Accountability for those who abandon congregational prayer
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Your Eminence! I am the imam of one of the mosques in a neighborhood where most of the residents are non-Saudis. The imam asks and says: Should we oblige them to pray in congregation, given that the school of jurisprudence they follow states that praying in congregation is a recommended practice? Should we oblige them, and should they be coerced into doing so, and should the competent authorities be informed about this?
I see that the competent authorities should be informed about this;Because if we let the reins hang loose and say: if everyone does what they see as their own school of jurisprudence, situations will become chaotic. People have come to us saying: I want my wife to uncover her face in the market because my school of jurisprudence does not consider covering the face obligatory.and people come to us saying: I want my wife to travel without a mahram because our school of jurisprudence holds that a mahram is not obligatory.and people come to us who openly smoke and say: Smoking is not forbidden according to some scholars. Therefore, I see that the matter should be referred to the authorities, and the authorities should fear Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in how they deal with these people who are lagging behind in prayer.
I see that the competent authorities should be informed about this;Because if we let the reins hang loose and say: if everyone does what they see as their own school of jurisprudence, situations will become chaotic. People have come to us saying: I want my wife to uncover her face in the market because my school of jurisprudence does not consider covering the face obligatory.and people come to us saying: I want my wife to travel without a mahram because our school of jurisprudence holds that a mahram is not obligatory.and people come to us who openly smoke and say: Smoking is not forbidden according to some scholars. Therefore, I see that the matter should be referred to the authorities, and the authorities should fear Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in how they deal with these people who are lagging behind in prayer.