salat- Fatwa 10: Is Congregational prayer obligatory in European countries?
- Fatawa / Worship
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- Prayer
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Question:
Is it true that congregational prayer is not obligatory in European countries? If so, what is the evidence for this?
May Allah reward you with all good on our behalf.
Answer:
In The Name Of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful, and may peace and blessings be upon the best of messengers, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, the truthful, the trustworthy, who fulfilled his promises.
Dear brother, if there are Mosques in the country and the government allows Muslims to offer congregational prayer there, then congregational prayer is obligatory for those who live close enough to the Mosque to hear the Adhan.
If Muslims are not allowed to offer congregational prayer in a non-Muslim country, then it is not obligatory for them to do so in the Mosque. In that case, a Muslim may offer the prayer privately at home.
However, saying that congregational prayer is not obligatory in the first place is a claim without evidence.
Some scholars have stated that Friday prayer is only obligatory when it is performed in congregation and led by an Imam. However, this is a less-preferred opinion, and does not have clear evidence from Quran or Sunnah.
