Is congregational prayer obligatory for the blind?

The questioner : Is the blind person excused from congregational prayer?

The Shaykh : This varies depending on the specific blind person and the condition of the road. Otherwise, the story of 'Amr ibn 'Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum, who , shows that one blind person differs from another... In the Grand Mosque, and we observed those around us... My attention was drawn to two blind men walking together... These two were moving through the mosque amidst this crowd. I noticed that at the tip of his cane, beneath a metal piece, it was clicking as he walked, as if to draw the attention of the people in front of them to make way for them. They walked as if they were sighted. In fact, the point is that there is a difference between a blind person who is accustomed to the route and a blind person... So such cases are not measured by a single standard, but the matter is referred back to the ability of the person obligated. Many rulings, indeed all Islamic rulings, are tied to ability. It is the obligated person who judges for himself whether he is able or not. If we look at the case of Ibn Umm Maktum in that era, when roads were not paved as they are in our time, then at that time we say that it is not an excuse. However, in the present late era, the blind person is excused from congregational prayer in the mosque. But the observation I mentioned earlier remains: he may be newly afflicted, or newly moved to a new residence, and so on. If it becomes easy for him and he is able to perform this obligation, he must go to the mosque; otherwise, he is not required to.