Question 014: If a woman feels distracted at the masjid and feels less intimacy when speaking to Allah (swt) (for example: unable to cry in public, has more trouble being mindful during prayer because of the crowd, etc) especially on a valuable night such as Laylatul Qadr, would it be best that she stays home and follows guidelines she finds online to make best use of the night or is it better to pray and worship in congregation?
What if she is relatively new to Shia Islam and doesn’t know how to perform the all night prayer on her own but she can perform the special 2 rakah prayer and all the other Duas and Dhikr on her own?
Answer 014: According to some Ahadith narrated from our Infallibles (pbuth), a woman who prays at home will get equal reward as praying at a mosque. They also say: if a woman prays at her house she will get more rewards than praying at other places. [1]
Given the supposition made in the question, if a woman feels distracted at the Mosque and has the problems that don’t let her has the complete presence of mind and heart throughout her prayers she would be able to stay at home offer her prayers, recite dua and finally do the righteous deeds.
It is noteworthy to say that our scholars, based on the following reasons, recommend us to have the complete presence of mind and heart in worshipping Allah, the Almighty.
Hudhur al-qalb in worshiping Allah, the Almighty means to not allow thoughts that have to do with material matters, whether they are personal or pertaining to others, and in general, thoughts that are in contradiction with the hereafter to enter one’s mind. But thoughts that conform to the nature of Ibadat (worship) do not disturb hudhur al-qalb in anyway. So, it is safe to say that this is a personal thing where everybody should be their own judge when it comes to saying whether a thought distracts their heart or not. The presence of the heart (hudhur al-qalb) in prayer has its levels and those who have reached the highest levels have completely forgotten and turned their backs on everything except Allah.
The great figures of our religion have introduced many methods for attaining khushu (humbleness) and hudhur al-qalb in prayer that can be helpful:
Specifying a place for worshiping Allah (SWT) like prayer can also help, which is exactly why praying in front of objects that cause distraction is makruh, it is also makruh to pray in front of an open door and passages, before a mirror and pictures and so on. This explains why the more simple a mosque is built the easier it will be to have hudhur al-qalb. Abstaining from sin is a pivotal element because sins separate us from God.[2]
A person offering prayer must have complete presence of mind and heart through-out his prayers, regardless of its words and actions. So nothing is counted as prayer from a devotee but what has been done in such condition. It means full attention towards the prayers and to what he utters and complete attention towards the Worshipped Being, whose Majesty is Glorified. He should be cognizant of His Greatness and the glory of His Dignity. He must sever himself from everything other than Him. He should find himself as if in the presence of the greatest of all the great kings of kings addressing Him and invoking His Favour. Once he is cognizant of all this, an immense awe shall enter his heart. Then he shall see himself responsible for negligence in the fulfillment of his duties and obligations, and shall be frightened. Then he shall realize the abundance of His Favour, and shall hope to receive His Reward. He shall find himself in a state of hope and fear, and this is the quality of the accomplished ones.
This quality has several degrees and innumerable ranks according to the statures of the worshippers. He must have humility and submission and peace of mind and heart and sobriety. He must have cheerful appearance and should apply perfume, brush his teeth and comb his hair before starting his prayers. He must offer his prayers like one bidding farewell, and should renew his penitence, invocation and asking forgiveness. He must stand like a humble slave in front of his Master. He should be sincere while uttering the words “We worship but Thee and ask help but from Thee”. He must not utter these words while he is still the adorer of his own desires and asking the help from others than his own Master.
He must also make all endeavors for removing the hindrances lying in the way of the acceptance (of his worship) like self-conceit, jealousy, pride, back-biting and avoidance of the payment of Zakãt and non-fulfillment of all due rights which are the real impediments in the way of acceptance (of the prayers).[3]
For further information in this regards, please refer to the following answer:
Index: The best place for a woman to pray is at home or mosque, answer 015.
Index: The Secret of Prayer / Sirr us-Salat, answer 589.
Index: Estrangement from people or being with them, answer 060.
[1] . Wasaiel al-Shia, Vol. 5, Pg. 237, Allamah Majlesi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 80, Pg. 371; Sheikh Saduq, Man la yahduruhu al-Faqih, Vol. 1, Pg. 374, H 1088; Abul Qasim Payandeh, Nahjul Fasahah, Pg. 474, H 1532.
[2] . Surah Ahzab, verse 33; Sayyid Quṭb, In Tafsir Fi Zilal Al-Quran, Vol. 5. Pg. 2859; Banu Amin, Tafsir Makhzanul-Irfan, vol. 1, pg. 103; Tafsir Makhzanul-Irfan, vol. 9, pg. 9; Tafsir Nemouneh, vol. 14, pp. 205-206; Al-Kafi, vol. 2, pg. 268 “كان أبي (ع) يقول: ما من شيء أفسد للقلب من خطيئة، إنّ القلب ليواقع الخطيئة فما تزال به حتّى تغلب علیه فيصيّر أعلاه أسفله”
[3] . Tahrir al-Wasilah of Imam Khomeini (ra), Vol. 1, Preliminaries of Prayer.