What is the ruling on congregational prayer for the traveler?

The Shaykh: All right, Professor, what do you have? Yes.

The questioner: Regarding the traveler.

The Shaykh: The traveler.

The questioner: Does that mean congregational prayer is obligatory upon him?

The Shaykh: The traveler, may Allah bless you, as I think you know, Friday prayer is not obligatory upon him, so a fortiori, congregational prayer is not obligatory upon him. However, if he is with a group, then congregational prayer is obligatory upon them. Is this clear?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh: All right, that is the answer to the question.

The questioner: All right, sometimes a group is traveling, and before reaching the city, the call to prayer is made. So when they arrive, is congregational prayer obligatory upon them as well...?

The Shaykh: I say that if they stop, they have their ruling, and if they are continuing their journey, they have their ruling. That is, if they stop, it is obligatory upon them to pray as we said, in congregation. If they are close to the mosque, there is no doubt that, given their nature as Muslims and their knowledge of the virtue and reward of congregational prayer, the more they are in number, the greater the reward, so they will prefer to pray in congregation at the mosque rather than pray with their group in the open, for example. As for if they are traveling, our Lord (Mighty and Majestic) does not command them to stop for Friday prayer, let alone for congregational prayer. Is that clear?

The questioner : If Allah wills.