The ruling on one who excuses himself from attending the congregation on the grounds of holding it at home
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Your Eminence, there are those who excuse themselves from attending the congregational prayer, saying: “I pray with my family, men and women, in congregation.” What is the ruling on that?
Answer: They are not permitted to do that. It is obligatory for men to pray in the mosques, as mentioned in the hadith:Bulugh al-Maram 2:308 The excuse is illness and fear, as Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) stated. So if one is not excused, not ill and not afraid, he is required to go out and pray with the people. He is not permitted to pray with his sons or his brothers at home, or with his servants. No, it is obligatory for them all to go out and pray with the Muslims in the mosques of Allah, the houses of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to burn down the houses of those who lagged behind, as in the authentic hadith: he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Ibn Majah 791Sahih (Darussalam) It is also narrated from him (peace be upon him) that he said: Mishkat al-Masabih 1073.
So the conclusion is: It is obligatory for the Muslim men who are accountable to fear Allah, and to pray with their brothers in the houses of Allah, the mosques. They are not permitted to lag behind due to laziness or any other matter other than a valid legal excuse. Rather, it is obligatory for them to strive against their souls and to fear Allah, and to encourage those around them, whether servants, brothers, or sons. In fact, it is obligatory for them to bind them to this and to hold them back until they pray with the people in the mosques of Allah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Answer: They are not permitted to do that. It is obligatory for men to pray in the mosques, as mentioned in the hadith:
Whoever hears the call for prayer and and does not come (to the mosque for prayer), his prayer will not be accepted from him, unless he has a (legitimate) excuse.
من سمع النداء فلم يأت 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 آمر رجلاً فيؤم الناس، ثم أنطلق برجال معهم حزم من حطب إلى رجال لا يشهدون الصلاة فأحرق عليهم بيوتهمWere it not for the women and children who are in the houses
لولا ما في البيوت من النساء والذرية لحرقتها عليهمSo the conclusion is: It is obligatory for the Muslim men who are accountable to fear Allah, and to pray with their brothers in the houses of Allah, the mosques. They are not permitted to lag behind due to laziness or any other matter other than a valid legal excuse. Rather, it is obligatory for them to strive against their souls and to fear Allah, and to encourage those around them, whether servants, brothers, or sons. In fact, it is obligatory for them to bind them to this and to hold them back until they pray with the people in the mosques of Allah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.