Is it permissible to perform congregational prayer at home if the mosque is nearby, especially if the number of worshippers is small?

Congregational prayer in the mosque is obligatory for healthy men according to the majority of scholars, and they have adduced many proofs for this, including:

1. The Almighty's saying: (And when you are among them and lead them in prayer, let a group of them stand [in prayer] with you and let them take their weapons. And when they have prostrated, let them be behind you; then let another group who have not prayed come and pray with you); where Allah Almighty commanded congregational prayer even in a state of fear and did not permit its abandonment.

2. The Hadith of Abu Hurairah that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, I was about to order firewood to be collected, then order the prayer to be called, then order a man to lead the people in prayer, and then go to the men and burn their houses down upon them." Scholars interpreted this as proof of the obligation of congregational prayer, because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would not threaten burning for abandoning something that is not obligatory.

If the obligation of congregational prayer is established, then it is obligatory to perform it in the mosque. It is not permissible for a capable man to pray at home, even if he prays in congregation with his family. This is due to what was narrated from Ibn Umm Maktum, the blind man, that he asked the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to grant him permission to pray at home. The Prophet said to him: "Do you hear the call to prayer?" He said: Yes. He said: "Then respond." Also, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whoever hears the call [to prayer] and does not come, there is no prayer for him except for an excuse." And Ibn Mas'ud used to say: "We used to see ourselves during the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and no one would stay away from congregational prayer except a hypocrite or a sick person." The intent is that a believer must pray in the mosque, and the presence of only two men in the mosque does not negate the obligation to attend; rather, it affirms it. This small group constitutes a valid congregation, as scholars have unanimously agreed that the minimum number for a congregation to be valid is two: an Imam and a follower.