He was asked about a man whose example others follow in neglecting congregational prayer.

He replied:

Anyone who believes that praying at home is better than praying in congregation in the Muslims’ mosques is a misguided innovator, by the consensus of the Muslims. Congregational prayer is either an individual obligation or a communal obligation.

The evidence from the Quran and Sunnah indicates that it is an individual obligation. Even those who consider it a strongly emphasized sunnah rather than obligatory censure anyone who persistently neglects it. Indeed, according to them, anyone who persistently neglects sunnah practices of lesser importance than congregational prayer loses his standing as an upright person, and his testimony is not accepted. What, then, of someone who persistently neglects congregational prayer?

By the consensus of the Muslims, he is to be commanded to attend it and censured for neglecting it. A person who persists in neglecting the regular sunnah prayers, which are of lesser importance than congregational prayer, is not to be permitted to adjudicate, give testimony or issue fatwas. What, then, of congregational prayer, which is the greatest of Islam’s outward observances? And Allah knows best.