Are soldiers entrusted with guarding sensitive locations excused from attending Friday Prayer, and may they pray Dhuhr instead, fearing reprimand and punishment if they leave, and what is the ruling if the mosque is close to them?

A person assigned to guard important places is excused from attending Friday prayer if the mosque is nearby, and he prays Dhuhr instead, but he should limit the number of guards to the minimum necessary for security. The Permanent Committee for Issuing Fatwas has ruled that it is permissible for someone responsible for a duty related to the security of the nation and the preservation of its interests, such as telecommunications employees whose work requires their presence at prayer times, to miss Friday prayer. This is based on the generality of Allah's saying: (So fear Allah as much as you are able), and the saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him: (What I have forbidden for you, avoid; and what I have commanded you to do, do of it as much as you are able). The obligation of Friday prayer is dropped for him, but the obligation of Dhuhr prayer is not, so he prays it at its prescribed time. The Committee also permitted a guard at a gas station far from the town, which had previously been subjected to fire and theft, to pray Dhuhr instead of Friday prayer to guard the place and its workers. This is due to the generality of the evidence that permits missing Friday prayer in such cases.