Q: What is the ruling on abandoning Salah (Prayer) in general and congregational Salah in particular?

A: Salah is one of the Five Pillars of Islam that immediately follows the Two Shahadahs (Testimonies of Faith). Anyone who abandons it out of denial of its obligation is a Kafir (disbeliever) by Ijma` (consensus of scholars). Anyone who abandons it out of underestimating its importance or out of negligence is regarded as a Kafir according to the correct scholarly opinion. This opinion is based on the Hadith related by Muslim in his Sahih (Authentic Hadith Book) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Between a person and Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or Worship) and Kufr (disbelief) is abandoning Salah. It was also related by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad (Hadith compilation) and by Al-Tirmidhy in his Al-Jami` (Hadith Collection) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The covenant that is between us and them is Salah. Anyone who abandons it has committed Kufr. Offering Salah in congregation is an individual obligation. The evidence supporting this is the Glorious Qur'an and the Sunnah. As for the Qur'an, Allah (Exalted be He) says: When you (O Messenger Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) are among them, and lead them in As-Salât (the prayer), let one party of them stand up [in Salât (prayer)] with you taking their arms with them. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) in this Ayah (Qur'anic verse) ordered the Prophet (peace be upon him) to offer Salah in congregation even when fearing to be overtaken by the enemy. This implies that this is all the more necessary at all other times. As for the Sunnah, it was authentically reported (Part No. 7; Page No. 283) in the Sahih (Authentic Hadith Book) Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: A blind man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, I do not have anyone to lead me to the Masjid,' and he asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to grant him a Rukhsah allowing him to pray in his house. He (peace be upon him) granted him that Rukhsah (concession), then when the man turned to leave, he (peace be upon him) called him back and said, 'Do you hear the call to Salah?' He said, 'Yes.' He (peace be upon him) said, 'Then answer it. According to the narration reported by Ahmad, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: I do not find a Rukhsah for you. This evidence argues that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not grant permission to a blind man to not attend the congregation. Consequently, sighted men, with all the more reason, are not entitled to that permission. This evidence also finds support in the Hadith in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) is authentically reported to have thought of burning down the houses of men who neglected attending the congregational Salah in the Masjid. Certainly, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would not utter such a threat because of their neglecting a commendable act or a collective obligation.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.