Our role toward those who neglect the congregational prayer, especially the Fajr prayer
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Question:
Some of the neighbors of the worshippers, and the neighbors of the mosque, do not attend the congregational prayer, especially the Fajr prayer. I have advised those around me, but they did not respond to the advice. I informed the imam of the mosque about this, and he said: "We have not been given a general dispensation regarding those who neglect the congregational prayer." We hope that the zealous ones will put a limit to this problem?
Answer:
In any case, it is necessary to follow up on this, and to be diligent in advising those who neglect it, and to advise the imam by giving him sincere counsel, and for the congregation and the neighbors to contact them to remind them and admonish them, so that perhaps they will be guided and become mindful, and respond to this obligatory duty. Perhaps the imams are struggling to check on people for the Fajr prayer, so this may encourage them and motivate them to attend. Likewise, the committees may assist them in this matter.
So the conclusion: This requires cooperation among everyone, between the imam, the mu'adhdhin, the congregation, and the committee. If they see among the congregation, or a person, laziness in this matter in the Fajr, or other than Fajr, in the Zuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, and 'Isha', if they check on the conditions of their congregation and cooperate in righteousness and piety, Allah will guide many through them. By visiting, two, three, or four people gather to visit the one they saw neglecting, they visit him, remind him, and say: "O so-and-so, fear Allah. This is a matter in which you are required to perform the obligatory duty, and not to open the door to evil and the door to laziness, whether it is the imam or one of the congregation."
This is part of cooperating in righteousness and piety. This happens most often in the Fajr prayer, because people usually stay up late. And when one stays up late, it becomes heavy for him to get up for the Fajr prayer. There is no power and no strength except with Allah. So the great calamity is staying up late watching television, or other things. If one stays up late, it becomes difficult for him to get up for the Fajr prayer. And this is one of the signs of hypocrisy. We seek refuge in Allah, and we ask Allah for safety.
But despite all this, it is necessary that the one who neglects be advised by the imam, the mu'adhdhin, and the congregation, not just by one person. If a group advises him, three or four, perhaps he will be shy, and perhaps he will be deterred. As for one person, he may not care about it, and he may respond with inappropriate words, and he may not even lift his head for him. But if they are a group who speak to him, or visit him, or meet him on the road and speak with him, this is part of cooperating in righteousness and piety.
Some of the neighbors of the worshippers, and the neighbors of the mosque, do not attend the congregational prayer, especially the Fajr prayer. I have advised those around me, but they did not respond to the advice. I informed the imam of the mosque about this, and he said: "We have not been given a general dispensation regarding those who neglect the congregational prayer." We hope that the zealous ones will put a limit to this problem?
Answer:
In any case, it is necessary to follow up on this, and to be diligent in advising those who neglect it, and to advise the imam by giving him sincere counsel, and for the congregation and the neighbors to contact them to remind them and admonish them, so that perhaps they will be guided and become mindful, and respond to this obligatory duty. Perhaps the imams are struggling to check on people for the Fajr prayer, so this may encourage them and motivate them to attend. Likewise, the committees may assist them in this matter.
So the conclusion: This requires cooperation among everyone, between the imam, the mu'adhdhin, the congregation, and the committee. If they see among the congregation, or a person, laziness in this matter in the Fajr, or other than Fajr, in the Zuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, and 'Isha', if they check on the conditions of their congregation and cooperate in righteousness and piety, Allah will guide many through them. By visiting, two, three, or four people gather to visit the one they saw neglecting, they visit him, remind him, and say: "O so-and-so, fear Allah. This is a matter in which you are required to perform the obligatory duty, and not to open the door to evil and the door to laziness, whether it is the imam or one of the congregation."
This is part of cooperating in righteousness and piety. This happens most often in the Fajr prayer, because people usually stay up late. And when one stays up late, it becomes heavy for him to get up for the Fajr prayer. There is no power and no strength except with Allah. So the great calamity is staying up late watching television, or other things. If one stays up late, it becomes difficult for him to get up for the Fajr prayer. And this is one of the signs of hypocrisy. We seek refuge in Allah, and we ask Allah for safety.
But despite all this, it is necessary that the one who neglects be advised by the imam, the mu'adhdhin, and the congregation, not just by one person. If a group advises him, three or four, perhaps he will be shy, and perhaps he will be deterred. As for one person, he may not care about it, and he may respond with inappropriate words, and he may not even lift his head for him. But if they are a group who speak to him, or visit him, or meet him on the road and speak with him, this is part of cooperating in righteousness and piety.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.
