Ruling on leaving the prayer in congregation

Imâm Muhammad bin Sâlih bin `Uthaymeen (died 1421)

 

Question: Is the one who leaves the prayer in congregation due to negligence and without a valid excuse considered to be sinful?

Answer: If he leaves the prayer in congregation due to negligence and without a valid excuse, and then prays alone, Shaykh-ul-Islâm Ibn Taymiyyah رَحِمَهُ اللهُ holds an opinion that his prayer is invalid – because he believes that the congregation is a condition for the validity of the prayer. The status of Shaykh-ul-Islâm Ibn Taymiyyah رَحِمَهُ اللهُ, when it comes to his knowledge, testament, faith and understanding is well known to everyone. This is his opinion, but it is weak from the point of view that the Messenger  said:

صَلاَةُ الْجَمَاعَةِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صَلاَةِ الْفَذِّ بِسَبْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ دَرَجَةً

“Prayer performed in a congregation is twenty-seven degrees more excellent than a prayer performed by a single person.” (Muslim 650)

This proves that a prayer performed alone is valid – otherwise there would be no reward for it. The opinion of Shaykh-ul-Islâm on this issue is therefore weak. The correct opinion is that the prayer in congregation is obligatory, while not a condition for the validity of the prayer.

The one who does not perform the prayer in congregation is sinful, disobedient to the Messenger  – and possesses a characteristic of the hypocrites, who are burdened by performing the prayer. The Messenger  said about them:

لَيْسَ صَلاَةٌ أَثْقَلَ عَلَى الْمُنَافِقِينَ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ وَالْعِشَاءِ، وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِيهِمَا لأَتَوْهُمَا وَلَوْ حَبْوًا

“No prayer is heavier upon the hypocrites than the Fajr and the `Ishâ’ prayers and if they knew what is in them (in reward), they would have attended them – even if they had to crawl.” (al-Bukhâree 657 and Muslim 651)