Ruling on praying behind a Shi’i

 

Can we pray behind a Shia?

Praise be to
Allaah.

We need to describe the beliefs
(‘aqeedah) of the Shi’a so as to know the ruling on praying behind them. 

For details on their beliefs,
please see the answer to Question no. 4569. 

With regard to preying behind
one who is of this nature, Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on
him) said: 

“It is not permissible to
pray behind any of the mushrikeen, including those who seek the help
of anyone other than Allaah and seek support from him, because seeking
help through anyone other then Allaah, such as the dead, idols, the
jinn, etc. is shirk, the association of others with Allaah, glorified
be He.” 

Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn
Baaz (vol. 2, p. 396) 

And he said: one should not
pray behind any imaam who is known to exaggerate concerning the Ahl
al-Bayt (members of the Prophet’s household). If no such thing is known
about him or any other Muslim, then it is OK to pray behind them. 

Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn
Baaz, vol. 12, p. 107

What should a person do if it is too hard for him when the imam prostrates for a long time?

 

If it is too hard for me when the imam prostrates for a long time, what should I do? Should I prostrate with the imam then rise before him, or delay prostrating behind him?.

Praise be to Allaah.

If he cannot prostrate from the time when the imam says the
takbeer until he rises, then he should prostrate with the imam, then if it
becomes too hard for him to continue prostrating, he may rise a little but
stay as close as possible to the ground, and this will not mean that he is
differing from his imam. If he cannot prostrate on the ground, then he may
prostrate as close as he can to the ground. End quote. 

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (may Allaah have mercy on him). 

 

 

The Imam misses Fajr prayer and argues with them about money issues

 

Our Imam in the Masjid acts and Behaves in a bad way and I would like to know the ruling on this please.He went against the introduction of new syllabus in madrassa as the masjid did not produce an hafiz in its 30 year history. Also allegation that he is doing sihr on the secretary as he is making the changes.Also the Imam fails numerous times on Fajr prayers, uses phone during Madrassa lessons. Also this imam has been dismissed from three other masjids for bad behaviour and also arguing about money issues. Please advice on the correct ruling. is sit right to pray behind for all, the secretary and should be he dismissed? Are the masjid commitee committing a sin by keeping him?.

Praise be to Allaah.

It is important to choose
as the imam one who is known for righteousness, decency and keenness to
benefit the people, because the post of imam is a noble post and the one who
does this task is acting in the stead of the Prophets, caliphs and scholars.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said: “The people
should be led by the one who has most knowledge of the Book of Allaah. If
they are equal in knowledge of Qur’aan, then by the one who has most
knowledge of the Sunnah. If they are equal in knowledge of the Sunnah, then
by the one who migrated first. If they are equal in terms of migration, then
by the one who entered Islam first”

Narrated by Muslim (673). 

So the Prophet (blessings
and peace of Allaah be upon him) chose for the position of imam the best and
most perfect. 

If the imam has the
shortcomings or faults that you have mentioned, then he should not have been
appointed as an Imam in the first place and he should be dismissed from the
post so long as that will not lead to greater mischief. 

Abu Dawood (481) narrated
that a man led some people in prayer and spat in the direction of the qiblah
whilst the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him)
was looking on. When he had finished, the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and
peace of Allaah be upon him) said: “He should not lead you in prayer.” After
that, he wanted to lead them in prayer but they stopped him and told him
what the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him)
hadsaid. He mentioned that to the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace
of Allaah be upon him) and he said “Yes”, and I (the narrator) think he
said: “You offended Allaah and His Messenger.”

the hadeeth was classed as
hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn
Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: the imams are agreed that it
is makrooh to pray behind an evildoer, but they differed as to whether (such
a prayer) is valid. It was said that it is not valid, as was the view of
Maalik and Ahmad in one of the two reports narrated from them. And it was
said that it is valid, as was the view of Abu Haneefah and al-Shaafa’i, and
the other view narrated from (Ahmad and Maalik). But they did not differ
concerning the fact that it is not appropriate to appoint him (as an imam).
End quote from Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (23/358). 

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said: If it is possible not to appoint one who commits
evil openly as an imam, then one must avoid that. But if someone else
appoints him and he cannot dismiss him from this post of imam or it is not
possible to dismiss him from the post of imam except by means of an evil
that will cause greater harm than the harm of the evil that he commits
openly, then it is not permissible to ward off a lesser evil by means of a
greater evil or to ward off a lesser harm by means of a greater harm. Islam
came to achieve and complete interests and to ward off and reduce evil as
much as possible. End quote from Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz
(9/377). 

With regard to prayer
offered behind him, it is valid even if he is an evildoer, according to the
more correct of the two scholarly opinions. See the answer to question
number 13465. 

But if what is said about
him is proven, that he does witchcraft, then in this case it is not
permissible to make him an imam or to pray behind him. 

To sum up: advice should be
offered to such a person first of all, and he should be reminded that he is
an example for others and that things may be regarded as bad on his part
that are not regarded as such on the part of others, and that he has to
avoid all causes of suspicion, and strive to do his work and fulfil the
trust that has been given to him. 

The committee that is in
charge of the mosque has to dismiss him from the post of imam so long as
they are able to do that, and appoint someone who is more suited to this
post than him, and is less likely to come under suspicion and is more likely
to bring people together. 

