The West Street Musjid of Durban has organized Taraweeh Salaat for ladies.

Answer

It is not permissible for women to emerge from their houses for attending Taraweeh Salaat in Jamaat at a Musjid. It is sinful for the organizers of this haraam affair to invite the ladies

into the streets for the purpose of Taraaweeh Salaat. Both the organizers and the women participating in this un-Islamic affair are guilty of major sins. It is haraam for the women to leave their homes to go to the Musjid for Taraweeh Salaat. Taraweeh Jamaat is not exhorted for women. Women should perform Taraweeh at home individually. People who organize Taraweeh Jamaat for ladies, especially at the Musaajid, are motivated by show, pride and other un-Islamic motives, hence they are not concerned about the violation of the Shariah which their actions constitute. Muslim ladies should not attend such un-Islamic functions. When women emerge from their homes unnecessarily, the Curse of Allah Ta'ala settles on them.

A cause for lament in the episode of haraam wedding functions is the participation of even Ulama. When even Ulama attend such functions and when they perform the Nikah of people who are indulging in such un-Islamic activities, then they lend effective support for the machinations of Shaitaan.

The sacred duty of the Ulama is to uphold, propagate and safeguard the Ahkaam and the Aqaaid of Islam. It does not behove the Ulama to perform the Nikah of persons who indulge in the satanic type of wedding functions prevalent in our society. The Ulama have no need to perform Nikahs. If an Aalim is aware of haraam

customs and evil wedding functions which have been organized, he should refuse to perform the Nikah and admonish the errant parties. It is the obligation of the Ulama to call erring Muslims to the Path of the Haqq. It is, therefore, most despicable when the Office Bearers of Islam fall prey to nafsaani motives and instead of warning people against these evils acts of

extravagance and bid'ah, they themselves condone the haraam by according respectabity to transgression.