Is congregational prayer a condition for the validity (Sihha) of prayer?
Chapter on Imamate and Congregational Prayer
Al-Mughni
Book of Prayer
Primary text
Congregational prayer is not a condition for the validity of prayer. This ruling is explicitly stated by Ahmad. If a person prays alone, there is no ruling of obligatory repetition (re-prayer) known among the scholars, despite some companions holding that the prayer of one who abandoned the congregation without excuse is invalid.
Supporting text
One view, narrated from Ibn 'Aqil, suggests that congregational prayer is a condition for validity, derived by analogy (Qiyas) with the other obligatory components of prayer. However, this view is deemed incorrect based on the existing proofs concerning attendance and established consensus regarding the non-necessity of repeating the prayer performed alone.