aslm akm.i stay in a room the females university housing.in ramadhan they(females) perform taraweh in jamaa in a hall in the university dorms.is it okay if i perform taraweh on my own in the room,or if i do it in jamaa,out of my room in the hall?i would like to know which would yield me a higher ajr ,because i learnt that the prophet SAW said the prayer of a woman in her home is better than that in the mosque or outside her home.i am a med student and i feel if i perform the prayer with the others they take too long,and i dont want to forego my ajr,please advise.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

You are not obliged to perform Taraaweeh prayers with the congregation of the female students, rather you may perform them on your own in your own room.

In principle, Taraaweeh prayers are a recommended act of worship and are not an obligation.

As regards which is more rewarding, a woman's prayer in her home or in the mosque, then it is confirmed in the Sunnah that her prayer in her home is more rewarding than her prayer in the mosque, and the more the woman performs her prayer in secret and private and far from men, the better for her.

Imaam Ahmad reported that Umm Humayd came to the Prophet and told him: “O Prophet of Allaah, I like praying with you." He replied: "I had known that you like praying with me. But your prayer in your private room is better than your prayer in other rooms of your house, and your prayer in other rooms of your house is better than your prayer in the halls of your house, and your prayer in the halls of your house is better than your prayer in your community's mosque, and your prayer in your community's mosque is better than your prayer in my mosque." Then, she ordered a praying area to be built for her in her house and she used to pray in it until she died.

This is a proof that the more secluded the place is for the woman and far from men, the better for her and more rewarding. Therefore, your prayer in your room is better than praying in the campus women's prayer room.

For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 88915, 88131 and 85096. Allaah Knows best.