Ruling on a woman performing the adhaan

For fourteen hundred
years the custom among the Muslims has been that the adhaan has not been
performed by anyone except men. This alone should be sufficient evidence
that women are not allowed to perform the adhaan for men. Going against this
is going against the way of the believers. Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning): 

“And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger
(Muhammad) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows
other than the believers’ way, We shall keep him in the path he has chosen,
and burn him in Hell — what an evil destination!”

[al-Nisa’ 4:115] 

The matter would be too clear to need any evidence or
argument, were it not for the fact that there are people whose eyes have
been sealed by Allaah and who are arguing about matters that should be
regarded as firmly-established aspects of this religion. 

The evidence for that from the Sunnah is as follows: 

1 – al-Bukhaari (604) and Muslim (377) narrated that Ibn
‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: When the Muslims came to
Madeenah, they used to gather and wait for the prayer, and there was no call
for the prayer. One day they spoke about that and some of them said, “Let us
use a bell like the bell of the Christians.” Others said, “No, let us use a
horn like the horn of the Jews.” ‘Umar said, “Why don’t you send a man to
give the call to prayer?” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said, “O Bilaal, get up and call the people to
prayer.” 

This hadeeth indicates that the decision of the Sahaabah was
that no one should give the call to prayer except men, and there is no room
for women to do that, because ‘Umar said, “Why don’t you send a man to give
the call to prayer?” 

2 – al-Bukhaari (684) and Muslim (421) narrated from Sahl ibn
Sa’d al-Saa’idi (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever
notices anything amiss during the prayer, let him say tasbeeh, for if he
does so it will be noticed; and clapping is only for women.” 

al-Haafiz said: 

It is as if women are not allowed to say tasbeeh because they
are enjoined to keep their voices low in prayer at all times, because of the
fear of fitnah. End quote. 

If women are forbidden to alert the imam by speaking if he
makes a mistake, and should clap instead, so that they will not raise their
voices in the presence of men, then how can it be allowed for a woman to
give the adhaan? 

The scholars are agreed that it is not prescribed for women
to give the adhaan for men. There follow some of their comments on this
topic: 

It says in Badaa’i’ al-Sanaa’i’ (1/411) (Hanafi): 

It is not allowed for a
woman to give the adhaan, according to all the reports. 

It says in Mawaahib al-Jaleel (2/87) (Maaliki): 

The adhaan of a woman is
not valid. End quote. 

Al-Shaafa’i said in al-Umm (1/84): 

A woman should not give the call to
prayer, and if she gives the adhaan for men, her adhaan is not valid (and
they should repeat it). End quote. 

It says in al-Insaaf (1/395) (Hanbali): 

The adhaan of a woman is not valid. End quote.