The ruling on leaving the 'Isha' prayer in congregation to watch programs

Question:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Honorable Shaykh, there is a phenomenon among some people where they do not pray the 'Isha' prayer in congregation; instead, they join the imam in the tarawih prayer, on the pretext that some of them are watching certain programs and television series. What is your guidance, may Allah preserve you?

Answer:
This is a great loss. They sit watching series, comedies, and dramas, and even if they were programs of good, programs of dhikr, or programs of knowledge, it is not permissible for them to sit with them and leave the congregational prayer. How much more so if they are programs with no good in them, but rather distractions? This is what the devils of mankind and jinn want from these programs; they want to divert people from the obedience of Allah the Exalted. It is obligatory for these people to repent to Allah, and to attend the congregational prayer from its beginning, and not to delay and say, "We will join the imam in the tarawih prayer intending the obligatory prayer." That is for the one who missed the congregation for an excuse, for the one who missed the congregation for an excuse. As for the one who intentionally missed the congregation and sat in his house watching series, he is a sinner against Allah and His Messenger, and he neglects the congregation. He sits with what has no benefit, or what is harmful to him in his religion and his worldly life. Yes.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you.