It is well known that houses belong to the same class as clothing: both were originally provided to shield us and repel harm, just as eating and drinking were provided to secure benefit. A person fends off heat and cold with his garments and protects himself from an enemy’s weapons; in the very same way he keeps out heat and cold by means of his dwelling and takes refuge in it from the enemy. Allah, Exalted is He, says, “Allah has made your homes a place of repose for you” (16:80). He also says, “Allah has made for you, out of what He has created, sources of shade; He has made for you shelters in the mountains; and He has made for you garments that protect you from heat and garments that protect you from your own violence. Thus does He perfect His favor upon you, so that you may submit” (16:81). In this passage He mentions what people need in order to ward off whatever might harm them, whereas at the beginning of the surah He had already mentioned what they are driven by necessity to have in order to repel what actually harms them.
(2) It also counts among the texts that specify (takhsis) the Prophet’s saying: “One prayer in this mosque of mine is better than a thousand prayers in any other mosque, except the Sacred Mosque,” recorded by Muslim. This indicates that the merit applies to men only, while for women praying at home is better than praying in his mosque. Hence the scramble of women—especially during the pilgrimage season—to pray there merely reflects their ignorance of the Sharia or their disregard for its guidance, all the more so because many of them intermingle with men in the heavy crowds when the latter are leaving the mosque. We can only complain to Allah about their lack of modesty and their men’s lack of protective jealousy (ghayrah).
That is what I wrote in previous editions, but it has now become clear to me that there is no sound basis for this restriction. The correct view is to leave the hadith in its general sense, which includes women as well, without contradicting the fact that praying at home remains better for them—just as performing voluntary prayers at home is preferable for everyone. If a person offers such prayers in any of the three sacred mosques, he still earns their special merit, and the same applies to a woman. Therefore this rush to the mosque is unwarranted; Muslim women should desist, and many harms will thereby be removed. Allah is the One whose help is sought.