Architectural Standards for the Mosque Female Sections

Abstract

Female worshippers (sisters) are not forbidden to attend mosques, as a religious facility for the entire Muslim community; a right that is confirmed by the Prophet SAAS. In the earlyProphet mosque of Medina, which is considered a reference practice, a special gate was called the Gate of the Women (Bab an-Nisaa), and they used to occupy their positions inside the main chamber, which is practiced until recently. Accordingly, we wonder how the female facilities in the mosque have developed, recalling that the mosque has not even been standardized properly. Lately, formal and informal efforts proposed various mosque standards, which included discussions about women's access, spaces, and services. Although such works deserve credit, they should become more consistent with Islamic jurisprudence rather than common views. Therefore, a professional effort to standardize the female sections within the mosque is highly inevitable, which should consider the fair distribution of the male/female spaces, circulation, and services. It should refer to the related literature and universal principles rather than being trapped within any certain culture of a given community or a given age. This research is an attempt to identify design criteria and standards for the female sections of the mosque, that would recognize the Islamic resources, previous best practices, and the rights of women.