Doesn't attend the regular and Friday prayers due to his class
Fatwa No: 91128

Question

I am doing my studies where there is mosque some 5 km away and the college is not aware about Islam and they don't let us to go for prayers, even Friday prayers are not attended what should I do, and how many Rak'ahs should I offer Thuhr in Friday, please guide me.

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.

 

The prayer is the foundation of religion and the second pillar of Islam, so a Muslim should be steadfast in performing the prayer, as whoever preserves it, he preserves his religion, and whoever loses it, he is more likely to lose and neglect other religious obligations.

The congregational prayer is an obligation for whoever hears the Athaan (the call to the prayer), but since the mosque is this far, and it is unlikely to hear the Athaan from this distance if it is called without a loud speaker, then you are not obliged to offer the congregational prayer in this mosque. Rather, you are obliged to offer congregational prayer in the place of your residence if the number of people there forms a congregation [two people or more].

As regards the distance with which it becomes an obligation for a person to attend the Friday prayer, it is determined by the scholars to be 3 miles. So if the situation is such, then you are obliged to attend Friday prayer in the said mosque if the distance that you mentioned is less than 3 miles. However, if the mosque is in the same town, then you are obliged to attend Friday prayer whether the mosque is near or far, as stated by some scholars.

Therefore, you have to endeavour to convince the administration of the college to allow you to go and perform the prayer in this mosque. If they allow you, all perfect praise be to Allaah, but if they do not allow you, and you [students] are able to offer the Friday prayer in the college then you should do so, otherwise it is an obligation on you to offer four Raka'hs Thuhr prayer.

Finally, it should be noted that a Muslim should endeavour to study in a place where he will not find it difficult to practice his religion. Form more details please refer to Fatwa 83812.  

Allaah Knows best.

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