Would it be considered hypocrisy if I prayed Fajr in the mosque out of fear of being called a hypocrite, despite my inclination to pray at home?
A Muslim must perform acts of worship out of obedience to Allah and His Messenger, not to deflect an accusation or to seek the good opinion of people. Abandoning good deeds for the sake of people is hypocrisy (riya'), and performing them for their sake is polytheism (shirk). Congregational prayer in the mosque is obligatory according to many jurists. Failing to attend it was a sign of hypocrisy in the time of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, especially for the 'Isha and Fajr prayers. Therefore, the questioner should strive to perform congregational prayer in the mosque out of obedience to Allah and to purify himself from hypocrisy.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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