If you have no obligations keeping you from showing up at the mosque for all five prayers but can't

[kevindcl]

I became a Muslim on Friday and it was a wonderful decision.

I did not know when I said Shahada that males are obligated to show up to the mosque for prayer if they have no excuse (like school, work, or other social obligations). I thought as long as you said your five daily prayers that everything was fine, whether you said them at home or at the mosque. I thought the Friday prayer was the only one you were really stressed to show up for.

When one of the brothers told me that the males are expected to show up for any prayer in the day that they can make it to, I was not upset because I love to go to the mosque and worship, see my new brothers, etc. However, I took this semester off college to deal with some personal issues, so I am currently not working or going to school. This means that I have no excuse to not show up for any prayer at the mosque (at least from what I've been told). The problem with this is that, since I am not working and am living off a fixed income, I don't have the gas money to drive back and forth to the mosque five times a day. I was told that when I show up for Maghrib, I can stay at the mosque until it's time for the Isha prayer since most of the brothers consider it pointless to drive home and come back in such a short amount of time. But even so, I don't have the money to spend on gas to drive back and forth to the mosque even four times a day. The mosque is across town from my house and I just can't afford it.

What would be your suggestion? Should I just figure out how many times I can afford to drive there and back each day based on my current income and then pick which prayers to show up for? Which ones are the most important for me to go to if I have to choose to skip some?

 

[PARVEZ SHAHIDI]

:salam2: Brother in Islam,

All praise due to Allah Subhanu wa Taa'lah who has guided you to the true straight path.

There are lots of knowledgeable brothers and sisters here in TTI who will be able to answer your question, inshaAllah.

The small amount of knowledge I have gained here in TTI, yes there is a hadith in which our Prophet instructed a shahaba to response to the Athan when he hears it.

So if you can hear the Athan from the mosque you will have to response to it. Nafal prayers are encouraged to be prayed at home.

But you are far away from the mosque and you can not hear the Athan, so you do not fall into the category who will have to response to it and go to the mosque for all the prayers.

On the other hand, farad prayers in mosque carry lot more rewards then farad prayers at home.

Islam is not a burden. Do your best and Allah Subhanu wa Taa'lah knows every thing and He is the most merciful and kind.

May Allah Subhanu wa Taa'lah make things easy for you.

Lots of other reverts brothers and sisters also say that as soon as they became muslim, some muslim started to pressure new muslims "Do this, do that".

Tell them "Thank you for your advice, then politely tell him, please do your own ebadha, I shall do mine".

May Allah Subhanu wa Taa'lah forgive me if I have said something wrong.