Absenting oneself from the congregational prayer on the pretext of gathering at the iftar table
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Q: Many of the people in our community have become accustomed to absenting themselves from the congregational prayer in the mosque for the Maghrib prayer, on the pretext of gathering at the iftar table, and they are content with praying the congregation at home. Is this permissible? Knowing that the mosques are close to them. Likewise, at wedding celebrations and the like, they pray at the venue of the celebration and leave the prayer in the mosque, even though it is close to them. Is this permissible? It is known that some of the imams and mu'adhdhins of the mosques attend the venue of the celebration, call the adhan there, and pray there, while leaving the adhan and prayer in the mosque. And some of the imams attend the iftar gathering and pray at the same venue, leaving the prayer in the mosque. Is this permissible? I ask for your guidance.
A: Performing the prayer in congregation in the mosques is one of the established practices of Islam, and the Muslim must preserve it. It is not permissible to perform the prayer in other than the mosques unless there is a valid legal justification. Allah the Exalted said:[An-Nur 24:36-37], and its establishment is primarily achieved by performing the prayer in it. He also said: [At-Tawbah 9:18], and one of the most important ways of maintaining it is performing the prayer in it. Ibn Umm Maktum sought permission from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to pray in his home because he was a blind man with no guide. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Sunan an-Nasa'i 850Sahih (Darussalam).
A: Performing the prayer in congregation in the mosques is one of the established practices of Islam, and the Muslim must preserve it. It is not permissible to perform the prayer in other than the mosques unless there is a valid legal justification. Allah the Exalted said:
in mosques which Allah has ordered to be raised and that His name be mentioned therein; exalting Him within them in the morning and the evenings (37) [Are] men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah and
فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ (36) رِجَالٌ لاَ تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلاَ بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلاَةِThe mosques of Allah are only to be maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish prayer and give zakah
إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَCan you hear the call to prayer?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Then respond to it
أتسمع النداء ؟ قال : نعم ، قال : فأجب
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.