If one does not perform prayers in the mosque, is he considered sinful?

Answer

Praise Be to Allah and Peace Be Upon His Messenger.

Performing the prayer in a congregation is one of the Islamic rituals which should not be neglected or left. If residents of a city do not perform prayers in congregation, they must be fought until they perform congregational prayers. When a Muslim does not perform prayers in congregation, they lose great rewards depending on what was mentioned in the prophetic hadith which was narrated by Ibn Omar: “Praying in congregation is twenty-seven times better than praying individually.”

Scholars have no final agreement on its ruling. Some say it (i.e. the congregational prayer) is a confirmed act of Sunnah. Others say it is an act of Sunnah but not confirmed. It is also said that it is a duty, and others say it is a sufficiency duty (once a group of Muslims performs it, it becomes not obligatory on others).  The most dominant opinion is that it is a duty upon mature male Muslims.

Abu Hurairah narrated that the prophet (PBUH) said: “I was thinking of commanding a man to call for a prayer, then I command a man to be the Imam, then I go with other men carrying a bundle of firewood to those who do not attend the congregational prayer and burn their houses around them. If one of them is informed that he will find a great reward (tangible one) then they will attend it (what is meant in this hadith is the Isha’ Prayer).”  Related by Muslim

Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud said: “I have witnessed the time when no one stayed away from the congregational prayer except a hypocrite whose hypocrisy was well-known or a sick man. But if a sick man could come to pray in a congregation with the help of two men: one on each side, he should come. The Messenger of Allah taught us the paths of right guidance, one of which is performing the prayer in the mosque where the prayer call is made.” Related by Muslim

It happened that a blind man came to the prophet (PBUH) asking for a permission to not go to the mosque and to pray at home. The prophet asked: “Do you hear the prayer call?” he said: “yes.” The prophet then said: “I do not find any permission for you.”

Some scholars, such as Ibn Taymiyyah, stated that the prayer which is performed at home without a serious excuse is not acceptable or valid. Ibn Taymiyyah narrated this from Imam Ahmad. However, this opinion is overweighed. The dominant opinion is if one prays at home, he is considered sinful and disobedient as he ignored performing the duty. If he insists on praying at home ignoring the congregational prayer, he is considered a rebellious; furthermore, his witness will not be considered, and his guardianship falls. This is the opinion adopted by the majority of scholars. However, his prayers are valid.

The evidence of this opinion (the prayer which is performed at home is valid) is the above-mentioned hadith which is narrated by Ibn Omar: “Praying in congregation is twenty-seven times better than praying individually.” To explain: as long as the congregational prayer is twenty-seven times better than praying alone, it means that the one who prays alone will get a reward which is less than the one who prays in a congregation. Once there is a reward for doing something, it means that the act is accepted.

Finally, I would like to note that the prayer which is performed at home individually is valid, but the one who insists on neglecting the congregational prayer without a valid excuse is sinful and disobedient. He must regret and observe repentance as his faith is incomplete.