Should I pray sunnah prayers at home or in the mosque?
It's best to pray voluntary sunnah prayers at home, though praying them in the mosque is also fine. The Prophet ﷺ usually prayed his sunnah prayers at home and encouraged others to do the same. Obligatory prayers are better in the mosque, especially for men.
The Prophet's ﷺ advice
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Pray in your houses, for the best prayer of a person is the one he prays in his house, except the obligatory prayer" (Sahih al-Bukhari 731). He ﷺ also said: "Offer some of your prayers in your houses and do not turn them into graves" (Sahih al-Bukhari 432), meaning a home with no prayer in it feels lifeless.
Scholars mention a few reasons. Praying at home is more private and sincere, it fills your home with blessing, and it lets your family, especially children, see you pray.
Mosques are still blessed places
None of this lowers the status of the mosque. Allah praises the mosques as houses where His name is remembered:
So if you pray your sunnah in the mosque, it's valid and rewarded. Many scholars say it's even better to pray it in the mosque if you'd likely skip it at home, or if you'd get home too late.
Common situations
- Entering the mosque: pray two rak'ahs before sitting down. The Prophet ﷺ told us to do this (Sahih al-Bukhari 444). See What is tahiyyat al-masjid?
- Sunnah before Fajr or Dhuhr: pray it at home before you leave, or in the mosque while you wait. Both are fine.
- Sunnah after a prayer: praying it at home is the Prophet's ﷺ usual practice, but it's fine to pray it in the mosque right away.
- Taraweeh in Ramadan: praying it in congregation at the mosque is a long-standing practice and widely recommended.
- Friday: for the extra prayers around Jumu'ah, see How many rakat is Jumu'ah prayer?
The regular sunnah prayers
The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever prays twelve voluntary rak'ahs every day and night, Allah builds a house for them in Paradise (Sahih Muslim 728). These are commonly counted as 2 before Fajr, 4 before Dhuhr and 2 after, 2 after Maghrib and 2 after Isha. If you're still learning the basics, see How do I pray as a Muslim?
- Voluntary prayers are best at home, obligatory ones in the mosque.
- Praying sunnah in the mosque is still valid and rewarded.
- Pray two rak'ahs when you enter a mosque.
- Twelve daily sunnah rak'ahs earn a house in Paradise.
People also ask
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