Can a woman lead other women in congregational prayer during Hajj?

The majority of scholars from the Shafi'i, Hanbali, and some Hanafi scholars hold that it is permissible — and even recommended — for a woman to lead other women in congregational prayer. This ruling is supported by authentic reports that both Aisha and Umm Salamah led women in prayer. The Maliki school considers it permissible but not recommended.

Sheikh Ibn Baz confirmed that a woman may lead other women in prayer, and this is particularly beneficial during Hajj when women are in separate tents or areas and cannot easily access the male-led congregation. He stated that the female imam should stand in the middle of the first row, not ahead of the rows, as this is how Aisha and Umm Salamah prayed when leading women.

Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen added that a women-only congregation earns the reward of congregational prayer. He encouraged women during Hajj to organize their own congregational prayers in their tents if they cannot join the main congregation. The female imam should be the most knowledgeable of Quran among the group. He noted that while women's congregational prayer is not obligatory upon them (unlike men), it is a recommended Sunnah that brings additional reward.