Women may attend the mosque — but only when they can preserve modesty and protect themselves from the gaze of non-mahram; classical hadiths and jurists explain the limits and virtues on both sides.
If a woman can cover herself from non-mahram or restrain her gaze from strangers, her presence in the mosque is not forbidden. As in the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Imams, women attended congregational prayer in mosques while maintaining Islamic dress and modesty.
Some narrations, using words such as “man” (rajul) at first glance address men, but they do not rule out women’s attendance at mosque for congregational prayer — nor do they deny the possible merit of that attendance. Based on traditions, historical evidence, and the opinions of respected jurists, if a woman can adequately protect herself from non-mahram, her attendance at mosque for congregational prayer is not impeded; she may share in the rewards of mosque and congregation.
Narrations that recommend prayer at home for women are tied to particular circumstances and should not be generalized to all cases.
In a hadith attributed to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): “A man’s prayer in congregation is better than his prayer alone at home by forty years.” Similar reports — varying the amount of reward — are found in Sunni hadith collections as well.
Although this genre of hadiths primarily establishes the virtue and encouragement for men to attend congregational prayer in the mosque, they do not by themselves negate a woman’s attendance at mosque or make it less virtuous in every circumstance. To clarify these narrations and related traditions, we present a short study on women’s presence in the mosque for prayer, supplication and other spiritual activities.
Based on survey of the hadith literature, the narrations concerning women’s attendance at the mosque may be grouped into three categories:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“The best mosque for women is their homes...”
“The best mosque for women is a corner of their house.”
“A woman’s solitary prayer at home is like praying in congregation, with twenty-five degrees of merit.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said to Ali (peace be upon him): “O Ali! For women, Friday prayer, congregational prayer, adhan and iqamah are not obligatory.”
A narration from Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) also states:
“The best mosques for your women are their houses.”
Women’s attendance at mosque is permissible — and in some views even preferable.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“If women ask permission to attend, do not forbid them their share of the mosques.”
“Do not prevent your women from the mosques; though their homes are better for them.”
“Permit women to go to the mosques at night.”
A report from Aisha states:
“Believing women used to perform the dawn prayer with the Prophet while wearing garments that covered their whole bodies and they could not be recognized in the darkness.”
Ibn Abbas reports that the Prophet used to bring his daughters and women out for the ‘Eid congregational prayers.
Another narration from Ibn Abbas mentions:
“A beautiful woman prayed behind the Prophet...”
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) is reported to have said that women prayed with the Prophet.
Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq recounts that the Prophet once shortened the prayer on hearing the cry of a child whose mother had brought him to the mosque, so as not to distress the mother — illustrating tolerance for women attending with children.
Numerous hadiths make clear that mosques belong to the whole community — men and women alike — and terms such as “the righteous” or “people of the mosque” are not gender-specific. Examples include statements that equate having a house that is like a mosque with divine mercy, and that every step toward the mosque carries spiritual reward and forgiveness.
Given these general texts, prominent Shia jurists differ in their legal assessments of women’s mosque attendance; a brief overview follows.
Some Shia jurists regard a woman’s prayer at home as preferable:
View of Allama Hilli
He held that going to the mosque is designed for men, not women, because women are commanded to cover and conceal themselves.
View of Shahid Thani
Shahid Thani interprets the phrase “the mosque of a woman is her house” to mean that praying at home is superior for women, or that the virtue of home prayer for women equals that of mosque prayer, making external attendance unnecessary.
View of Mohaghegh Ardabili
He taught that the merit of going to the mosque is firmly established for men but not for women, which reflects the common juristic position.
View of Muhammad-Taqi Majlisi
He held that a woman’s prayer at home is closer to chastity and modesty.
View of Sayyid Muhammad Kazim Yazdi
He asserted that a woman’s prayer at home is better than her prayer in the mosque.
Other jurists consider not only permissible but commendable for women to attend the mosque and participate in congregational prayer — provided they observe hijab and Islamic decorum. Their reasoning relies on the broad and general nature of hadiths encouraging attendance and the availability of mosques to all believers regardless of gender. Their rulings are summarized below.
These jurists argue that prayer at home may be preferable in certain practical respects, but if a woman can fully protect herself from non-mahram and preserve proper conduct, it is better for her to pray in the mosque. Moreover, if there is no other means to learn religious rulings and knowledge except by attending the mosque, then it becomes obligatory for her to attend.
Tip |
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If a woman can cover herself from non-mahram or lower her eyes, attending the mosque is not forbidden. |
Some hadiths praise prayer at home for women, but they do not categorically prohibit mosque attendance. |
Women should preserve Islamic dress and modesty when attending the mosque. |
If a woman cannot learn essential religious matters except by going to the mosque, attendance may become obligatory. |
Juristic opinions differ: consult the applicable school/tradition for precise rulings in your context. |
