at their fixed time, and it is forbidden for her to delay them until their fixed time is over except in the case of travelling, rain or sickness, having the intention to join one prayer with the other. Therefore, if she can perform the prayer at her workplace then that is good, otherwise she must pray in any place where she can perform the prayer. However, if she performs the prayer in a public place, she has to observe the Hijab, and seek to cover herself to the maximum when kneeling and prostrating according to the opinion of the scholars. She can delay her prayer until she returns home as long as it is within its fixed time. For more information, please refer to Fatwas: 83702 and 83033 regarding the description of the Islaamic Hijab, and Fatwa: 83953 about the ruling on mixing with males in the workplace.

Allaah knows best.

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