Title: A Further Exchange on 'Why Can't Women Lead Prayers' Question/Comments: You have stated that it is not part of the Shari`ah , which I understand. However, the problem that I see is in making this instituted as a tradition of the Prophet . If the Prophet did not comment on it, would it not be difficult to make an assumption on what he was trying to convey? Is it not difficult to produce a tradition based on something that the Prophet did NOT do? For instance, the Prophet did not appoint a woman as imam , just as the Prophet may never have eaten a particular food, or may never have worn a particular type of cloth. Are we to assume then that everything the Prophet did not do is part of the tradition of his we should follow? Answer: Before I answer your question, I would like to clarify that I did not term the referred practice of not appointing women as leaders of prayers 'a tradition of the Prophet (pbuh)'. On the contrary, I termed it as the general practice of the Prophet (pbuh) and the Muslim khulafaa [1] , who followed the Prophet (pbuh). Later on, this practice was accepted as a part of the socio-cultural norms of the Muslim society. Coming to your specific questions, I would like to clarify that the referred Muslim socio-cultural tradition is actually not based on any action, which the Prophet (pbuh) did NOT take. On the contrary, it is based on a positive and regular practice of the Prophet (pbuh). The point is not that the Prophet (pbuh) did NOT , generally, appoint women as Imams . The point actually is that the Prophet (pbuh) generally DID appoint men as Imams , while, obviously, there must have been a number of women present in the society. I do agree with you that if the Prophet (pbuh) has not specified any reason for any one or more of his general practices, as for instance not eating a particular food or not wearing a particular dress, a Muslim scholar then has to assess and ascertain the reason for that practice through other sources. In such a situation, obviously, there can arise a difference of opinion among the Muslim scholars. A group may explain the practice ascribing it to one reason, while another may ascribe a different reason to that practice. This difference of opinion regarding the ascribed reason for a particular practice of the Prophet (pbuh) can subsequently result in a difference of opinion regarding the desirability or otherwise of a particular socio-cultural practice in the eyes of the two or more scholars. In any case, I have given my understanding of the issue under consideration. I do accept that there can be a difference of opinion regarding the reasons I have ascribed to the particular action of the Prophet (pbuh). I would definitely be interested in finding out what, in somebody else's opinion, could be another reason for this particular action of the Prophet (pbuh). If you think that the reason for this practice of the Prophet (pbuh) was something else, please let me know. I would definitely like to consider it. 4 th August 1999 [1] The caliphs.