Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

salam, my question is that is it true that women can not pray jummah` at home? if they want to pray jummah they have to go to mosque to do so. I pray jummah` every friday and someone told me that i can not pray jummah` at home i have to come to masjid to pary jummah` is there any hadith that says that i have to go to masjid to pray jummah. i thought that muhammad (pbuh) said it is better for women if they pary at home. so jummah` comes in that right? please answer my question as soon as possible.
thank you very much for taking time and answering my question? 

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Answer:

Pray Jumuah at home women

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The term ‘Jumuah’ is derived from the Arabic root word ‘Jama’ which means a gathering; thus ‘Yaum-ul-Jumuah’ or Friday means the ‘day of gathering’, and the ‘Jumuah’ prayer signifies and implies that the believers gather in a place with the sole intention to worship their Lord together.

It is absolutely obligatory that the ‘Jumuah’ or mid-day Friday prayer is prayed by a gathering of the believers at an appointed place, listen to the sermon of the speaker, and then offer a two-rakah prayer in congregation altogether. If for any reason one is late or misses the two-rakah congregational prayer of ‘Jumuah’, he cannot re-pray the two-rakah Jumuah prayer by himself, but must pray a normal four-rakah Dhuhr prayer.

Your Question: my question is that is it true that women can not pray jummah` at home?

No individual, whether a man or a woman, can offer the ‘Jumuah’ or the two-rakah Friday congregational prayer individually at one’s home. If one intends to offer the prescribed ‘Jumuah’ prayer, one must gather with the believers at the appointed place of worship, listen to the sermon and then offer the two-rakah prayer in congregation with the believers all together.

If one for any reason in unable to attend the prescribed ‘Jumuah’ gathering and prayer, one must offer a normal four-rakah Dhuhr prayer.

Your Question: i thought that muhammad (pbuh) said it is better for women if they pary at home. so jummah` comes in that right?

Umm Humaid as-Sa'diyah came to the Messenger of Allah(saws) and said: "O Messenger of Allah (saws), I love to pray with you." The Prophet (saws) said: "I am aware of that, but your salah in your residence is better for you than your salah in your people's mosque. And your salah in your people's mosque is better than your salah in the [larger] congregational Mosque."

Related by Ahmad and at-Tabarani

Ibn 'Umar reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "Do not prevent the women from going to the mosques, although their houses are better for them."

Related by Ahmad and Abu Dawud.

It is indeed true and accurate that the Messenger of Allah (saws) guided the believing women that although it is permissible for them to offer their prayers in congregation with the believers in the mosques, it is better for them to offer their prayers at home, declaring that their prayers at home are more meritorious and earn more reward in the Sight of Allah than their prayers in the mosques.

The ‘Jumuah’ or mid-day Friday sermon and congregation prayers cannot be offered individually but can only be offered in a congregational gathering. Unlike the male believers for whom attending the ‘Jumuah’ congregation is obligatory, the Lord Most Gracious, in His Mercy and Grace towards the believing woman has made ‘Jumuah’ voluntary or supererogatory for them.. Although the four-rakah normal Dhuhr prayer a believing woman offers at her home on Friday is better for her and more meritorious in the Sight of Allah, if for any reason the believing woman wishes to listen to the sermon and offer the prescribed ‘Jumuah’ prayer, she must attend the ‘Jumuah’ gathering and offer her prayers in congregation with the believers.

But under no circumstances can an individual, whether a man or a woman, offer the ‘Jumuah’ prayer individually.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan