The Ruling on Praying in Congregation in the Workplace Prayer Hall

Question:
I am an employee in one of the government ministries. There is a mosque in the ministry where prayers are performed. A group of employees in our department do not pray in the mosque; instead, they pray alone. I have advised them more than once to pray with us in the mosque. Their excuse is that they say the place in the ministry is not a mosque, but a prayer hall, and since only the midday prayer is performed there, what is your advice to these people?

Answer:
It is obligatory for them to pray together, and to pray in the mosque prepared for that purpose. It is not permissible for some of them to delay, rather, it is obligatory for them to pray together. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . Even if it is not a mosque, it is obligatory for them to pray together. If there is a mosque near them where they can hear the call to prayer, it is obligatory for them to hasten to it and pray in it, and not to disperse or separate. If the mosque is far from them and they cannot hear the call to prayer, they should pray together in any place, not distributing themselves, rather, it is obligatory for them to pray together with a call to prayer, the second call, and a regular imam who prays with them, even if it is only the midday prayer. Congregation is obligatory in the midday, afternoon, sunset, night, and dawn prayers. So, their place of gathering for the midday prayer, they should pray in congregation. If they separate, each one prays in the mosque around him, but this is in the place where they pray the midday prayer. It is obligatory for them to gather in a mosque, if there is a mosque near them, and if there is no mosque near them, it is obligatory for them to have a place where they pray together.