is authentic while the other is weak; what lies behind such splicing is nothing but blind imitation and a failure to return to the foundational sources.

Note: The author has confined himself to citing this ḥadīth here, under the section on Friday prayer, even though he should also have mentioned it under the section on congregational prayer, for the word “call” (al-nidāʾ) covers both situations. Accordingly, just as the ḥadīth proves that Friday prayer is obligatory and that one may not stay away from it except for a valid excuse, it likewise proves the obligation of attending the daily congregational prayer, which may not be abandoned except for an excuse. The ḥadīth therefore stands as evidence against the author, who over there described congregational prayer as merely an emphatic sunnah. The reason is that the ḥadīth explicitly states that it is impermissible to absent oneself except with an excuse, and that is not the hallmark of a sunnah act, for a sunnah may be left without any excuse whatsoever so long as the obligatory prayers are performed. This is demonstrated by the Prophet’s ﷺ approval of the Bedouin who said, “By Allah, I will add nothing to them nor subtract,” and by his statement, “The man has succeeded if he is truthful,” or, in another wording, “He will enter Paradise if he is truthful.” It is therefore established that congregational prayer is compulsory and may only be left for a legitimate excuse; this is the correct position, as has already been explained.

As for the interpretation offered by some scholars who say that the Prophet’s ﷺ words “he has no prayer” mean “he has no complete prayer,” if what they intend thereby is to negate obligation—as the wording outwardly suggests—then it is invalid for two reasons:

1. His immediately adding the exception “except for an excuse”; such phrasing is never used for anything other than what is obligatory, as shown earlier.
2. This sort of interpretation is unknown in the revealed law, as Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) has demonstrated. Because of its importance, I shall quote his words in brief. He says in al-Qawāʿid al-Nūrāniyyah, p. 26:

“As for what people say—that this is merely a negation of perfection, like the statement, ‘There is no prayer for the neighbour of the mosque except in the mosque’—I say: this report has no authentic chain. One might reply to him, ‘Yes, it is indeed a negation of…’”