As a woman, do I “have” to go to Jumu’ah prayers? Or is it better for me to pray at home?

by Asma bint Shameem

ANSWER

It’s not obligatory for women to attend the Friday. Prayers.

📌 Proof:

🍃 The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Jumu’ah is a duty that is required of every Muslim in congregation, except four:

a slave, a woman, a child or one who is sick.”

(Abu Dawood 91067; saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’ 3111).

But women are allowed to go to the masjid on Fridays, listen to the Khutbah and offer Jumu’ah prayers behind the Imaam.

🍃 The Prophet ﷺ said:

"Do not prevent your women from going to the masjid, even though their houses are better for them."

(Abu Dawood; saheeh by al-Albaani)

So, generally speaking, as per the above hadeeth, it is better for women to pray in their homes. 

🍃 When one of the Sahaabiyaat called Umm Humayd, radhi Allaahu anhaa came to the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam, she said: 

“O Messenger of Allaah, I love to pray with you. 

He said: "I know that you love to pray with me, but praying in your house is better for you than praying in your courtyard, and praying in your courtyard is better for you than praying in the masjid of your people, and praying in the masjid of your people is better for you than praying in my masjid." 

So she ordered that a Musalla (prayer area) be built for her in the furthest and darkest part of her house, and she always prayed there until she met Allaah (that is, until she passed away).”

(Ahmad - saheeh al-Albaani)

BUT, IF there’s BENEFIT in going to the masjid to pray, such as she has more khushoo’ in the masjid, or listening to the Imaam softens her heart, or she can gain knowledge from it, or she wants to take her children there to teach them, and instill the love of the masjid and Jumu’ah in their hearts, etc then it’s BETTER for women to pray at the masjid in Jama’ah. 

🔺Conditions

There are certain conditions to pay attention to when going to the masjid

For example:

The woman MUST be dressed appropriately.

-with the hair and rest of body completely covered, 

- the clothes should not be tight or revealing the shape of the body 

-the hijaab and clothes should not be see through, 

- there should be no makeup or perfume or jingling jewelry.

- there should be no mixing of the genders at the masjid etc 

🍃 Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen said: 

“ Her prayer in her home is better.

However, if her praying in the Masjid helps her to be more active and it is more encouraging for her, and she fears that if she prays within her home then she may miss out (on some of the reward or Khushoo’) of her prayer, then perhaps praying in the Masjid in this case would be better. This is because this virtue is connected to the act of worship itself, while the home is connected to the place of the act of worship.

The virtue which is connected to the act of worship takes precedence in being given attention more so than that which is connected to the place (i.e., where it is done). 

However, it is obligatory upon the woman when she goes out that she does so covered and not improperly dressed nor (should she be) perfumed.

Based upon this, the women who bring incense to the side wherein the women pray, then in this case she is closer to sin than she is to reward. This is because the women become scented by way of this incense and then the woman leaves (the Masjid) perfumed. 

The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said: 

“Whichever woman has encountered incense then she is not to pray ‘Ishaa with us.”

Na’am, if the woman were to bring incense and when she reached the Masjid she puts the incense such that neither she nor whoever is in the place takes it (i.e., is affected by it) and onlythe place is scented, then there is no harm in this; however, leaving this is better, so that she will not be followed (in doing this) by one who does not do this action (which she has done).”

(Silsilah Al-Liqaa’ Ash-Shahree no. 8)

And Allaah knows best