through a channel he trusts. Indeed, he may never have heard it, or he may have thought the hadith weak, as some have stated. Those who opposed it argued that a woman’s prayer is valid when she stands alone, as established in the authentic narration:

“Anas and the orphan formed a row behind the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the elderly woman stood behind them.”

The scholars agree that her standing alone is valid when there is no other woman in the congregation, as established by the Sunnah. They also cited the imam’s standing alone. They further cited the hadith of Abū Bakrah, who bowed before reaching the row and then joined it. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him:

“May Allah increase your eagerness, but do not do that again.”

This argument is weak and cannot counter the evidence prohibiting this practice, for several reasons:

First, a woman’s standing behind the men’s row is a prescribed Sunnah, whereas standing in the men’s row would be disliked. Does this invalidate the prayer of someone standing beside her? Scholars within Ahmad’s school and elsewhere hold two views. The first is that it does invalidate his prayer, as Abū Hanīfah held. This was also the view preferred by Abū Bakr and Abū Hafs, scholars of Ahmad’s school. The second is that it does not invalidate his prayer, as Mālik and al-Shāfiʿī held. This is also the view of Ibn