We may add another important condition here which was added by some of
the scholars and which is relevant to what the questioner asked about.
This is that for it tobe preferable for a personto pray in his house
on hisown rather than offering the prayer in the Haramain, he should
be one of the people of the Haramain (i.e., a resident of Makkah or
Madinah). The one who comes to the Haram in Makkah to do 'umrah – and,
similarly,the one who comes to Madinah to pray in the Prophet's Mosque
– is not subject to the ruling that praying Taraweeh in his house is
preferable.
Muhammad al-Dasooqi al-Maaliki (may Allah havemercy on him) said:
The recommendation to do it (pray Taraweeh) in one's house is subject
to three conditions: that the mosques should not be left empty, that
he has the motivation to do it and he should not be one of those who
are coming from afar to visit the Haramain. If one of these conditions
is absent, then doing it in the mosque is preferable.
End quote from Haashiyatal-Dasooqi, 1/315
Looking at the state of people nowadays – including many of the good
and righteous youthwho are devoted to worship – we find that praying
Taraweeh in congregation in the mosque is better for them, because
praying in the mosque is very encouraging for them, as it is done at
the beginningof the night, and because of the beauty of the imam's
voice – for those who seek to pray with an imam like this – and
because of the large numbers of people who pray. And also because
there are many distractions in the home that lead people to become
lazy in offering the prayer. Hence we think that calling on ordinary
people nowadays to pray Taraweeh at home is an invitation to abandon
thisprayer! Where are those who have memorized anything of the Qur'aan
among those people? What else will these people be doing if they are
not praying in the mosque at the beginning of the night? Where is
themotive that will make them get up at the end of the night to pray
qiyaam?
If we assume that the correct view concerning this matter according to
some people is the secondopinion, then let this apply only to the
elite, not the common folk; perhaps this is what was meant by those
among the salaf who favoured this opinion. Hence 'Umar ibn al-Khattab
(may Allah be pleased with him) gathered the people together in the
mosque topray Taraweeh, and he prayed on his own in his house.
How beautiful are the words of Imam Malik, who summed up what weare
trying to say. When Ibn al-Qaasim asked him about whether it is better
for a man to pray qiyaam in Ramadan with the people or on his own in
his house? He replied: If he is able to do it in his house, then I
prefer that, but not all the people are able for that.
End quote from al-Mudawwanah al-Kubra,1/287
Secondly:
With regard to women praying Taraweeh in theirhouses, this has already
been dealt with in the answer to question no. 3457 , where we said
thatit is better for women to pray qiyaam in their houses, because the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Do not
preventyour women from going to the mosques, although their houses are
better forthem." Narrated by Abu Dawood. The fact that praying at home
is preferred does not mean that they should not be permitted to go to
the mosques, but that is subject to certain conditions, which are
mentioned in the question referred to.
In the same answer we quoted a fatwa of Shaykh Ibn Baaz which states
thatTaraweeh at home is better for a woman than in the mosque.
In the answer to question no. 12451 , we quoted Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen
(may Allah have mercy onhim) as saying:
The Sunnah indicates that it is better for a woman topray in her house
wherever she is, whether she is in Makkah or elsewhere. End quote.
And Allah knows best.
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