Praying in congregation in the mosque is obligatory for men who are able to do it, according to the correct scholarly view, based on a great deal of evidence, including the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, I was thinking of issuing instructions that firewood be collected, then I would issue instructions that the call to prayer be given, then I would instruct a man to lead the people in prayer, then I would leave them and go and burn the houses of some men. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if one of them knew that he would find a meaty bone or a sheep’s foot, he would attend `Isha’ prayer.”

There is no specific distance defined in Shari`ah, rather that depends on `Urf (custom) or the distance within which the Adhan can be heard without a microphone.

If the Iqamah for prayer is given while you are still in the first Rak`ah of an optional prayer, then you should cut it short. If that happens when you are in the second Rak`ah, then you should complete it quickly and not cut it short.

There is a concession allowing Maghrib and `Isha’ prayers to be joined at the time of Maghrib when there is rain that soaks people’s clothes and will cause hardship when going to the mosque for `Isha’ prayer.

Prophet Muhammad preferred for women to pray in their houses and said that their reward for doing so is greater than their reward for praying in the mosque. If women need to pray in the marketplace and there is a place that is screened off, there is nothing wrong with them praying there. A woman’s prayer is not invalidated just because a man happens to see her.

Anticipating or preceding the Imam in prayer is forbidden, and if it is done deliberately, it invalidates the prayer. Delaying following him, like preceding him, is not allowed.

The sick person is excused from Jumu`ah prayer and from praying in congregation. What is meant by that is the kind of sickness which means that it is too difficult for the person to go and pray in the mosque.

The one who most deserves to lead the prayer is the one who has the most knowledge of the rulings on prayer and has memorized the most Quran.