Ibaadah during Ramadhaan; women attending masjid for Taraaweh/`Itikaaf

Question: What ‘ebaadaat are encouraged during this month besides praying Taraaweeh? Also, for the sisters is it okay if they don’t go as much to the masjid or are they encouraged to go to the masaajid? And furthermore i’tikaaf for the sisters – are they required to do this in the masjid and for how long and what are their requirements?

Answer: The first masalah (issue) that she’s asking about is what ‘ebaadaat is encouraged in this month besides Taraaweeh. All ‘ebaadaat are encouraged. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has gathered about six ‘ebaadaat that are done especially in Ramadaan. They are:
i) Qiyaamul-Layl i.e. Taraaweeh.
ii) Supplication as in the hadith of ‘Aishah رضي الله عنها when she asked him صلى الله عليه وسلم “what should I say (if I see Laylaatul-Qadr) ?” and he صلى الله عليه وسلم told her to say:


Also Allaah تعالى encouraged us to make a lot of du’aa.
iii) Recitation of Qur’aan.
iv) Feeding the needy and poor and even feeding or giving breakfast to those who are fasting. All of these are ‘ebaadaat.
v) Also, having good relations with your family, your parents and your neighbours, and forgiving the Muslims for whatever harm they may have inflicted upon you. All these are ‘ebaadaat.

And all ‘ebaadah is rewarded more in Ramadaan than outside of Ramadaan. But Qiyaamul-Layl has a special case in Ramadaan. We have to give more in Ramadaan and that’s why although the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم encouraged us to do Qiyaamul-Layl all throughout the year, in Ramadaan he صلى الله عليه وسلم said:








All this shows us that it is very important to do the night prayer in Ramadaan – Why? It is because the Qur’aan was descended in (one of those) nights to the first level of the Heavens.







حم {1} وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ {2} إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ

{Haa.-Meem. By the manifest Book (this Qur’aan) that makes things clear. We sent it (this Qur’aan) down on a blessed night [(i.e. night of Al-Qadr, Surah No. 97) in the month of Ramadaan - the 9th month of the Islaamic calendar].} [ad-Dukhaan 44:1-3]




It was descended at night and so it’s better to do as much night prayer as you can, and much Qur’aan recitation and du’aa. That’s the first part of the question.

The second part is whether it is better for the sister to pray in the masjid in Taraaweeh or to pray at home. It depends, if you are at your home or house and masha’Allaah you are someone who can concentrate on the Qur’aan without any disturbances, then its better (to pray) in the house. If you say, “Oh, in the house I cannot concentrate, my children make noise and there are lots of things going on and I cannot concentrate” then go to the masjid but with the permission of your husband and if you have no husband then with the permission of the wali, whether it is your father, brother or whoever your wali is. The third thing is when you go to the masjid it must be safe for you to go. You should not go at night if it is unsafe for you to go – you must be safe and you must be in complete hijaab, you must avoid perfume and you should go in tranquillity to the masjid if that is possible. If it is not possible then it is better to stay at home, in all cases the house is better for the woman as in the hadith of Prophet.[5]

The last issue mentioned in the question pertains to i’tikaaf. I’tikaaf is only to be done in the masjid. There is no i’tikaaf in the house, neither for the man nor the woman. However, if someone wants to do i’tikaaf but he is unable to, Allaah will reward him as per his intention because Allaah تعالى deals with (matters of) the heart whilst we deal only with (matters of) the exposed body parts as we cannot know what is in the heart, but Allaah تعالى knows best. If you are willing to go (to the masjid) but you are afraid or scared that something may happen to you, then stay at home and Allaah will reward you, as the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم when he saw ‘Aishah, Hafsah and Zainab start building their tents in the masjid he asked “what is that?”. They said “these are tents of the mothers of the believers.” He said:

Do they want complete submission and the Pleasure of Allaah then let them go home. And he stopped the i’tikaaf and they all went back home.[6] So i’tikaaf is in the masjid only but if that is not possible then there is no i’tikaaf, you just stay at home and do your best. Also, as I said before i’tikaaf can even be for part of the time i.e. you can do i’tikaaf for one hour as many scholars say, you just intend to do i’tikaaf meaning you stay in the masjid. You have the intention to stay there, not to meet anyone or to have a rest, but to worship Allaah تعالى. If you do this with that intention then Allaah تعالى will reward you. Wallaahu A’alam.



Answered by: Shaykh Mohammad al-Malki

Title of Lecture: Ramadaan 1427 = 2006

Date of the Lecture: Saturday, October 14th, 2006

Listen to Lecture: Click Here

Read the Transcribed Lecture: Click Here

[1] Shaykh al-Albaani رحمه الله says Saheeh in Saheeh al-Jaami` (#4423).

[2] Reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaari, Kitaab al-Eemaan (#37) and Saheeh Muslim, Kitaab Salaah al-Musaafireen wa Qasruhaa (#759)

[3] Reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaari, Kitaab as-Sawm as part of a longer hadith (#1802).

[4] Shaykh al-Albaani رحمه الله says Saheeh in Saheeh al-Jaami` (#2417) with the following wording:



[5] Reported in Sunan Abi-Daawūd 1/155, Kitaab as-Salaah (#567). Shaykh al-Albaani رحمه الله says Saheeh in Saheeh al-Jaami` (#7458).

[6] Reported with the following wording in Saheeh al-Bukhaari, Kitaab al-I`tikaaf (#1940).




This Question is also listed under PRAYER


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