By Ahmend Mostafah

A woman will be leading the Friday prayer for a mixed gender audience. It might not come as a shock to “modern thinking,” but to anyone who has any Islamic foundation this news is most upsetting. The sister will be speaking before a Friday congregation at a mosque in Manhattan.

In order to explain why I am so saddened to hear the news that a woman will be leading Jummah, I need to give some background as to how Islam should be practiced. For the non-Muslims out there, let me explain. In Islam, the day of sermon is Friday. In Arabic it is called Jummah. Every day, practicing Muslims perform the five daily prayers. But on Friday, Jummah replaces what would be the second prayer of the day, zuhr. There is a sermon portion and a prayer portion. The sermon portion consists of a speaker addressing the congregation. The prayer portion follows with either the speaker or the Imam of the Mosque leading the prayer. That is the Jummah that Muslims all around the world follow. Locally, I attend the Islamic Center of Long Island, located in Westbury. That is how Jummah is done.

Most religions in the world have parted with what the religions original followers believed. I know that sounds harsh, but relax for one second and hear me out. When you do something according to how your religion asks, where do you look for your example, from where did the traditions that you follow arise? If you tell me Jesus went to church to sing the praises of the lord on Sundays or that Moses wore a yarmulke I would be very impressed to find any actual historical documentation of those actions that suggest that is a part of worship. Do not get me wrong, I respect and tolerate every religion, but the fact is, by and large, most of the traditions and rules have been made up by man over time.

Islam is a unique case. We know everything about the prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him). We still have original copies of the Quran in existence today. His life, teachings, practices, the actions of his family, companions and society are well documented.

So when someone asks a Muslim, “Why do you do the things you do?” the answer should never be, “I am following the practices of my father and his fathers” or “That’s just how it is done, it has always been that way.” The answer should always be, “We do it this way because of the Quran and Sunnah.

Islam only has two sources, the Quran and Sunnah. The Quran is revelation and as such we follow it to the best of our ability and understanding. In any area where there is room for interpretation we look to the Sunnah. The Sunnah is the sayings, teachings and practices of the prophet. The prophet was called the “walking Quran.”

So when I hear about a Muslim sister leading Jummah in front of a mixed gender congregation, I am saddened. Nowhere in the life of the prophet did a sister lead the Jummah prayer. It is not a small change but a blatant departure from the prophets teachings. When standing for prayer the men are supposed to be at front and the women in the rear. If a woman is leading the prayer how is the example being followed? There were many qualified sisters, who could have led the Jummah in the life of the prophet, but it was never done then.

Do not read into what I am saying. I am not saying women cannot be leaders, they can. I am not saying women cannot address gatherings of men and women, they should! I am even encouraging of a woman to lead a Jummah prayer in an all female Muslim congregation. I am simply asking where in the life of the prophet did a sister lead the Jummah prayer to a mixed congregation?

This might seem like a small change, one woman, at one time, in one place, but the fact of the matter is this action demonstrates to me that Muslims all over the world have started “bending,” nay “breaking” Islam in order to fit it into their agenda. When it is clear that we, as Muslims, should be breaking our worldly habits to fit Islam. Muslims have lost the only thing that differentiates us from other religions: we have the example of truth to follow, and we have thrown it out for today’s convenience.

I ask Allah to forgive me for anything that I have said wrong. Anything I said right was from him, and anything I said wrong is from my own shortcomings.

May Allah forgive us all.