The Ruling on Missing the Congregational Prayer Without an Excuse

Question:
What is the ruling for one who prays in his home most of the time and delays the congregational prayer without a legal excuse that permits him to do so?

Answer:
You have heard the statement; we know that his ruling is that he is a sinner against Allah, and he imitates the hypocrites. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . As for the excuse, Ibn Abbas said: "Illness and fear." The one who is unable due to his illness, or his advanced age, or fear: if he goes out, he fears he will be beaten or killed in some lands, or he is afraid of a pursuer who fears that if he goes out, he will be caught and wants to beat or kill him.
And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said, when a blind man came to him seeking permission to pray alone, saying: “O Messenger of Allah, I have no guide to lead me to the mosque, so do I have a dispensation to pray in my house?” He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: He said: Yes. He said: Muslim narrated it in his *Sahih*, and in another wording: So if he is blind, has no guide to lead him, and his house is far from him, it is said to him: You have no dispensation, answer the call. So what about others?
And you have heard that he (peace and blessings be upon him) — as established in the *Sahihayn* — intended to appoint someone to lead the people in prayer, and to go with men carrying bundles of firewood to men who do not attend the prayer, to burn their houses down. They do not attend; he did not say: “They do not pray,” he said: “They do not attend the prayer in congregation.” As for this, it is among the characteristics of the hypocrites who lag behind, and the believer is commanded to oppose them. Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said — as established in the *Sahih*: “I have seen us, and none lagged behind it — meaning: the prayer in congregation — except a known hypocrite.” We ask Allah for safety.