Risala ila Jar al-Masjid
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- Dar Ibn Khuzaymah
Risala ila Jar al-Masjid (A Letter to the Neighbor of the Mosque) is an exhortatory treatise by Azhari Ahmad Mahmoud addressing Muslims who live near mosques regarding the obligation, virtues, and spiritual necessity of attending congregational prayers in the mosque.
Scope and Core Concepts
The work defines the "neighbor of the mosque" based on the statement attributed to Ali ibn Abi Talib: that there is no valid prayer for the neighbor of the mosque except in the mosque, defining such a neighbor as anyone who can hear the call to prayer (adhan). The author argues that hearing the call establishes a daily obligation five times a day, and frames the treatise as an urgent reminder for those neglecting communal worship.
Textual and Scholarly Evidence
The treatise substantiates the obligation of congregational prayer in mosques through scriptural texts, Companion traditions, classical legal reasoning, and contemporary fatwas:
- The Quran: The author cites verse 4:102 of Surat al-Nisa regarding the fear prayer during warfare, quoting Ibn al-Qayyim to demonstrate that if congregation were merely supererogatory (mandub), altering standard prayer movements and enduring military risk would not have been mandated. The author also cites Surat al-Tawbah (9:18) on maintaining mosques as an indicator of true faith.
- Hadith and Companion Statements: The book cites the Prophet's ﷺ intention to burn the houses of those who fail to attend congregational prayers, the report that no prayer is valid for the one who hears the call except with an excuse, and the hadith of the blind man who was refused permission to pray at home because he could hear the call. It brings supporting reports from Companions such as Umar ibn al-Khattab, Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud, and Abu Musa al-Ash'ari condemning absenteeism from congregational prayers.
- Classical Jurisprudence: The author cites Ibn al-Mundhir on Companion consensus regarding the obligation, alongside Ibn al-Qayyim's legal deductions from Kitab al-Salah, such as allowing the combining of prayers during rain and permitting an ill person to pray sitting in a congregation rather than standing alone.
- Contemporary Rulings: The work includes fatwas issued by the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta in Saudi Arabia affirming that obligatory prayers must be performed in mosques by capable men. These rulings clarify that workplace staff near mosques must pray in those mosques rather than forming isolated workplace groups, and that a father praying at home with his children does not substitute for the mosque congregation.
Virtues, Warnings, and Historical Precedents
Mahmoud emphasizes warnings against hypocrisy (nifaq), highlighting the difficulty that the Dawn (Fajr) and Night (Isha) prayers present to hypocrites, and noting Abd Allah ibn Umar's remark that missing these two prayers raised suspicions among the early community. Conversely, he compiles hadiths on the spiritual rewards of regular mosque attendance, including divine shade on the Day of Resurrection, forgiveness of past sins, the supplications of angels, and protection from the Hellfire. He also abridges a list of societal and spiritual benefits of congregational prayer compiled by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani.
To inspire adherence, the text recounts historical accounts of early Muslim figures who prioritized mosque prayers under severe hardship:
- Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami, who chose to remain in the mosque on his deathbed.
- Amir ibn Abd Allah, who insisted on attending the Maghrib prayer while terminally ill and died during the prayer.
- Abu al-Darda', who commanded others from his deathbed to guard the Fajr and Isha prayers.
- Al-Harith ibn Hassan, who attended the Fajr prayer in congregation on his wedding night.
- Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, who refused to stay home despite death threats upon hearing the call to prayer.
The treatise concludes with an admonition reminding the reader of mortality, the darkness of the grave, and the traversal of the Bridge of Sirat, urging an immediate commitment to attending the mosque.
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