حَٰفِظُواْ عَلَى ٱلصَّلَوَٰتِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ٱلۡوُسۡطَىٰ وَقُومُواْ لِلَّهِ قَٰنِتِينَ
Verse: "Maintain with care the obligatory prayers and especially the middle prayer and stand before Allah in devout obedience." (2:238)
Ruling on congregational prayer:
- Hanbali: Individual obligation — prayer is invalid for one who abandons it without excuse.
- Shafi'i: Collective obligation — if established in the neighbourhood, it falls from individuals.
- Majority: Strongly confirmed Sunnah reaching the level of obligation — evidence: "I was about to order prayer to be established then go burn the houses of men who do not attend congregation." (Bukhari 644)
The middle prayer: The verse specifies it — the strongest view is that it is Asr, from the hadith "They have occupied us from the middle prayer, the Asr prayer." (Muslim 627)
"Qanitina": Standing before Allah with full reverence and obedience — describing the spiritual state required in prayer.
Question: What is the ruling on congregational prayer according to the four schools? What is the middle prayer?
Answer: Hanbali: individual obligation — Shafi'i: collective obligation — majority: strongly confirmed Sunnah reaching obligation. The middle prayer: most likely Asr.