Ruling on a woman following an imam she cannot see

Question:
From one of the female listeners from al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, the questioner (N. A.) from al-Madinah al-Munawwarah says: I hope for an answer to this question, and may Allah reward you with good: A woman lives with her husband on the upper floor of the mosque, and she prays behind the imam while she is in her room above the mosque. Is her prayer permissible or not? Knowing that she has been following the imam in prayer for approximately two years, is the prayer permissible and valid, or not? And if it is not permissible, does she have to make it up? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
If she does not see the imam, nor the congregation, then she should not follow the imam, but rather she should pray alone. As for what has passed, she does not have to repeat it; because there is disagreement among the scholars on this issue, some of whom held that it is permissible, so we hope that she does not have to repeat it. However, in the future, we advise her to pray alone and not follow the imam, unless she sees the imam, or sees some of those behind him. Otherwise, she prays alone; because her location is not attached to the mosque. The mosque is independent. The roof of the mosque, as the questioner mentioned, is independent. It is as if the one who built the mosque only built the lower floor, while he made the upper floor a residence, not part of the mosque. That is why he and his family live there.
So the conclusion is: If the roof of the mosque is not attached to the mosque, then his family sleeps on it, and he has intercourse with his wife on it, and he relieves himself on it; because it is not attached to the mosque. He only built the mosque that is under the roof.
As for if the mosque was built for worship, and its roof is attached to it, and its intention is attached to the mosque, then this is not to be used as a residence for the woman and her family such that he has intercourse with her in it, and such that she menstruates in it, and such that she relieves herself, and he relieves himself in it; because it is part of the mosque. Rather, it is to be prayed in, preserved, and protected; because it is attached to the mosque.
As for if the mosque is only the lower part, and the roof is not intended by the one who built the mosque to be attached to the mosque, but rather he intended it as a residence for him, or for renting, then it is independent and does not have the ruling of the mosque. The person living there does not pray with the imam in the mosque, unless he sees the imam, or sees those behind him, or some of the congregation. Otherwise, the woman there prays alone, or the sick person there prays alone, and does not pray with the people, as long as he does not see the imam, nor some of those behind him. But if the roof is attached to the mosque; then it is not to be used as a residence such that a man has intercourse with his wife in it, and such that he relieves himself of urine or otherwise, or a menstruating woman sits in it; because it is attached to the mosque.
As for if it is not attached to the mosque, but the mosque is only what is underneath it, then it belongs to his family, it is owned by his family, yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.