Woman’s Prayer at Home: Virtues & Rewards New

The Virtues of Women’s Prayer at Home

The prayer of a woman is more virtuous in her home than in the mosque.

There are many differences between men and women in Islam, and this is because Allah has created both with significant distinctions. A woman is considered to be a complete embodiment of modesty, and she has been commanded to stay at home, as Allah says:

وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَىٰ (الاحزاب :33)
Translation: “And stay in your homes and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance.”

This is why Allah has made men responsible for women’s support and has commanded them to go out and earn their livelihood.

فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (الجمعۃ:10)
Translation: “And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah and remember Allah often that you may succeed.”

One important issue concerning the prayer of women and men is that, generally, women pray alone at home, while men typically perform their prayers in congregation at the mosque. Offering prayer in congregation at the mosque is twenty-seven times more virtuous than praying alone. The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

صلاةُ الجماعةِ تَفضُلُ صلاةَ الفَذِّ بسبعٍ وعشرين دَرَجَةً .(صحيح البخاري:645)
Translation: “The prayer in congregation is more virtuous than the prayer of an individual by twenty-seven degrees.”

Similarly, the reward for praying in the Haram Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque is very great. The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

صلاةٌ في مسجِدي أفضلُ من ألفِ صلاةٍ فيما سواهُ إلَّا المسجدَ الحرامَ وصلاةٌ في المسجدِ الحرامِ أفضلُ من مائةِ ألفِ صلاةٍ فيما سواهُ(صحيح ابن ماجه:1163)
Translation: “A prayer in my mosque is better than a thousand prayers in any other mosque, except the Haram mosque, and a prayer in the Haram mosque is better than one hundred thousand prayers in any other mosque.”

In light of these hadiths, women appear to be deprived of the immense rewards for praying in congregation at the mosque. However, the truth is that women are not deprived of virtue and rewards in any way. Islam has granted women immense favor, and there are numerous opportunities for them to earn rewards. These opportunities and means may sometimes differ in nature compared to men.

Just as Allah has commanded women to stay in their homes for their honor and dignity, the Prophet (ﷺ) also granted them a higher status and, considering their respect and dignity, declared that praying in their homes is better for them. Ibn Umar (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

لا تمنعوا نساءَكمُ المساجدَ وبيوتُهنَّ خيرٌ لَهنَّ(صحيح أبي داود:567)
Translation: “Do not prevent your women from going to the mosques, but their homes are better for them.”

This means that the reward of a woman praying in her home is the same as the reward a man earns by praying in congregation at the mosque. A woman is neither required to go to the mosque nor is it obligatory for her to pray in congregation. However, it is established that women can, just as they did during the time of the Prophet (ﷺ), pray in the mosque for the five daily prayers and the Friday prayer. This is supported by the mentioned hadith and countless other proofs.

During the time of the Prophet (ﷺ), the female companions also participated in the Friday prayer, as evidenced by the following narration:

عن أم هشام بنت حارثة بن النعمان: وما أخذت (ق والقرآن المجيد) إلا عن لسان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقرؤها كل يوم جمعة على المنبر إذا خطب الناس.(صحیح مسلم : 873)
Translation: “Saidah Umm Hashim bint Harithah bin Al-Nu’man (رضي الله عنها) narrated that I learned Surah Q from the tongue of the Prophet (ﷺ), and he used to recite it every Friday on the pulpit while addressing the people.”

This hadith serves as evidence that the companion Umm Hashim (رضي الله عنها) participated in the Friday prayer, and she memorized the Surah Q because she was present during the Friday sermon.

Those who claim that women are not allowed to pray in the mosque in today’s time are clearly opposing the clear teachings of the Prophet (ﷺ) as stated in the authentic hadiths.

A woman should perform her five daily prayers on time, sincerely, following the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ), with humility, focus, and attentiveness. She should pray with balance and tranquility and begin to think about the next prayer as soon as the current one is completed. It is better for her to choose a private room in her home for prayer, as this will earn her more reward. The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

صلاةُ المرأةِ في بيتِها أفضلُ من صلاتِها في حجرتِها وصلاتُها في مَخدعِها أفضلُ من صلاتِها في بيتِها(صحيح أبي داود:570)
Translation: “The prayer of a woman in her house is better than her prayer in the courtyard, and her prayer in a room is better than in her house, and her prayer in a private chamber is better than in a room.”

In an even clearer narration, it is mentioned that a woman expresses her desire to pray with the Prophet (ﷺ) in the Masjid al-Nabawi, and he teaches her that praying at home is more virtuous and declares it to be better. What could be a more virtuous act than praying with the Prophet (ﷺ) in the Masjid al-Nabawi? But look at the narration and understand the superiority of a woman’s prayer in her home and observe the exemplary way the female companions performed their prayers. SubhanAllah.

Imam Ahmad mentioned this in his Musnad, Ibn Hibban and Ibn Khuzaymah in their Sahih collections, and Haythami in Majma’ al-Zawa’id.

عن أم حميد امرأة أبي حميد الساعدي رضي الله عنهما :أنها جاءت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقالت : يا رسول الله إني أحب الصلاة معك قال : قد علمت أنك تحبين الصلاة معي ، وصلاتك في بيتك خير لك من صلاتك في حجرتك ، وصلاتك في حجرتك خير من صلاتك في دارك ، وصلاتك في دارك خير لك من صلاتك في مسجد قومك ، وصلاتك في مسجد قومك خير لك من صلاتك في مسجدي ، قال : فأمرت فبني لها مسجد في أقصى شيء من بيتها وأظلمه فكانت تصلي فيه حتى لقيت الله عز وجل۔
Translation: Umm Hamid, the wife of Abu Hamid al-Sa’idi (رضي الله عنهما), narrated that she came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I love to pray with you.” He replied, “I know that you like to pray with me, but your prayer in your house is better for you than your prayer in your room, and your prayer in your room is better than your prayer in your house, and your prayer in your house is better than your prayer in the mosque of your people, and your prayer in the mosque of your people is better than your prayer in my mosque.” He then ordered that a mosque be built for her at the farthest and darkest part of her house, and she continued to pray in it until she met Allah (Glory be to Him).

This hadith has been graded as حسن لغیرہ (hasan li-ghayrih) by Shaykh Al-Albani (رحمه الله) in Sahih al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib (1/340).

In summary, it has been established that a woman’s prayer in her own home is more virtuous, and in this, she finds greater good, protection of her chastity, dignity, and safety from trials and corruption. At the same time, it is important to note that if a woman prays in the mosque and specifically in the Masjid al-Nabawi or the Masjid al-Haram, she will earn the additional reward associated with praying there, inshaAllah.