Praying the congregational prayer at home.

Salah in Congregation is something we all must be missing these days. I saw this letter from a small boy and how much he missed his Salah in Masjid. This Viral picture in Social media says a lot.

An innocent letter by an innocent boy. Right?

May Allah end the crisis of Coronavirus and allow us to pray in Mosque. Today, let us learn about the Jama’ah (congregational Salah).

Jama’ah (congregation) is the mutual association present among Imam and Imam-followers. It is obligatory to pray in congregation in the mosque but since we are having a lockdown and Mosques are closed these days, We can learn some facts about congregational Salah and try to pray together in our homes.

Things to Know about Congregational Salah:

1. Congregation for Salah is valid if one person is present along with Imam for all Salahs except Friday Salah.
2. Congregation for Friday Salah is valid when three men other than
   Imam is present.
3. Congregational Salaah for five daily Salahs for men is a Sunnah Muakkadah for every individual, equivalent in importance
   to a compulsory act.
4. Missing a congregational Salah is not permissible except on the account of some excusable difficulty considered valid by the Shariah.
5. If a man has the habit of missing congregational Salahs without excusable difficulty, he is a sinner.
6. The congregation is a prerequisite for Friday Salah and Salahs of the two Eeds. Hence, Friday Salah and Eed Salah will not be valid without a congregation.
7. The congregation is an emphasized sufficiency Sunnah for
   Taraweeh Salaah and solar eclipse Salah.
8. Congregation for Witr Salah in the month of Ramazan is desirable.
9. Congregation for Witr Salah in a month other than Ramazan if
   held regularly is undesirable.
10. If some people do this once or twice without making it a regular
    affair, then there is no harm.
11. Congregation for Salah of lunar eclipse is Makruh.
12. Congregation for Nafil Salah is Makruh if it is held as a result of
    invitation and prior information.
13. If some people gather without invitation and prior information and start a congregational Nafil Salah without Adhan or Iqamah, then it is not Makruh.
14. A second congregation is Makruh in the mosque of a locality
    for which an Imam and a Muadhin have been appointed and in which the people of the locality have already performed congregational Salah withAdhan and Iqamah.
15. However, if the previous state has changed like if the Imam of the second congregation stands in a different place from that of the first Imam, then it will not be Makruh.

For whom is congregation Sunnah Muakkadah?

The congregation is Sunnah Muakkadah, equivalent in importance to a
compulsory act for people in whom the following prerequisites are present:

1. He should be a man. The congregation is not a Sunnah for a woman. She can Pray if she wants.
2. He should have attained puberty. The congregation is not a Sunnah for a child. He can pray if he wants.
3. He should be sane. The congregation is not a Sunnah for an insane
   man.
4. He should be free of excusable difficulties. Congregation is not
   a Sunnah for a man inexcusable difficulty.
5. He should be free. The congregation is not a Sunnah for a slave.
   However, if any of the aforementioned excused persons – woman, child, insane person, a person with excusable difficulty and slave – perform Salah with the congregation, their Salah will be valid and they will be rewarded for attending the congregation. (Note: there is no slavery in our time)

Qiyam of Muqtadi

1. If there is only one person with the Imam whether a man or a sentient
   child, he should stand on the right of the Imam slightly behind him.
2. If there are two or more men with the Imam, they should
   stand behind him.
3. Similarly, if a man and a child are there, they should stand behind
   the Imam.
4. If men, women, children, and eunuchs gather for a congregational Salaah, then men’s row should be in the front, closest to the
   Imam, then children’s, then eunuchs’, then women’s.
5. The most preferable among the gathered men for Imam-duty
   should stand in the first row so that one of them may be made Imam in case an Ablution-invalidator occurs to the current Imam.
6. If there is only one child in the gathering, he should stand-in
   men’s row.
7. If there is more than one child, they will stand in a row behind men’s rows. Men’s row should not be completed with them.

When attending a congregation is not necessary?

Attending a congregation is not necessary if any of the following excuses is present:

1. It is raining heavily.
2. It is stone-cold and he fears that if goes out for mosque, he would fall
   sick or his sickness would aggravate.
3. There is too much mud on the road.
4. It is very dark.
5. Strong wind is blowing at night.
6. The person is sick.
7. He is blind.
8. He is so decrepit as to be unable to walk to the mosque.
9. He is attending to a sick person, taking care of his needs.
10. He is finding it hard to suppress urine or excrement.
11. He is imprisoned, no matter whether it is on account of
    someone else’s right upon him or unjust.
12. He is without one or both legs.
13. He is suffering from a disease which disables him from walking,
    like paralysis.
14. The meal has been served for him and he is hungry, strongly inclined
    towards taking it.
15. He is preparing for a journey.
16. He fears the loss of his wealth if he engages in congregational Salah.
17. He fears the departure of the train or airplane if he engages in
    congregational Salah.

Note: From the book and Notes of Hanafi fiqh.