Praying Alone Away from the Congregation
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Fatwa No. ( 20182 )
Q: I live in a small alley, and there is no mosque in it. Some of the residents of this alley pray in an open area designated for prayer. A generous person came forward to build a mosque and asked the residents of this alley to come together and determine a suitable location for the mosque, but they refused to designate a location. After they refused to designate the location, the generous person agreed with this individual to build it at the end of the alley. The mosque was built, and those who refused to designate the location are still praying in the aforementioned open area next to the mosque. After a few days, those who were praying in the mosque left, and the mosque was left deserted. After that, I, the author of this letter, pray in a mosque that is one kilometer away, and I do not pray with the individuals who pray in
the open area. Should I pray with them in the open area, or should I go to the mosque that is one kilometer away? And what do you advise these brothers who are praying in the open area?
A: It is obligatory for you to pray with the congregation, whether in the aforementioned mosque or in the open area, and it is not permissible for you to pray alone; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Ibn Hibban 10:352 , and you must raise the matter to the ruler of the town so that he compels those who are praying in the open area to pray in the adjacent mosque; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the building of mosques and that prayer be performed in them, and that they be cleaned and perfumed. And Allah the Exalted praised those who do so by saying, Mighty and Majestic: [An-Nur 24:36-37] , and in His saying, Mighty and Majestic: [At-Tawbah 9:18] the verse. May Allah reform them all. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: I live in a small alley, and there is no mosque in it. Some of the residents of this alley pray in an open area designated for prayer. A generous person came forward to build a mosque and asked the residents of this alley to come together and determine a suitable location for the mosque, but they refused to designate a location. After they refused to designate the location, the generous person agreed with this individual to build it at the end of the alley. The mosque was built, and those who refused to designate the location are still praying in the aforementioned open area next to the mosque. After a few days, those who were praying in the mosque left, and the mosque was left deserted. After that, I, the author of this letter, pray in a mosque that is one kilometer away, and I do not pray with the individuals who pray in
the open area. Should I pray with them in the open area, or should I go to the mosque that is one kilometer away? And what do you advise these brothers who are praying in the open area?
A: It is obligatory for you to pray with the congregation, whether in the aforementioned mosque or in the open area, and it is not permissible for you to pray alone; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Whoever hears the call and does not respond, he has no prayer, except one who has an excuse.
من سمع النداء فلم يجب فلا صلاة له إلا من عذرin 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 وَالآصَالِ (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 and do not fear except Allah
إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلا اللَّهَ
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.