What is the ruling if a woman leads others during performing a prayer as an Imam instead of men? What is the ruling if she says Amen loudly in a way that other men could hear her voice?

Answer

Praise Be to Allah and Peace Be Upon His Messenger.

Referring to your question, some scholars say that it is allowed for a woman to be an Imam who leads other women in a prayer. She is also allowed to lead her family if men (her husband or sons) cannot correctly perform a prayer. Other scholars think a woman is not allowed to be an Imam who leads another man even if he is her husband. However, some other scholars find that she can be an Imam who leads men in the optional prayer or when performing Tarawih Prayer but under restrictions.

Ibn Qudama has a different opinion as he states in his book Al-Mughni. He says that it is not allowed for a woman to lead men whether she is praying a Fard or an optional prayer. This opinion goes along with Almuzani’s.

It is also said that she can lead other men when performing the Tarawih Prayer but she has to be behind them.

Um Waraqa the daughter of Abdullah Ibn Al-Harith narrated that “the prophet (PBUH) appointed a prayer-call maker for her and asked her to lead her family.” Related by Abu Dawood. Some think that her family includes men and women.

Others, however, for example Al-Darqutni, think that Waraqa was asked to lead the women in her family; they see that this addition (the women in her family) should be accepted. They depend on the prophetic hadith: “A woman should never lead a man in a prayer.” And this is justified as since she is not allowed to make a prayer call such as the insane, she cannot be an Imam. A woman is also allowed to be an Imam when performing the Fard depending on the above-mentioned narration which tells that the prophet appointed a prayer call for Um Waraqa and the prayer call is usually made before the Fard not before the optional prayer.

Being behind men if the woman is an Imam is not supported by any evidence and it is merely against the congregational prayer rules. Even if this had happened when Um Waraqa was an Imam, it would have been specific to her as the whole story is specific.

To be far from all these different opinions, it would be better if a woman leads only women and not men even if her husband or any other Mahram are amongst them.

Regarding the other part of your question, the woman is allowed to say Amen behind the Imam but as silent as she can and without a high intonation.