Emphasis and virtue of a woman praying in her room at home

✅Answer: Please pay attention to the following narrations:

1 عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّه قَالَ: صَلَاةُ الْمَرْأَةِ فِي مِخْدَعِهَا أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صَلَاتِهَا فِي بَيْتِهَا وَ صَلَاتُهَا فِي بَيْتِهَا أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صَلَاتِهَا فِي الدَّارِ.

📚 Al-Faqih, vol. 1, p. 397

Imam Sadiq, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: 'A woman's prayer in the small room or storage space within a room is better than her praying in the room, and her praying in the room is better than her praying in the courtyard of the house!'

✅ 'Makhda' is a term for a small room built inside a larger room, also called a 'postu' or 'sanduq khaneh' (storage room)!

2 قَالَ الصَّادِقُ خَيْرُ مَسَاجِدِ نِسَائِكُمُ الْبُيُوتُ.

📚 Al-Faqih, vol. 1, p. 238

Imam Sadiq, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: 'The best mosques (i.e., places of prayer) for your women are the rooms of their houses!'

3 عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ ظَبْيَانَ قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ خَيْرُ مَسَاجِدِ نِسَائِكُمُ الْبُيُوتُ.

📚 Al-Tahdheeb, vol. 3, p. 252

Imam Sadiq, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: 'The best mosques for your women are the rooms!'

4 عَنْ أَبِي هَمَّامٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ قَالَ: إِذَا صَلَّتِ الْمَرْأَةُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ مَعَ الْإِمَامِ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ- الْجُمُعَةَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ فَقَدْ نَقَصَتْ صَلَاتَهَا وَ إِنْ صَلَّتْ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ أَرْبَعاً نَقَصَتْ صَلَاتَهَا لِتُصَلِّ فِي بَيْتِهَا أَرْبَعاً أَفْضَلُ.

📚 Al-Tahdheeb, vol. 3, p. 241

Imam Kazim, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

'If a woman prays her two rak'ahs with the Friday prayer leader, she has made her prayer deficient!'

'And if she prays four rak'ahs (individually) in the mosque, she has made her prayer deficient!'

'She should pray in the room of her house, for that is more excellent and better!'

5 عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ شُرَيْحٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ خُرُوجِ النِّسَاءِ فِي الْعِيدَيْنِ فَقَالَ لَا إِلَّا الْعَجُوزُ عَلَيْهَا مَنْقَلَاهَا يَعْنِي الْخُفَّيْنِ.

📚 Ma'ani al-Akhbar, p. 155

Muhammad ibn Shurayh said: 'I asked Imam Sadiq, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, about women going out for the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha prayers.' The Imam said: 'No!'

'Unless it is an old woman with worn-out shoes!'

6 عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ مُوسَى عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّه قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ هَلْ يَؤُمُّ الرَّجُلُ بِأَهْلِهِ فِي صَلَاةِ الْعِيدَيْنِ فِي السَّطْحِ أَوْ فِي بَيْتٍ قَالَ لَا يَؤُمَّ بِهِنَّ وَ لَا يَخْرُجْنَ وَ لَيْسَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ خُرُوجٌ وَ قَالَ أَقِلُّوا لَهُنَّ مِنَ الْهَيْئَةِ حَتَّى لَا يَسْأَلْنَ الْخُرُوجَ.

📚 Al-Tahdheeb, vol. 3, p. 289

Ammar said: 'I said to Imam Sadiq, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: 'Should a man lead his wife in prayer on the roof or in a room for the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha prayers?'

He said: 'He should not lead them, and they should not go out either, and going out (for the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha prayers) is not for them!'

And he said: 'Reduce their appearance and clothing and adornment so that they do not ask to go out!'

✅ Although there is an allowance for women to go out to pray in mosques, the narrations above show how much emphasis is placed on the virtue of them staying at home and even praying in a small room within the house. Staying at home is also recommended and emphasized for the Friday, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha prayers. In general, a woman's prayer at home is better than her prayer in the mosque, and the most excellent place for her to pray is in her house, and even in a small storage room within the house.