Why is it better for women to pray at home?

[raisa]

Assalaam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah hi wa Barakatahu!

I have been always told that it is better for women to pray at home. I never thought of the reason for it, untill today. I also heard that a woman gets more blessing if she prays at home. I've read somewhere that it is better to pray at home, becoz it is to prevent women to beautify themselves when going to the mosque. This must be a good reason, but it's not that sufficient enough for me. I'm sure that isn't the only reason and there must be more underlieing reasons. I hope you can tell me those. Thank you so much in advance.

Allah hafiz!

[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


Praise be to Allah who is the Master of all the Worlds, amd may Endless Blessings be showered upon His Beloved Final Messenger (Salla Allahu ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam).


Jazak'Allah for your question dear sister. And apologies in the delay in answering your valued question.


It is true that some women may feel that they should be allowed to go to a Mosque once in a while, or on special days like Fridays, Eid days, days commemorating the meeting with Allah the Almighty of our pious ones (Urs) and milad days.


There are some Sunni Mosques that have arrangements for women, either behind a curtain, upstairs where men are not allowed, or even in the gallery. This act is a commendable act (mustahsin). Allah the Almighty says, in Surah al Baqarah, verse number 114:


'wa man azlamu mim mam man'a masajid Allahi ayudhkara fi hasmu hu'

'and who is more unjust than him who prevents the name of Allah, to be mentioned in His mosques'.


This verse of the Qur'an al kareem which although talks about those people who are unjust towards Mosques, nevertheless, it also refers to the justness of those people who aren't.


Such people would be those people who attend mosques regularly, give the call for prayer, keep the Mosque tidy, keep its beauty in tact, paint it, decorate it, and so forth. Such people can only be the believers (momineen), who follow the true path of Islam, and do everything for the pleasure of Allah the Almighty. It cannot in any way be those people who:


1) Prevent people from attending the mosques.

2) Invite non-believers into the Mosque, and to let them speak.

3) Create arguements in Mosques, and conflicts.

4) Those who attend solely for the purpose of gaining attention, fame, popularity, and power.


If we take the first from the list, this may also include women.


In the days of the Most Beloved Messenger of Allah (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam), women also used to attend Mosques, but were later rebuked, because the number of Companions of the Messenger of Allah (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam), had increased from a small number, into a great one.


These days, in my view, I think there is the need for women to attend Mosques, in a seperate room or gallery, that is away from the men. Here they can also practice the rituals for Jama'ah, and be educated by the Imam, or scholar, who would know how to speak in both English, and the 'mother tongue'.


They should be able to participate in gatherings of Ghiyarawin Shareef, Milad Shareef, Urs, Teejas, Chattis, and all the other functions in which there is the dhikr of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala).


This would educate women and children as well as men. It would also make them practice their religion, and know what happens. It would definitely keep them away from going out to the town, cinema, shops and bazaars, where the shaytaan is more likely to attack. But I agree with your objection about not being able to attend, simply because you look good. There is nothing wrong with looking good. Some people just look good and feel good after they perform wudhu', perform ibadah, and sometimes they become everyones attention. That is normal. Sometimes when a man comes into Mosque who I may not have seen before, who has a turban, fair complexion, walking stick, jubbah, tall, broad, etc. Then it is normal for the regular people of that Mosque to think 'I wonder where he's from? Or what he does? Or where he's going? This is also the case for women, and is also normal.


The disagreement, prevention, prohibition, and negation lies where you come to Mosque solely for the purpose of mischief. To gain the attention of men, or men of women. To be an attraction in front of everyone, so that you can be seen or heard, then this is not permissable.


The Mosque is a house of Allah the Almighty, and should be a place where he should be feared more, than any other place, just as you would go to the Haram, or the Messenger of Allah's Mosque (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam), or Bayt-al-Maqdis.


This place is not to create mischief, attention, attraction, prejudice, or fame and power. But what should be shown is humbleness, greatfulness, excellence, dhikr, manners, etiquette etc.


One thing I forgot to mention to you was, If you did look good, and happened to have make-up on, then should this not have been washed off, while you had performed wudhu', as you are a guest of Allah the Almighty when you come from the house to the Mosque, in the form of wudhu'?


I hope that I have not offended you, and that you undertstand my view in this matter, as Allah the Almighty is the only judge.


Only Allah knows best .....


M. Waseem Ashrafi