The benefits of the hadith regarding the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) prayer of fear.
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The Shaykh : As for the others, the hadith of Ibn ‘Umar also indicates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said the closing salam, and they stood up and completed the prayer for themselves. However, in the hadith of Sahl ibn Abi Hathmah, from Salih ibn Khatam, from one who prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), it is stated that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed one rak’ah with the first group, then stood up and they completed it for him. Then they turned toward the enemy. Then the group that had been guarding came and entered with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and prayed the remaining rak’ah with him. Then he sat for the tashahhud, and they made up what was required of them before he said the salam, and he said the salam with everyone. This is the best form, as it contains equity between the two parties and complete guarding. The first group was distinguished by having caught the takbir of ihram, and the second group was distinguished by having said the salam with him.
In this description, the second rak’ah is lengthened in recitation to be longer than the first. For this reason, the jurists (may Allah have mercy on them) excluded it and said that what is prescribed in prayer is for the second rak’ah to be shorter than the first, except if the difference is slight, such as in the Friday prayer, Surah al-Munafiqun, Surah al-Sajdah, and Surah al-Ghashiyah, or if it is in the prayer of fear. If it is in the prayer of fear, the imam will lengthen the second rak’ah while waiting for whom? For the group that had been guarding.
The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) used the prescription of the prayer of fear in this manner as evidence that congregational prayer is obligatory, and that it is an individual obligation, and that it is not a collective obligation. Because if it were a collective obligation, it would be lifted from the others. This is the correct view: that congregational prayer is an individual obligation, and that it is not lifted by the action of some. But is it obligatory to be in the mosques or not? The well-known view among the Hanbali jurists (may Allah have mercy on them) is that it is not obligatory to be in the mosques, so if they pray in congregation, even in a house near the mosque, that is sufficient. However, this is a weak opinion. The correct view is that congregational prayer must be in the mosques, and it is not permissible to be absent from it except for a valid religious excuse, such as rain, mud, distance, or the like.
In this description, the second rak’ah is lengthened in recitation to be longer than the first. For this reason, the jurists (may Allah have mercy on them) excluded it and said that what is prescribed in prayer is for the second rak’ah to be shorter than the first, except if the difference is slight, such as in the Friday prayer, Surah al-Munafiqun, Surah al-Sajdah, and Surah al-Ghashiyah, or if it is in the prayer of fear. If it is in the prayer of fear, the imam will lengthen the second rak’ah while waiting for whom? For the group that had been guarding.
The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) used the prescription of the prayer of fear in this manner as evidence that congregational prayer is obligatory, and that it is an individual obligation, and that it is not a collective obligation. Because if it were a collective obligation, it would be lifted from the others. This is the correct view: that congregational prayer is an individual obligation, and that it is not lifted by the action of some. But is it obligatory to be in the mosques or not? The well-known view among the Hanbali jurists (may Allah have mercy on them) is that it is not obligatory to be in the mosques, so if they pray in congregation, even in a house near the mosque, that is sufficient. However, this is a weak opinion. The correct view is that congregational prayer must be in the mosques, and it is not permissible to be absent from it except for a valid religious excuse, such as rain, mud, distance, or the like.