Is it permissible for women to go to mosque? Is it necessary for them to see the imam or the congregation when they perform the prayer?

May a woman perform five daily prayers in the mosque?

Dear Brother / Sister,

It is permissible for women to go to mosque and perform prayers there. Besides, it is not necessary for them to see the imam or the congregation when they perform the prayer. They perform prayers in the place that is allocated to them. 

Women can perform five daily prayers in the mosque. During the time of Hz. Prophet, women used to go to the mosque and perform prayers in congregation like men did. According to what is reported from Umm Atiyya, the Prophet (pbuh) would take the women who were young, wearing hijab and menstruating to the place where eid prayer was performed. However, the menstruating women would not perform the prayer but would do other charities and take part in the receptions of the Muslims. [see Bukhari, Hayd, 23 (24); Iydayn, 20; Ahmad b. Hanbal, 5/4]

The Prophet (pbuh) stated the following:

"'Do not stop Allah's women-slaves from going to Allah's Mosques." (Muslim, Salat, 140)

However, according to Shafii madhhab, the prayer a woman performs at home in congregation is superior to the prayer she performs in the mosque in congregation. (al-Fatawa al-Kubra, I/158)

According to Hanafi madhhab, it is not appropriate for women except old women to go to mosque. (Majmau'l-Anhur, 1/109).

The reason why it is more virtuous for women to perform prayers at home rather than in the mosque is due to being away from mischief at home. However, a woman can perform prayers in the place allocated to women in the mosque as long as she is dressed in accordance with tasattur (hijab).

The Prophet (pbuh) stated the following in a narration: 

"It is more virtuous for a woman to perform prayers at home than outside; it is more virtuous for her to perform prayers in her inner chamber than in other parts of her house." (Naylu'l-Awtar, III/132)

(Abu Dawud reported this hadith from Ibn Masud. Ahmad and Tabarani reported a similar hadith from Umm Humayd as- Saidiyya.)

(An inner chamber is a small room entered through a bigger room that does not usually have a separate door where valuable goods of the house like jewels are kept.)

That is, the prayers women perform at home are more virtuous.

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