To understand why a man stands ahead of a woman in prayer, whether a mahram woman can pray ahead of a man, and other related questions, stay with Saad News.
The reason for the necessity of men standing ahead of women in prayer is explained by two major opinions among the grand Islamic jurists regarding the distance between men and women in prayer:
First Opinion: Some jurists consider a woman standing next to or ahead of a man in prayer to be neither forbidden nor invalidating the prayer; rather, it is merely disliked (makruh). To remove this dislike, they suggest placing a barrier, such as a curtain, or maintaining a distance of at least five meters (approximately ten hand spans). According to this view, it is better for the woman to stand slightly behind the man, so her place of prostration is a little behind his standing position.
Views on Invalidity of Prayer in Such Cases:
Imam Khomeini (RA): If a woman stands beside or ahead of a man and they both begin the prayer together, it is recommended to repeat the prayer.
Ayatollah Golpayegani and Safi: If a woman stands beside or ahead of a man, their prayers are both valid, whether they enter prayer simultaneously or consecutively. Ayatollah Bahjat did not explicitly mention this rule, but based on the shared opinion, it is inferred that his stance also supports the validity of their prayers in such a case.
Ayatollah Zanjani: If a woman stands beside or ahead of a man without maintaining proper distance, and they enter the prayer together, it is recommended to repeat the prayer. If they enter the prayer one after the other, it is recommended for the second person to repeat their prayer.
Second Opinion: Some jurists assert that it is obligatory for a woman to stand behind the man in prayer. Therefore, if she stands ahead or at the same level as the man, the prayer becomes invalid.
Views on Invalidity of Prayer in Such Cases:
Ayatollah Fadl and Makarem: If a woman stands beside or ahead of a man, and they enter the prayer together, their prayers are invalid. However, if one enters the prayer before the other, the first person’s prayer is valid, but the second person’s prayer is invalid.
Ayatollah Sistani: With a less strict view on maintaining distance, Ayatollah Sistani recommends repeating the prayer in such cases, especially if one enters the prayer before the other.
These views highlight the different interpretations of the appropriate distance between men and women in prayer and the consequences for the validity of the prayer depending on how this is observed.
