Difficulty praying in congregation due to distance to mosque

9-2-2005 | IslamWeb

Question:

I understand that praying in congregation in a mosque is Waajib. However, the nearest mosque to my house is about 10 minutes drive (sometimes more if the roads are busy) and I do not hear the Athaan. I sometimes find that time does not allow me to do my Asr in the mosque then come home and then return for Maghrib because of the distance. Kindly advise if it is Waajib on me to pray in the mosque or can I pray in congregation at home with my wife?

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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 is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

If the distance between your residence and the mosque is such that when the Athaan is called loudly from a high place without microphones you cannot hear it then you are not obliged to attend the congregational prayer in the mosque. Congregational prayers become obligatory on a person if he hears the Athaan, but in your case you cannot hear it because of the remote distance. Allaah says (which means): {Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope.}[2:286]. Allaah further says (which means): {…and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship.}[22:78]. Therefore it is permissible for you to pray at home with your wife, and you get the reward of praying in congregation according to the opinion of jurists although, there is more reward in the congregational prayer in the mosque. Imaam An-Nawawi said: 'If a man prays at home with his friend or with his wife or with his children, he gets the reward of praying in congregation, but praying in the mosque is better.'

To conclude, there is no harm on you to pray at home if there is difficulty in going to pray in the mosque at every prayer because the distance is far.

Allaah knows best.