Is It More Virtuous To Perform Nafl Prayers At Mosque Or At Home?

Is it more virtuous to perform nafl prayers at mosque or at home?

Prophet Muhammad (saw) advised people to establish fardh prayers in congregation and said, “The prayer in congregation is twenty seven times superior to the prayer offered by a person alone.” (Bukhari, Adhan, 30; Muslim, Masajid, 249-250) In another hadith, he said, “If people knew the reward for the ‘isha and fajr prayers in congregation, they would join them even if they had to crawl.” (Bukhari, Adhan, 32).

Prophet Muhammad (saw) would perform sunnah and nafl prayers both before and after five daily prayers and independently from fardh prayers, and express that it would be better to perform sunnah and nafl prayers at home. On one occasion he said, “You should pray in your houses, for the best prayer of a person is that which he prays in his house except the compulsory prayers.” (Bukhari, Adhan, 81; Muslim, Salat al-Musafirin, 213). In another hadith, Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, “When any one of you observes prayer in the mosque he should reserve a part of his prayer for his house, for Allah would make the prayer as a means of betterment in his house.” (Muslim, Salat al-Musafirin, 210; Ibn Majah, Iqamat al-Salat, 186); he even warned people, “Pray in your houses, and do not make them graves.” (Bukhari, Salat, 52)

Accordingly, although it is possible to perform all nafl prayers, including sunnahs of fardh prayers, at mosque, it is more superior and virtuous to perform them at home.

Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, High Board of Religious Affairs FATWAS