The Disagreement on the Obligation of Congregational Prayer
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Your Eminence, father, he says: Did the scholars differ on the obligation of congregational prayer?
Answer:
If they did differ, the criterion is what the evidence supports, whether in congregational prayer or otherwise. The disagreement among scholars is to be weighed against the evidence; what agrees with the evidence, we are required to adopt, and what contradicts the evidence, we are required to abandon. Allah the Exalted said:[An-Nisa 4:59] [An-Nisa 4:59] We are not required to adopt the opinions of scholars that have no evidence, and in fact, it is not permissible for us to do so, lest we become like the Jews and the Christians: [At-Tawbah 9:31].
What does that mean? It means that they made lawful for them what is forbidden, so they considered it lawful, and they made forbidden for them what is lawful, so they considered it forbidden, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said. Therefore, it is not permissible to adopt any opinion, even if its proponent is a scholar, if it contradicts the evidence.
It is not permissible to adopt the opinion of a jurist if it contradicts the evidence, whether in congregational prayer or otherwise. The evidence for the obligation of congregational prayer, along with those who hold it obligatory, is the proofs from the Book and the Sunnah, in agreement with those who see congregational prayer as obligatory. As for those who say it is not obligatory, they contradict the evidence, and their opinion is of no account. One’s conscience is not cleared by adopting their opinion, but they are excused in their own right because they are exercising independent legal reasoning. A jurist who errs receives a reward for his effort, but he is not to be followed in his error. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you, Your Eminence the Shaykh,
Your Eminence, father, he says: Did the scholars differ on the obligation of congregational prayer?
Answer:
If they did differ, the criterion is what the evidence supports, whether in congregational prayer or otherwise. The disagreement among scholars is to be weighed against the evidence; what agrees with the evidence, we are required to adopt, and what contradicts the evidence, we are required to abandon. Allah the Exalted said:
And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day
فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِThat is the best [way] and best in result.
ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًاThey have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allah
اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِWhat does that mean? It means that they made lawful for them what is forbidden, so they considered it lawful, and they made forbidden for them what is lawful, so they considered it forbidden, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said. Therefore, it is not permissible to adopt any opinion, even if its proponent is a scholar, if it contradicts the evidence.
It is not permissible to adopt the opinion of a jurist if it contradicts the evidence, whether in congregational prayer or otherwise. The evidence for the obligation of congregational prayer, along with those who hold it obligatory, is the proofs from the Book and the Sunnah, in agreement with those who see congregational prayer as obligatory. As for those who say it is not obligatory, they contradict the evidence, and their opinion is of no account. One’s conscience is not cleared by adopting their opinion, but they are excused in their own right because they are exercising independent legal reasoning. A jurist who errs receives a reward for his effort, but he is not to be followed in his error. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you, Your Eminence the Shaykh,
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، محاضرات في العقيدة والدعوة-016-الإيمان حقيقته أركانه شعبه ثمراته|صالح الفوزان|كبار العلماء — youtube.com (54:57)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.