What is your opinion of one who boycotts his neighbor because he neglects the congregational prayer?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.
What is your opinion, O honorable one, of a man among the neighbors who is negligent in prayer, and some of them do not attend the prayer at all, not the midday, not the afternoon, not the dawn, nor the sunset? He has boycotted them and no longer visits them, though they are close relatives, neighbors close by the house. He advised them and sent some of the brothers to them, but they refused to let them enter the house. This man stopped visiting them because they are close relatives and close neighbors. So what is your opinion, O honorable one, about boycotting them for this reason?
The Shaykh : I think he did the best by advising them and continuing to advise them. If they are guided, that is what is desired. If they are not guided, he bears no sin for their sins. The question remains regarding the right of the neighbor: does it drop because the neighbor is disobedient? It does not drop. The neighbor has a right even if he is disobedient, even if he is a disbeliever, he has the right of neighborliness. However, if we suppose that by boycotting them their conditions improve and the boycott becomes a cure, then that is good and there is no harm. But as you see today, boycotting only increases the disobedient person's intensity and hatred for his companion. That is, we hear and have experienced that boycotting does not benefit now. If people, when they boycott the disobedient one, he would return to the state of Ka'b ibn Malik and his two companions, we would say there is no harm. But the matter is the opposite. So I think he should give them their right and not be negligent in calling them to Allah, time after time, and not overdo it so that they become fed up. Yes, that is right.
The questioner : What is the imam's position with them?
The Shaykh : The imam is also in the same position. The imam calls them in the best manner, without doing it openly in front of the congregation. For example, he goes to one of them at his house and does not invite him to his house... It is upon him, and people today, unfortunately, generally only respond to gentleness, except for a person who has authority and command. This one must use either gentleness or strictness according to what the situation requires.
The questioner : ... the committee, if they ask about those who are negligent and have completely abandoned prayer once
The Shaykh : What?
Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.
What is your opinion, O honorable one, of a man among the neighbors who is negligent in prayer, and some of them do not attend the prayer at all, not the midday, not the afternoon, not the dawn, nor the sunset? He has boycotted them and no longer visits them, though they are close relatives, neighbors close by the house. He advised them and sent some of the brothers to them, but they refused to let them enter the house. This man stopped visiting them because they are close relatives and close neighbors. So what is your opinion, O honorable one, about boycotting them for this reason?
The Shaykh : I think he did the best by advising them and continuing to advise them. If they are guided, that is what is desired. If they are not guided, he bears no sin for their sins. The question remains regarding the right of the neighbor: does it drop because the neighbor is disobedient? It does not drop. The neighbor has a right even if he is disobedient, even if he is a disbeliever, he has the right of neighborliness. However, if we suppose that by boycotting them their conditions improve and the boycott becomes a cure, then that is good and there is no harm. But as you see today, boycotting only increases the disobedient person's intensity and hatred for his companion. That is, we hear and have experienced that boycotting does not benefit now. If people, when they boycott the disobedient one, he would return to the state of Ka'b ibn Malik and his two companions, we would say there is no harm. But the matter is the opposite. So I think he should give them their right and not be negligent in calling them to Allah, time after time, and not overdo it so that they become fed up. Yes, that is right.
The questioner : What is the imam's position with them?
The Shaykh : The imam is also in the same position. The imam calls them in the best manner, without doing it openly in front of the congregation. For example, he goes to one of them at his house and does not invite him to his house... It is upon him, and people today, unfortunately, generally only respond to gentleness, except for a person who has authority and command. This one must use either gentleness or strictness according to what the situation requires.
The questioner : ... the committee, if they ask about those who are negligent and have completely abandoned prayer once
The Shaykh : What?