Why is it said that congregational prayer is obligatory, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
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The questioner : He says: Why is it said that congregational prayer is obligatory, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ?
The Shaykh : Yes, that is said because of the many pieces of evidence for the obligation of congregational prayer. Allah made congregational prayer obligatory even in battle, so He said to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):[An-Nisa 4:102] [An-Nisa 4:102] after that
The student:
The student:[An-Nisa 4:102] So in this noble verse there is evidence for the obligation of congregational prayer and evidence that the congregation is not a collective obligation, for if it were a collective obligation, the prayer of the first group would have been sufficient. The matter is clear in this. As for the hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Ibn Hibban 10:352 and he said: Sunan Ibn Majah 791Sahih (Darussalam) up to this point. As for his saying: I do not know this wording. It is known that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left the Fajr prayer in the Musjid al-Khaif in Mina and saw two men who had not prayed, so he called for them. They were brought to him, their flanks trembling out of awe of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and reverence for him. He said: These two men prayed in their tents because they feared they might not catch the prayer with the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Is this not a reported incident? Is this not a reported incident?
The student : Yes
The Shaykh : Yes, perhaps they feared they would miss the congregation, so they prayed in their tents. Or perhaps they did not know the obligation of the prayer, or for some other reason. This is a specific case that allows for different possibilities. We have authentic, explicit texts regarding the obligation of congregational prayer. But I say to you: if a person prays alone in his house without an excuse, is his prayer accepted or not? This is the point of the question. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said—and he is sufficient as a scholar, sufficient as a jurist, and sufficient in scrupulousness—he said: "If a person prays alone in his house without an excuse, Allah will not accept his prayer" His prayer is invalid because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Ibn Hibban 10:352 And because the congregation is obligatory in prayer, and intentionally leaving an obligatory act in prayer invalidates it. But with our respect for the saying of Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him), we say: the truth is more deserving of being followed. The prayer of a person who prays alone without an excuse is accepted, but it is deficient. The evidence for this is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him and his family): Sahih Muslim 650a If it were not accepted, there would be no reward in it at all, not a little or a lot. The correct view is that the one who leaves congregational prayer is sinful, and his prayer is accepted, and that the one who prays with the congregation has a prayer that is better than the prayer of the one who prays alone by twenty-seven degrees.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. The questioner says, and it is likely a question from many people.
If one of you prays in his tent and then comes to the mosque for the congregation, let him pray with them, for it will be a voluntary prayer for him
إذا صلى أحدكم في رحله ثم أتى مسجد جماعة فليصل معهم فإنها له نافلةThe Shaykh : Yes, that is said because of the many pieces of evidence for the obligation of congregational prayer. Allah made congregational prayer obligatory even in battle, so He said to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):
And when you are among them and lead them in prayer, let a group of them stand [in prayer] with you
وَإِذَا كُنْتَ فِيهِمْ فَأَقَمْتَ لَهُمُ الصَّلَاةَ فَلْتَقُمْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ مَعَكَAnd when you are among them and lead them in prayer, let a group of them stand [in prayer] with you
وَإِذَا كُنْتَ فِيهِمْ فَأَقَمْتَ لَهُمُ الصَّلَاةَ فَلْتَقُمْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ مَعَكَThe student:
And let them take their weapons
وليأخذوا أسلحتهمThe student:
and let them carry their arms. And when they have prostrated, let them be [in position] behind you and have the other group come forward which has not [yet] prayed and let them pray with you, taking precaution and carrying their arms
وَلْيَأْخُذُوا أَسْلِحَتَهُمْ فَإِذَا سَجَدُوا فَلْيَكُونُوا مِنْ وَرَائِكُمْ وَلْتَأْتِ طَائِفَةٌ أُخْرَى لَمْ يُصَلُّوا فَلْيُصَلُّوا مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا حِذْرَهُمْ وَأَسْلِحَتَهُمْWhoever hears the call to prayer and does not respond, he has no prayer, except one who has an excuse.
من سمع النداء فلم يُجب فلا صلاة له إلا من عذرI was thinking of commanding that the call to prayer be given, then I would tell a man to lead the people in prayer, then I would go out with some other men carrying bundles of wood, and go to people who do not attend the prayer, and burn their houses down around them.
لقد هممت أن آمر بالصلاة فتقام ثم ىمر رجلاً فيصلي بالناس ثم أنطلق برجال معهم حِزم من حطب إلى قوم لا يشهدون الصلاة أو قال الجماعة وأحرق عليهم بيوتهم بالنارIf one of you prays in his tent and then comes to the mosque for the congregation, let him pray with them
إذا صلى أحدُكم في رحله ثم أتى مسجد جماعة فليصل معهمWhat prevented you two? They said: O Messenger of Allah, we prayed in our tents. He said: If you two pray in your tents and then come to the mosque for the congregation and pray with them, then the second one is a voluntary prayer for you two
ما منعكما ؟ قالوا : يا رسول الله صلينا في رحالنا فقال : إذا صليتما في رحالكما ثم أتيتما مسجد جماعة فصليا معهم فإنها أي الثانية لكما نافلةThe student : Yes
The Shaykh : Yes, perhaps they feared they would miss the congregation, so they prayed in their tents. Or perhaps they did not know the obligation of the prayer, or for some other reason. This is a specific case that allows for different possibilities. We have authentic, explicit texts regarding the obligation of congregational prayer. But I say to you: if a person prays alone in his house without an excuse, is his prayer accepted or not? This is the point of the question. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said—and he is sufficient as a scholar, sufficient as a jurist, and sufficient in scrupulousness—he said: "If a person prays alone in his house without an excuse, Allah will not accept his prayer" His prayer is invalid because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
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 عذرPrayer said in a congregation is twenty-seven degrees more excellent than prayer said by a single person.
صلاة الجماعة أفضل من صلاة الفذ بسبع وعشرين درجةThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good. The questioner says, and it is likely a question from many people.