Gender segregation or separation of sexes refers to the issue of separation between men from women in social settings in Muslim communities. However, there is no evidence from the Quran or Hadith for the prohibition of free mixing between men and women (known as Ikhtilat).
Islamic jurisprudence laws (fiqh) had traditionally ruled that Muslim men and women who are not intermediate relatives (ajnabi), may not socialize with the people of opposite sex, not even to know each other or a simple handshake or any form of contact which involves physical or verbal contact to a certain extent.
But how did the Prophet (pbuh) solve the problem of genders interaction and how did he train the Companions when it came to gender interactions in his community? The truth is, gender segregation is never a part of Islamic teachings. There are many instances recorded in Sahih Hadith that implicates free interactions between genders, for example:
A beautiful woman used to pray in the mosque of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). There were no physical barriers and some of the men would go to the front rows to ensure they wouldn't look towards her. "Others would pray in the last row and would look underneath their armpits to see her.
Because of this act, Allah SWT revealed, “Verily We know the eager among you to be first, and verily We know the eager among you to be behind,” - Qur’an 15:24. (hadith recorded by an-Nasa'i)
From this narration, we learn that the young men who lived in the very city attended the masjid of the Prophet (pbuh), peep and checked the beautiful sister out...yes, in the masjid itself. And yet what did the Prophet (pbuh) did?
Did the Prophet (pbuh) create a wall between the men and women’s sections? Nope. Did he prohibit women from going to the mosque, lest they "tempt the men" who attend? also No. In fact, he did the exact opposite by commanding the women not to stopped from going to the Houses of God.
The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Don't prevent your woman from going to mosque when they ask for permission".(hadith recorded by Muslim - salat #135)
Instead of blaming and shaming the men or women for making a mistake, he (pbuh) trained his community to keep themselves in check. He taught them personal responsibility and professional interaction with one another.
Take the example of the Prophet's (pbuh) cousin Al-Fadl, who was checking out a beautiful woman who came to ask the Prophet a question during the days of Hajj.
The Prophet caught Al-Fadl checking her out and instead of yelling at him, he turned towards Al-Fadl, caught his chin and turned his face away from the beautiful woman. (hadith recorded by Bukhari)
This was how the Prophet (pbuh) trains Al-Fadl to be a responsible young man. He does not shame him. And more importantly, he does not utter words that would humiliate Al-Fadl, nor believe that the source of the problem was the existence of the woman.
The Quran also teaches Muslims to lower their gaze and to be mindful of their chastity (QS 24:30) instead of gender segregation. In another example, a male companion kissed a woman, so he came to the Prophet seeking help.
Allah SWT revealed this verse, "And perform the prayers, between the two ends of the day and in some hours of the night. Verily, the good deeds efface the evil deeds." (QS 11:114)
The Companion asked the Messenger of God (pbuh) if the revelation of this verse applied only to his situation. The Prophet (pbuh) responded, "It applies to all my ummah." (hadith recorded by Bukhari)
Allah SWT did not order a separation between the male and the female but instead teaches us how to repent and ask for forgiveness. This incident teaches us that when we mess up, we should regret it, ask for Allah SWT forgiveness, resolve not to do it again and repaying by doing good deeds.
Other example recorded in Sahih Hadith that implicates free interactions between genders, especially in the mosque;
1. Asma’ recounted: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) stood up amongst us and preached to us, mentioning the trial a dead person suffers in the grave, and thereupon the people clamored in a manner that prevented me from perceiving the concluding words of the Messenger of Allah.
When they calmed down, I asked a man near to me, “May Allah bless you, what did the Messenger (pbuh) say concluding his sermon?” and he answered, "It was revealed to me that you would be tested in your graves in a manner almost similar to that of Ad-Dajjal’s trial."
- There's no gender segregation in the mosque. Both male and female sit together next to each other during sermons in the mosque.
2. Abdul Rahman reported on the authority of Malik from Nafi` from Ibn Umar that he said, "They (male and female Companions) would perform ablution together."
Abdul Rahman said, I asked Malik, “(You mean) men and women?” He replied, “Yes..."
I further asked, “(Was it) during the lifetime of the Prophet?” “Yes,” he affirmed.
- Both male and female perform wuduk or ablution together during the Prophet (pbuh) time.
3. Jabir reported the following incident: The Prophet (pbuh) used to stand on a tree trunk to deliver his sermons. So, a woman from the Ansar said to him, “O Messenger of Allah! I have a slave carpenter, shall I get him construct a pulpit for you?”
The Prophet (pbuh) responded, “Yes”. So, the Prophet started using the pulpit, and one Friday, while he was delivering a sermon standing on it, the tree trunk issued a groaning sound like that of a child. The Prophet (pbuh) commented, “Indeed, it's crying for (missing) what it used to hear of religious knowledge given near to it."..."
- Woman mix freely during sermons in the mosque and this Ansar lady is very near to the Prophet (pbuh) because she can speak to him without raising her voice.
4. A’ishah said, “How good the women of Ansar are! Their bashfulness did not stop them from inquiring about religion and acquiring the understanding of it”.
- Women are free to talk to the Prophet (pbuh), they even go to the extent of asking sensitive questions about sexual problems in the presence of other men.
5. It was narrated from Mahmoud ibn Labid, he said: When Sa`d received a wound (of an arrow) in his arm vein, he could hardly move and then he was referred to a woman called Rufaydah, who used to treat the wounded (in the Mosque).
Hence, when the Prophet passed by him (in the evening), he would ask him, “How are you this evening?” and (in the morning), “How are you this morning?” And Sa`d would tell the Prophet how he felt.
- Women attended to injured Companions in the mosque.
The fact is, there are many more instances recorded in Sahih Hadith that depicts the free interaction between male and female during the Prophet (pbuh) time. Islam emphasized on 'adab' (courtesy/moral/ethical behavior), instead of separation or segregation on the issue of genders interaction.
Congregation (jema'ah) is all about unity, about staying together as one by abiding rules, not separating or dividing ourselves up. Unity will strengthen the ummah, segregation and dissension will weaken us (QS 8:46).
Wallahu'alam
