Abdull?h’s Ibn Mas‘?d ( - رضي الله عنه -) statements indicate that all muslims believed in its being an obligation and they were tought this ruling from their prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -). Were it just a recommendable act like Qiy?mul Lail, Duh? Sal?t and other N?filah Salaw?t, some of the muslims would have attended it and others would not have, yet remain true believers as that Bedouin did when he said to the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) ‘ By All?h ( - عز وجل -) , I will not do more than that [which you stated of the obligatory Ib?d?t] and I will not abandon any of them’. The prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) commented: ‘He would win [Paradise] if he is sincere [in what he promised to do]’.

No doubt that the acts of worship that are abandoned by hypocrites are all of the obligatory acts of worship that are obligatory on every muslim individual such as: going out to Tab?k Battle. The prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) ordered all muslim men to participate in it; none to stay back but those who have Shar‘ excuse. (1)

The following are some of the hard evidences that affirm the obligation of attending the congregational Sal?t:

(A) Im?m Muslim narrated in his “Sah?h” that: ‘Once a blind man came to the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) and said; ‘O All?h’s ( - عز وجل -) Messenger, I have no one to lead me to the mosque’ asking for the prophet’s ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) permission to perform Sal?t at home [which the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) gave]. When the man walked a way, the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) called him back and asked: ‘Do your hear the Ath?n [call] to Sal?t?’ The man answered in the affirmative. Then he ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) said: ‘Then answer the call [i.e. attend the Sal?t in the mosque]’. (2)

[According to the principles of the Islamic Jurisprudence,] the general order bears the meaning of obligation. Even the blind who lives far away from the mosque (3) may not abandon it. It was