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Fatwa CenterOffering the prayer at the due time is more obligatory than praying it in congregation
Question
We live in China, a non-Muslim country. Is it permissible for us to delay the congregational prayer for one hour after the due time, given that there are one or two individuals who are present in the prayer area during the due time while the rest have classes?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
It is impermissible to delay the prayer after the due time as Allaah The Almighty Says: (what means) {Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times}[Quran 4 : 103]
Ibn Mas‘ood 
narrated that he asked the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, “What is the most beloved deed to Allaah?” He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, replied: "Offering the prayer at the due time." I said: "What is the next (in goodness)?" He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, replied: "Dutifulness to one’s parents." I said: "What is the next (in goodness)?" He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, replied: "Fighting for the sake of Allaah." [Al-Bukhari]
Therefore, you must not delay offering the prayer after the due time. But you must know that the due time is the time prescribed by Allaah and that it must not be delayed after it, except for an acceptable excuse. However, the Muslim is not sinful if he missed the time chosen by the congregation of the Muslims or the Imaam as long as he did not leave offering the prayer in a congregation without an excuse or its due time has not elapsed.
The prescribed time is vast so that the Muslim can offer the prayer during any of its parts but it is recommended to offer the prayer at its earliest time.
The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, explained the prayer times saying: "The time of the Thuhr prayer starts when the sun passes the meridian and a man's shadow is the same (length) as his height, (and it lasts) as long as the time for the `Asr prayer has not come; the time for the `Asr prayer is the time when the sun has not become pale; the time of the Maghrib prayer is the time when the twilight has not disappeared; the time of the `Ishaa prayer is up to the middle part of the night and the time of the Fajr prayer is from the break of dawn, as long as the sun has not risen." [Muslim]
If there are two or more Muslims present they may offer the congregational prayer so as to attain its virtue. However, if you can not offer the prayer in congregation except if you delay it after its prescribed time, then you must offer it during the due time instead of delaying it in order to offer it in congregation. Though the congregational prayer is obligatory, offering the prayer at the due time is more obligatory.
Allaah Knows best.
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