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Question

Are women's voices forbidden in Qur'an?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

The most preponderant opinion of the scholars is that the voice of a woman is not an ‘Awrah. There is much evidence supporting this opinion. Allah Says In the Quran (what means): {…, 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 honorable manner.} [Quran 33: 32]

So, Allah Warned women against being lenient in speech and Ordered them to say only that which is good. Again, Allah Says (what means): {… And when you ask (his wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen, …} [Quran 33: 53]

So, this is evidence that one can talk with non-Mahram women if there is a Hijaab (partition) between them.

There are many Ahadeeth proving that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) and his companions talked to women and addressed them.

However, the condition for talking to the opposite sex is that a woman should not make her talk stylish and attractive and the listener should not feel seduced by her voice. The ruling on her voice reciting the Quran is similar to the ruling on her voice without reciting the Quran. Yet, her voice while reciting the Quran must be far from temptation. It is desirable for a woman, safer and far from suspicion, not to raise her voice even with the Quran before non-Mahram men. The scholars have pointed out that a woman should lower her voice while uttering 'Talbiyah' during Hajj, ‘Umrah and in prayers in the presence of non-Mahram men. The evidence for this ruling is that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) ordered men to say 'Subhana Allah' if something happens in a prayer, whereas he ordered women to clap their hands. In a long Hadeeth, it is reported that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "If you find something in the prayer you should say Subhana Allah, for when you say it, it will attract his (i.e. Imam's) attention, and clapping with hands is for the women."

For more benefit that a woman's voice is not an 'Awrah, please refer to Fataawa 263791, 82218, and 83899.

Allah knows best.

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