Question Summary:
Can a group of women perform Juma prayer, one of them being Imam, in a gathering at someone’s home?….Is it necessary to offer eight rakaas to offer Tahajjud. How many rakkas are recommended to offer Tahajaud prayer

Question Detail:

Q.1 - Can a group of women perform Juma prayer, one of them being Imam, in a gathering at someone’s home? Is it permitted in Sharia? If it is then should it be the same as the regular Juma prayer in a Masjid. Is it necessary to call two Adhans by one of the female? Does the prospective female Imam should also give the sermon [Khutba].

Q2.  Is it necessary to offer eight rakaas to offer Tahajjud. How many rakkas are recommended to offer Tahajaud prayer

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
1. Females performing salah in an only female congregation with a female as an imam is makrooh tahreemi and therefore not permissible.
 
حاشية ابن عابدين 1/565
البحر الرائق 1/351
 
2. It was the general habit of Nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم to perform eight rakats of tahajjud prayer. At times Nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم performed 4, 6, 8 and 10 rakats. It is therefore advisable to perform eight rakats of tahajjud prayer. If one is unable to perform eight rakats then one should perform any amount which is possible.
 
سنن أبى داود – 1357موسسة الريان
عن عبد الله بن أبى قيس قال قلت لعائشة رضى الله عنها : بكم كان رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يوتر قالت : كان يوتر بأربع وثلاث وست وثلاث وثمان وثلاث وعشر وثلاث ولم يكن يوتر بأنقص من سبع ولا بأكثر من ثلاث عشرة.
 
حاشية ابن عابدين 2/25
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Ishaq E. Moosa,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah