for her—above all when that is at night. In fact, some versions of the ḥadīth and other reports indicate that a woman’s prayer in her home is better than her prayer in the mosque).

I remarked: He cited this final addition and the other texts of similar import to which we have alluded, and then he said:

(The reason her praying in seclusion is preferable is that it secures protection from temptation; this consideration becomes even more pressing now that some women have adopted conspicuous display and adornment. That is why ʿĀʾishah said what she said. Some people seized upon her words to forbid women’s attendance at the mosque altogether, but that view is questionable. Her statement does not alter the legal ruling, for she tied it to a condition that had not actually occurred, basing herself on a conjecture when she said, “Had he seen what they have introduced, he would have stopped them.” The reply is: he did not see, and he did not stop them. Thus the original ruling stands, and even ʿĀʾishah did not explicitly pronounce a ban—though her words suggest she leaned toward it. Furthermore, Allah—glorified be He—knew what innovations would arise, yet He did not reveal to His Prophet any prohibition. Had those innovations required barring women from the mosques, barring them from other places such as the markets would have been even more fitting. Moreover, the new practices emanated from only some women, not all; therefore, if prohibition is warranted, it should target only those responsible. The wiser course is to scrutinize whatever is feared to lead to corruption and avoid it, as the Prophet ﷺ hinted when he forbade perfume and adornment and when he restricted attendance to the night, as mentioned earlier.)

I said: This limitation shows that husbands are instructed to grant permission only when their wives wish to go to the mosque at night. If they wish to go during the day, the husbands are not so commanded; they may permit them if they choose, or they may refuse. Al-Ḥāfiẓ said in his Sharḥ al-Taqrīb:

(Ibn Baṭṭāl said: This narration proves that the ruling for daytime is different, for the wording explicitly states