might lead to impropriety, and it underscores the duty to avoid situations that invite suspicion and the undesirability of men mingling with women in public thoroughfares—let alone inside their homes. From the rationale given, it follows that if the congregation is entirely male, remaining seated after the salām is no longer recommended. Ibn Qudāmah therefore explained the ḥadith of ʿĀʾishah in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, once he had given salām, would not stay any longer than it took him to say: “O Allah, You are peace and from You comes peace. Blessed are You, O Possessor of majesty and honour.” Muslim recorded the report, and it clearly states that women used to attend the congregational prayer in the mosque.

3 – The entrance of a menstruating woman into the mosque, especially when a need arises. ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) related: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, ‘Pass me the khumrah (a small prayer mat) from the mosque.’ I replied, ‘I am menstruating.’ He said, ‘Your menstruation is not in your hand,’ so I handed it to him.”

This ḥadith was narrated by Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, al-Nasāʾī, al-Tirmidhī—who declared it sound—al-Dārimī, al-Ṭayālisī, and Aḥmad through the chain of al-Aʿmash, from Thābit ibn ʿUbayd, from al-Qāsim ibn Muḥammad, from her. The additional wording comes from al-Ṭayālisī, though his version does not include the phrase “from the mosque.”

ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Ḥumayd ibn Abī Ghaniyah also supported this report, transmitting it from Thābit ibn ʿUbayd; Aḥmad recorded this corroboration. It is a strong supporting narration, for ʿAbd al-Malik is reliable—the six canonical compilers considered him trustworthy—and Muslim likewise transmitted the ḥadith from him, together with Ḥajjāj, from Thābit.