In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

Chapter: On the Imamate (Leadership in Prayer)

Congregational prayer (al-jama'ah) is obligatory (wajib) for the five daily prayers. It is reported similarly from Ibn Mas'ud and Abu Musa. 'Ata', al-Awza'i, and [Abu Thawr] held this view. Malik, al-Thawri, Abu Hanifa, and al-Shafi'i did not consider it obligatory, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "The prayer of the congregation excels the prayer of the individual by twenty-five degrees." This is agreed upon. Furthermore, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not rebuke the two men who said, "We have prayed in our dwellings." Had it been obligatory, he would have rebuked them. Moreover, if it were obligatory for the prayer, it would be a condition for its validity, like the Friday prayer (Jumu'ah).

Our evidence is the saying of Allah the Exalted: {And when you are among them and lead them in prayer...} [An-Nisa': 102]. If it were not obligatory, He would have granted a concession regarding it during the state of fear, and He would not have permitted neglecting the obligations of prayer for its sake. Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, I have considered ordering firewood to be collected, then ordering the prayer to be called, then ordering a man to lead the people in prayer, then going against men who do not attend the prayer and burning their houses down upon them." This is agreed upon. In this (hadith) is that which indicates