The Reward for Prayer

The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:

"The prayer offered in congregation is twenty five times more superior (in reward) to the prayer offered alone in one's house or in a business center, because if one performs ablution and does it perfectly, and then proceeds to the mosque with the sole intention of praying, then for each step which he takes towards the mosque, Allah upgrades him a degree in reward and (forgives) crosses out one sin till he enters the mosque. When he enters the mosque he is considered in prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer and the angels keep on asking for Allah's forgiveness for him and they keep on saying: 'O Allah! Be Merciful to him, O Allah! Forgive him, as long as he keeps on sitting at his praying place and does not pass wind.
{Bukhari}

It is agreed upon that the above hadith only applies to men, because praying in jamaa’ah is obligatory for them.


As for women, it is stated a woman's prayer in her house, even if it is offered alone, is better and brings a greater reward than her prayer in the mosque, even if it is offered in congregation.


A woman's prayer offered at home is better, because of the marfoo’ hadeeth of Umm Salamah: “The best places of prayer for women are the innermost parts of their houses.” Narrated by Ahmad in al-Musnad, 6/297; classed as hasan by the editors of al-Musnad.

It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

"A woman’s prayer in her house is better than her prayer in her courtyard, and her prayer in her bedroom is better than her prayer in her house." Narrated by Abu Dawood (570) and al-Tirmidhi (1173); classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb (1/136).

“In her house” refers to the room in which the woman is.

“in her courtyard” refers to the central part of the house to which all the doors open. It is like what people nowadays call the hallway.

“her bedroom” refers to a smaller room inside a larger room, where she keeps her precious belongings.

With regard to the virtue of praying in congregation in the mosque, this is only for men, because they are the ones who are commanded to go out to it, except for the Eid prayer, the reward of which is multiplied for women too, because they are commanded to go out to it. Hence Ibn Daqeeq al-‘Eid said:

"As women are encouraged to go out to the mosque, they should be equal with men (in reward) because the fact that men are mentioned with regard to the reward for actions is does not mean that the reward is limited to them in sharee’ah."

Thus,it is better for a womam to pray in her house for she will attain a reward greater than that for praying in the mosque, praise be to Allah. Except in the case for Eid prayer where it is better for her to pray at the Masjid.


Al-Bukhaari (324) and Muslim (890) narrated that Umm ‘Atiyyah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to bring them (women) out on (Eid) al-Fitr and (Eid) al-Adha, and to bring out adolescent girls, menstruating women and virgins, but the menstruating women were to stay away from the prayer, but were to witness goodness and the gathering of the Muslims. I said: “O Messenger of Allaah, what if one of us does not have a jilbaab?” He said: “Let her sister lend her a jilbab.”

Al-Haafiz said:

This shows that it is mustahabb for women to come out and attend the Eid prayers, whether they are young or not.

But they must go out looking decent, not wearing adornment, makeup or perfume, so that they may combine following the Sunnah with avoiding fitnah.



SOURCE:
Islamqa, Fatwa no. 12093, 122393, 90071, 49011