Part of Concepts of Ahl as-Sunnah (series completed)
· Lesson 324 of 1251
Summary of Sunni concepts | Concept (322) | Evidence of the obligation of congregational prayer is hidden from many people
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Transcript
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A summary of the concepts of Ahl al-Sunnah.
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Evidence for the obligation of congregational prayer.
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This is hidden from many people.
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The evidence for the obligation of congregational prayer is abundant and well-known.
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However, among the strong evidence for it, despite its obscurity to many people,
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is the description of the prayer of fear (salat al-khawf).
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For the prayer of fear is mentioned as being performed in congregation,
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in ways and forms that involve a compromise of the obligations in the usual prayer,
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such as reducing the number of units (rak'ahs) and excessive movement within it, and so forth.
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The principle is that when an obligation and a recommended act conflict,
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the obligation takes precedence over the recommended act.
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So, if congregational prayer were merely recommended,
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then praying individually, while preserving the obligations of prayer, would take precedence.
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But since these obligations were abandoned for the sake of the prayer of fear performed in congregation,
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this indicates that congregational prayer is obligatory.
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Indeed, it is more obligatory than preserving some of the obligations of prayer.