It is Obligatory to separate Man from Woman in Islamic Life
 

Islamic life, in which Muslims live and conduct their general affairs where men and women are separated from each other, is established by the Qur'an and Sunnah. Men are separated from women in the private life, such as in the homes and the like, and in the public life, such as the markets and the roads. Such a form of life is further established by the overall Ahkam Shari'ah (divine rules) addressing the man separately, the woman separately, and both of them together. It is also established by the Qur'anic speech to women as women and men as men such as Allah's (swt) saying:


"The men and women who give charity and fasting men and women, and the men and women who guard their chastiity and the men and women who remember Allah much...". [Al- Ahzab: 35] 

and other verses. Such a segregated type of life is also reported as the actual practice in collective form since the days of the Prophet and throughout all the times of Islam.

As for the overall evidences, studying them leads us to notice that the Legislator(Allah) did not accept the women's testimony in crimes, since women do not live where crimes predominantly take place. It obliged the woman to wear the Jilbab if she goes out of her home. It made the entire body of the woman as ‘awrah' (which must be covered) except her hands and face. It forbade her from revealing her charms to non-mahram men. It forbade men from looking at her private parts, even her hair. It forbade the woman from travelling, even to Hajj without her mahram. The Legislator also forbade people from entering homes without having permission. The Legislator did not oblige the woman to attend the jamaah (Friday prayer) in the Masjid, Jummah, or to go for jihad as it did for the man. We also find that it obliged the man, but not the woman, to strive and earn provision. Additionally, the Messenger of Allah separated men from women, so he made the womens' lines in the masjid and in Salah behind the mens' lines; and he commanded women to leave the masjid before men, in order for them to be separated. In his classes, a woman asked him to designate a special day for women since men dominated the other days.

These rules and situations among many others show in their entirety, the manner in which the Islamic way of life is lived, and that it is one where men are separated from women. It also shows that this separation is general and includes the public as well as the private life. The Islamic life at the time of the Messenger had men and women separated from each other in both public and private life. No exceptions were made except those which the Legislator permitted (meeting together in private or public life).

Upon studying the rules of Islam we find that the Legislator permitted women to buy and sell, to give and receive, obliged the hajj upon her, allowed her to attend the Salah in jamaah in the masjid, to fight the Kuffar, to own and invest her wealth, besides other matters allowed to her. Such activities which the Legislator permitted or obliged the women to engage in, may require the meeting with men to accomplish them, then such a meeting is permitted. This is provided that the meeting is within the rules of Islam and required by the activity which she is permitted to perform. Examples for this are buying and selling, renting, education, medical treatment, farming, industry, etc. This is because the evidence, which allows or obliges such activities, includes the permission for them to meet together. However, if the activities do not require the women to meet with men, such as walking in the street to go to the Masjid, to the market, to visit the family, going to a picnic; or eating and drinking, etc, then it is not allowed for men and women to meet. This is because the evidence for the separation of men and women is general, and there is no evidence to permit meeting in such cases. Also, these activities are not necessary to fulfil that which the Legislator permitted the woman to do. Therefore, meeting for such matters is sinful even if done in public life. Consequently, separation of men and women in the Islamic life is an obligation. Separation in the private life must be complete except the cases allowed by the Legislator. As for public life, separation is standard. It is not allowed for men and women to meet in public life except for that which the Legislator allowed, obliged or recommended for women to do, and, at the same time, it requires meeting with men; whether this meeting is with separation such as in the Masjid or with mixing such as in Hajj and trading.

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