The prohibition of women reading the Qur’ān to non relative male teacher, even from behind a screen

Question:

What is the ruling of teaching women Qur’ān behind a barrier?

Answer:

What relates to their recitation of the Qur’ān to the teacher to correct the rulings of Tajwīd the likes of Ghunna, Madd, Iqlāb and its like, is not permissible due to what it contains of their beautification of their voices in recitation of the Qur’ān, and the occurrence of this is inescapable.

And the Prophet ﷺ said:

(لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَمْ يَتَغَنَّ بِالْقُرْآنِ)

“Whoever doesn’t recite the Qur’ān in a nice manner, is not from us.”

Reported by Al-Bukhari on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him.

Ibn Kathīr said:

“It’s understood from this that the Salaf, may Allah be pleased with them, understood from the beautification of one’s voice with reciting the Qur’ān, that it’s bettering the voice and its beautification, as mentioned by the Imāms, may Allah have mercy upon them.”
[End of speech]

Ibn Najīm Al-Hanafi in his book “Kunz Ad-Daqā’iq” said:

“When recitation is thought to contain beautification of one’s voice, teaching it by a man was prohibited.”

[End of speech]

In their beautification of their voices in recitation is a Fitnah which is not obscured, and Allah, the Most High, said:

(فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِٱلْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ ٱلَّذِى فِى قَلْبِهِۦ مَرَضٌ وَقُلْنَ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًا)

“then be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease (of hypocrisy, or evil desire for adultery, etc.) should be moved with desire, but speak in an honourable manner.”
[Al-Ahzāb:32]

Acting upon the principle of Sad Adh-Dharā’i’ “closing the means”, for this reason Allah, the Most High, said:

(وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَٰعًا فَسْـَٔلُوهُنَّ مِن وَرَآءِ حِجَابٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَطْهَرُ لِقُلُوبِكُمْ وَقُلُوبِهِنَّ)

“And when you ask (his wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen, that is purer for your hearts and for their hearts.”
[Al-Ahzāb:53]

Shaykh Al-Albāni, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

“If a recitor was to teach the women through a telephone, then they in turn recite to him and he hears their voices, then the ruling is as if he heard their voices from behind a veil and didn’t see their body.

But the Fitnah is taking place from two angles:
➖He heard her voice directly without the presence of these means and wires.
➖Or he heard her voice through these wires and the voice he heard is her actual voice.

The voice of a woman is not an ‘Awrah contrary to what has become known with the people, but what’s stipulated is that it’s her natural voice.

As for her reciting and beautifying her recitation with Iqlāb and Ith-hār and other than this like Madd and Mutasil and Munfasil, this is Tajwīd.

And the statement of his ﷺ:

(لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَمْ يَتَغَنَّ بِالْقُرْآنِ)

“Whoever doesn’t recite the Qur’ān in a nice manner, is not from us.”

So it’s a must that she recites the Qur’ān with beautification, and it’s not appropriate that this is in front of a man upon its absolute, regardless if this was through radio or through telephones.”

[Fatāwa Jeddah tape20, 1st face, minute 1:47]

And in “Al-Insāf” of Al-Mardāwi (8/25):

“Imam Ahmed, may Allah have mercy upon him, in the narration of Sālih, said:

“The Salam is given to an elderly lady, as for the young woman, then do not utter it.”

And Al-Qādhi said:

“He only said this due to the fear of being trialed due to her voice, and this both has been said in the Madhab. And upon both narrations is the impermissibility of finding enjoyment with listening to it, even in regards to recitation, and this has been reiterated in Al-Mustaw’ab and Ar-Ri’āyah and Al-Furū‘ and by other than him.”
[End of speech]

And Al-Bahūti, may Allah have mercy upon him, said on “Sharh Muntahā Al-Irādāt“:

“The voice of a nonmahram woman is not an ‘Awrah, and it’s impermissible to seek enjoyment in listening to it, even if it was recitation, because it incites Fitnah.”

[End of speech]

And the occurrence of Fitnah by way of it has reached us, which makes it a must that Fitnah is warded off.

And refuge is sought with Allaah.

As for if the teaching was by way of the recitation of the teacher and them listening from behind a veil; then this is permissible.

And this is enough in teaching them.

Because this is obtained through their listening and benefitting from the audios of the proficient recitors, and they will benefit with this as it will be mentioned in the fatwa of Shaykh Ibn ‘Utheymīn, may Allah have mercy upon him, in what’s to come.

And if it is a must that there is to be mutual hearing (i.e both parties recite to each other), then it’s a must that the teaching of the women of the rules of Tajwīd and hearing their recitation, is to be a woman.

And success is granted by Allah.

This is a valuable advise from Shaykh Ibn ‘Utheymīn, may Allah have mercy upon him, in this subject which we will relay as a benefit.
Wherein he, may Allah have mercy upon him, was asked regarding a man who memorises people the Qur’ān and teaches religious lessons to girls 13 years of age in his house, and was asked if there was any harm in this, and he said: bearing in mind that I am like a teacher to them, teaching them in these affairs, is there anything wrong in this?
I seek to be benefited.

Whereby he, may Allah have mercy upon him, replied:

“What I hope from this man is that he teaches his wife or sister or those that he has with him in his house of his Mahrams, then this woman teaches those lessons which she has learned from him to those women that come to his house.
As for him teaching them while they are of this age, I fear upon him Fitnah, because the Shaytān courses through a person’s veins.
If he feared that his sister or his wife or those with him in his house of his Mahrams, couldn’t establish this, then he could give his lessons through a recording device, then this woman of his Mahrams could present it to those female students, the benefit is obtained through this and distancing from that which is prohibited and likewise any fitnah…”

[End of speech from “Fatāwa Nūr ‘ala Ad-Darb”]

Answered by:
Shaykh Abu Hatim Yusuf Al-‘Inaabi Al-Jazaa’iree – may Allah preserve him.

Source:
t.me/abouhatem/64
t.me/abouhatem/65

Answered on:
2nd, Saffar, 1438H

Translated by:
Abu ‘Abdirrahman ‘Abdullaah bin Ahmed Ash-Shingaani