Women in a house next to the mosque following the imam of the mosque in prayer
Question

                I read fatwa no.  45611. What do you say since in most of our mosques the women’s prayer place is put upstairs in the mosque. Does this mean that the rows are interrupted? 

My question is: There is a mosque in our neighbourhood where the women’s prayer place is upstairs. In Taraweeh prayers, the women’s section becomes very crowded. One day the imam quoted to them a fatwa saying that it was permissible for them to pray in their houses behind the imam of the mosque, so long as they hear can the imam and know the movements of his prayer, etc. As a result of that, the owner of one of the neighbouring houses provided a spacious place for the women in his house so that they could pray behind the imam. Now after the shaykh’s fatwa, one of the women is asking whether it is valid for her to pray in her room behind the Shaykh.
Praise be to Allah.
    Firstly: 

    If the women’s prayer-space is upstairs in the mosque or 
    downstairs, then their prayer is valid, because those who are inside the 
    mosque do not have to be in uninterrupted rows, and there is no difference 
    of opinion among the scholars. Rather that is stipulated for the rows of 
    people outside the mosque.  See al-Insaaf (2/293). 

    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was 
    asked: What is the ruling on women who pray in the mosque and cannot see the 
    imam or the men praying behind him, and can only hear his voice? 

    He replied: It is permissible for women – and men too – to 
    pray with the congregation in the mosque, even if they cannot see the imam 
    or the worshippers praying behind him, if it is possible to follow the imam. 
    If the sound of his voice can reach the women where they are in the mosque 
    and they can follow the imam’s movements, then it is valid for them to pray 
    in congregation with the imam, because it is all one place and it is 
    possible to follow the imam even by means of loudspeakers or by hearing the 
    imam’s voice directly or by hearing the sound of one who conveys the 
    takbeers etc from him. It does not matter if they cannot see the imam or the 
    people praying behind him. Rather some scholars stipulated that the imam or 
    the people behind him should be seen if the one who is praying is outside 
    the mosque. The fuqaha’ say that it is valid for one who is praying outside 
    the mosque to follow the imam if he can see the imam or the worshippers 
    behind him. **** But the correct view in my opinion is that it is not valid 
    for a person to follow the imam outside the mosque even if he can see the 
    imam, if there is a place inside the mosque where he could pray. That is 
    because the point of jamaa’ah (congregation) is being in the same place and 
    doing the same actions. But if the mosque is full and those who are outside 
    the mosque are praying with the imam and can follow him, then the correct 
    view is that it is permissible for them to follow the imam whether they can 
    see the imam or not, if the rows are uninterrupted. 

    To explain the matter further I say: 

    Firstly: If the person is inside the mosque then his 
    following the imam is valid in all cases, whether he can see the imam or 
    not, and whether he can see the worshippers behind the imam or not, because 
    it is all one place. 

    For example, if the worshipper is praying on an upper floor, 
    or on a lower floor, and the imam is upstairs, or there is a barrier between 
    them such as a wall or curtain. 

    Secondly: If the worshipper is outside the mosque, and there 
    is space inside the mosque, his following the imam is not valid, whether or 
    not he can see the imam or people praying behind him, because what is 
    required is that the congregation be in the same place. 

    Thirdly: if he cannot find space in the mosque and he is 
    outside the mosque, then if the rows are uninterrupted, it is valid for him 
    to follow the imam even if he cannot see him, because the uninterrupted rows 
    means it is as if they are inside the mosque. End quote from Majmoo’ 
    Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (15/213). 

    Secondly: 

    If women pray in a house next to the mosque, where they 
    cannot see the imam or the worshippers behind him, and the rows are 
    interrupted, and they can only hear the imam’s voice, the scholars differed 
    concerning this issue.  Some said it is not allowed and some said that it is 
    valid. 

    From the words of Shaykh ibn ‘Uthaymeen quoted above it may 
    be understood that if the rows are uninterrupted in the house where the 
    women are praying, their prayer in that house is valid and there is nothing 
    wrong with them praying in that house. But if the rows do not reach the 
    house (and are interrupted before they reach the house), then it is not 
    valid for them to pray in the house with the imam of the mosque.

     Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: If he prays 
    in his house etc with the imam in the mosque, and there is a barrier between 
    them, it is not valid in our opinion. This was also the opinion of Ahmad. 

    Maalik said: It is valid apart from Jumu’ah. Abu Haneefah 
    said: It is valid in all cases. End quote from al-Majmoo’ (4/200). 

    Ibn Qudaamah said: If there is a barrier between the imam and 
    the person praying behind him, which prevents him from seeing the imam or 
    the people behind him, Ibn Haamid said: there are two reports concerning 
    this:  

    One is that his following the imam is not valid. 

    The second is that it is valid. 

    Al-Qaadi favoured the view that it is valid if they are both 
    in the mosque, otherwise it is not valid. End quote from al-Mughni 
    (3/45). 

    The view of the Hanbalis is that it is not valid to follow 
    the imam (in this case). See al-Insaaf (2/296) and Kashshaaf 
    al-Qinaa’ (1/491). 

    From this it may be concluded that the scholars differed as 
    to whether following the imam in this case is valid. Hence in order to be on 
    the safe side, these women should pray in another mosque where there is 
    enough room for them, or they should appoint one of their own number to lead 
    them in prayer, even if she reads from the Mus-haf. This is better for them 
    than doing an act of worship concerning which there is a difference of 
    scholarly opinion as to whether it is valid. 

    The Standing Committee issued a fatwa stating that it is not 
    valid to follow the imam in such cases, unless the rows are uninterrupted. 
    They were asked: What is the ruling on one who prays in congregation in his 
    house, listening to the loudspeakers of the mosque, and there is no 
    continuity of rows between the imam and him, as is the situation in Makkah 
    and Madeenah during Hajj season? 

    They replied: 

    The prayer is not valid. That is the view of al-Shaaf’i and 
    was also the view of Imam Ahmad, unless the rows are uninterrupted until 
    they reach his house and he is able to follow the imam by seeing him or 
    hearing his voice, in which case it is valid. But if the condition mentioned 
    is not met, it is not valid, because what is required of the Muslim is to 
    offer the prayer in congregation in the houses of Allaah with his fellow 
    Muslim, because the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) 
    said: “Whoever hears the call and does not come, there is no prayer for him, 
    except for the one who has an excuse.” Narrated by Ibn Maajah, al-Daaraqutni 
    and al-Haakim. Al-Haafiz said: Its isnaad meets the conditions of Muslim. 
    And because the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) 
    said to the blind man who asked him whether he could pray in his house: “Can 
    you hear the call to prayer?” He said: Yes. He said: “Then answer it.” 
    Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh. 

    End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (8/31). 

    And Allaah knows best.