(There is no prayer for the neighbor of the mosque except in the mosque)

Q: Is this an authentic hadith? Or is it a transmitted saying? It is a saying that contains strictness, whereas the religion is ease and not hardship. What is your ruling, Your Eminence?

A: This wording was narrated by Imam Ahmad, al-Daraqutni, al-Hakim, al-Tabarani, and al-Dailami, all of them with weak chains of narration from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: (It has no established chain of narration, even though it is well-known among people). It is a weak hadith according to the scholars. And even if it were authentic, its meaning is understood to mean that there is no complete prayer for the neighbor of the mosque except in the mosque, because authentic hadiths indicate the validity of the prayer of the one who prays alone, but with sin if he has no valid legal excuse. This is because praying in the mosque with the Muslim congregation is obligatory, based on other hadiths besides the one asked about, such as his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): It was narrated by Ibn Majah, al-Daraqutni, Ibn Hibban, and al-Hakim, and its chain of narration meets the conditions of Muslim. And because of his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) to the blind man who asked his permission to pray in his home and excused himself by saying he had no guide to lead him to the mosque: He said: Yes. He said: It was narrated by Muslim in his Sahih.