Leaving Wife and Kids Alone to Attend Jamaat

Q: Can you leave your wife and kids alone at home to attend jamaat?

A: The fear, mentioned in the Hadith, which permits one to read Salaah at home is understood in a general sense. It can refer to fear for one’s own well being or fear for the wife and children when they are left alone. Both are genuine excuses for the omission of jamaat salaah. So in cases where leaving the wife and children at home represents some danger to them, one will be allowed to leave out the jamaat salaah in musjid and offer the salaah at home. There are a few occasions where Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) missed jamaat in musjid, in which case he made jamaat with his family at home. In such cases jamaat should be performed with the whole family.