upon you any hardship in religion.” [al-Hajj 22:78] And His saying: “Allah intends ease for you and does not intend hardship for you.” [al-Baqarah 2:185]
Among the well-known legal maxims is: hardship brings about ease. There is no doubt that the Friday prayer is far more emphatically required than congregational prayer, since the Muslims are unanimously agreed that it is an individual obligation, due to the saying of Allah, Most High: “O you who believe, when the call is made for prayer on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah.” [al-Jumu‘ah 62:9]
As for congregational prayer, the disagreement concerning it has already been mentioned, and the preponderant view is that it is an individual obligation (1). Yet its degree of emphasis is not like that of the Friday prayer. Nevertheless, both of these prayers are waived due to a valid excuse. Excuses are of various types.
His statement, “A sick person is excused from attending the Friday prayer and the congregational prayer”: this is one type of excuse.
What is meant is an illness that would cause the sick person hardship were he to go and pray. This is the first type.
Its evidence is:
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The saying of Allah, Most High: “So fear Allah as much as you are able.” [al-Taghabun 64:16]
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And His saying: “Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity.” [al-Baqarah 2:286]
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And His saying, Most High: “There is no blame upon the blind, nor is there blame upon the lame, nor is there blame upon the sick.” [al-Fath 48:17]
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And the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: “When I command you to do something, do of it as much as you are able.” (2)