Fear of looking at women is not an excuse for abandoning congregational prayer

Q: Most young people, when I advise them to pray, say: We cannot pray because we look at women, especially those who display their adornment. Does looking prevent prayer or invalidate it?

A: This is a false excuse. It is obligatory for them to pray with the Muslims and to maintain what Allah has made obligatory upon them, namely prayer, lowering the gaze, and praying in congregation in the mosques, for it is a fard. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: It is the pillar of Islam, and it is obligatory for the Muslim to perform it if he is accountable. Abandoning it is disbelief in Allah and misguidance.
Seeing women in the street, or if they are praying in the mosque, is not an excuse for abandoning prayer or abandoning the congregation. Rather, this is an error and an abomination, and it is excusing an abomination with an abomination, which is abandoning prayer—may Allah protect us from it. It is obligatory for the Muslim to lower his gaze and to fear Allah by lowering his gaze in the markets and in every place. It is not an excuse for him that he encounters women in the street for prayer. Rather, if he encounters women in the street for prayer, he must lower his gaze and strive against his self. Allah said: : [Al-Nur: 30].
The Muslim lowers his gaze to fear Allah, to guard his private parts, and to perform what Allah has made obligatory upon him, namely prayer in the mosques of Allah with the Muslims. He fears Allah and hopes for His mercy. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Nur: 36]. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And he said regarding the matter of prayer and its greatness: Narrated by Imam Ahmad and the people of the Sunan with a sound chain. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Narrated by Imam Muslim in his Sahih.
There are other hadiths in it indicating the greatness of its status. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The head of the matter is Islam, and its pillar is prayer.” And he (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to burn the houses of those who lag behind—meaning those who lag behind in congregational prayer.
Therefore, it is obligatory for every Muslim man and woman to fear Allah, to maintain prayer at its times, and to beware of lagging behind it, for lagging behind it is among the characteristics of the hypocrites and the disbelievers, and it is among the causes of entering the Fire. Allah the Exalted said in His great Book regarding the disbelievers: They said, “We were not among those who prayed” [Al-Muddaththir: 42-43]. So they answered that they entered the Fire because they were not among those who prayed—may Allah protect us from it.
So the believer fears Allah in everything; he lowers his gaze, guards his private parts, and guards his limbs from what Allah has forbidden. He performs what Allah has made obligatory, such as prayer, zakah, dutifulness to parents, maintaining family ties, and other things. He combines this with that. This abode is the abode of action and the abode of accountability, the abode of trial and examination. So it is obligatory for every Muslim and every Muslim woman to fear Allah, to maintain what Allah has made obligatory, to stay away from the prohibitions of Allah, and to stand by the limits of Allah, hoping for the reward of Allah and fearing His punishment. And for this, the jinn and mankind were created. He, the Exalted, said: [Adh-Dhariyat: 56].
And this worship is tawhid (the oneness of Allah), prayer, zakah, fasting, Hajj, jihad, enjoining good and forbidding evil, calling to Allah, dutifulness to parents, and maintaining family ties, among other things that Allah has prescribed. And so is abandoning the prohibitions that Allah has forbidden for His servants; abandoning them is worship of Allah and obedience to Him, the Exalted, and that is among the greatest of the means of drawing near to Him.