May Allaah help us all to
do that which He loves and which pleases Him. 

And Allaah knows best.

 

 

It is makrooh for the imam to single himself out in joint supplication to the exclusion of the people praying behind him

 

If the imam prays for himself during congregational prayer, is it considered to be a betrayal of the people praying behind him? Is that permissible, or must we pray for the members of the congregation?.

Praise be to Allaah.

What is meant by the du'aa'
in which the imam and the people praying behind him all take part in a
congregational prayer is where the imam says the du’aa’, and the people
behind him say ameen. This is the case in which it is makrooh for the imam
to single out himself in du'aa' to the exclusion of the people praying
behind him. That is because of the report narrated from Thawbaan (may Allaah
be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace
of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are three things which it is not
permissible for anyone to do: a man should not lead people in prayer and
single himself out for du'aa' to the exclusion of them, and if he does that
then he has betrayed them; and he should not look into a house before asking
permission, and if he does that then he has entered; and he should not pray
when he needs to relieve himself until he has done so.” 

Narrated by Abu Dawood (no.
90) and al-Tirmidhi (37); he said the hadeeth of Thawbaan is a hasan hadeeth. 

This hadeeth was classed as
weak by Ibn Khuzaymah, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, Ibn al-Qayyim and
others. 

See Da’eef Abi Dawood
by Shaykh al-Albaani (12, 13). 

If we assume that the
hadeeth is sound, then what it means is what we mentioned at the beginning:
singling himself out for mention in a du'aa' which he shares with the people
praying behind him. 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn
Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about the words of the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him): “a man should not lead
people in prayer and single himself out for du'aa' to the exclusion of them,
and if he does that then he has betrayed them” -- is it mustahabb for the
imam, every time he offers du'aa' to Allaah, glorified and exalted be He, to
include the people praying behind him? Is it related in a saheeh report from
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) that he singled
himself out in du'aa' during his prayer to the exclusion of them? How can we
reconcile between these two? 

He answered: 

It is proven in
al-Saheehayn from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he
said to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him): When you
are silent between the takbeer and recitation, what do you say? He said: “Allaahumma
baa’id bayni wa bayna khataayaaya kama baa’adta bayna al-mashriqi
wa’l-maghrib. Allaahumma naqqini min khataayaaya kama yunaqqa al-thawb
al-abyad min al-danas. Allaahumma ighsilni min khataayaaya bi’l-thalji
wa’l-maa’i wa’l-barad   (O Allaah, put a great distance between me and
my sins, as great as the distance You have made between the East and the
West. O Allaah, cleanse me of sin as a white garment is cleansed from filth.
O Allaah, wash away my sins with snow and water and hail).”  

This is a saheeh hadeeth
which clearly states that he prayed for himself alone when he was acting as
an imam. Similarly, there is the hadeeth of ‘Ali concerning the opening
du’aa’, which begins: “ I turn my face to the One Who created the heavens
and the earth”, in which it says, “forgive me for no one forgives sin except
You, and guide me to the best of attitudes for the one guides to the best of
them except You, and divert bad deeds from me, for no one diverts bad deeds
from me except You.”  

Similarly, it is proven in
al-Saheeh that he used to say after raising his head from bowing: “No
one can withhold what You have given, and no one can give what You have
withheld.” 

All these hadeeths, which
refer to his du'aa' after the tashahhud, are narrated in the singular, such
as his words: “Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika min ‘adhaabi jahannam wa min
‘adhaab il-qabri wa min fitnat il-mahyaa wa’l-mamaat wa min sharri fitnat
il-maseeh il-dajjaal (O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from the torment
of Hell and from the torment of the grave and from the trials of life and
death and from the evil of the trial of the Dajjaal).”.” 

the same applies to his
du'aa' between the two prostrations, which is mentioned in al-Sunan
in the hadeeth of Hudhayfah and in the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas, and in both
cases the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) was leading
the prayer, on one occasion leading Hudhayfah and on the second occasion
leading Ibn ‘Abbaas.. 

According to the hadeeth of
Hudhayfah, he said, “Lord forgive me, Lord forgive me,” and according to the
hadeeth of Ibn Abbaas, he said: “Forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me,
pardon me, and grant me provision” and so on. 

These hadeeths which appear
in the books of Saheeh and Sunan, indicate that in these
places the imam may say du’aa’ in the singular. Similarly, scholars are
agreed on that, as they were of the view that this type of du'aa' is
prescribed. 

Once this is understood, it
will become clear that what is meant in the hadeeth mentioned -- if it is
sound -- is the du'aa' in which the person praying behind the imam says
ameen, such as du’aa’ al-Qunoot, when if the person says ameen then he is
saying du’aa’. Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, said to Moosa and
Haroon (interpretation of the meaning: “Verily, the invocation of you
both is accepted” [Yoonus 10:89]. And one of them was sayng the du’aa’
and the other was saying ameen. 

If the person praying
behind the imam is saying ameen to the du'aa' of the imam, then the imam
should offer the du’aa’ in the plural form, as in the du’aa’ of al-Faatihah,
“Guide us to the Straight Way”. The person praying behind the imam of
says ameen because he believes that the imam is offering du’aa’ for both of
them together, so if he does not do that then the imam has betrayed the
person praying behind him. 

As for the places in which
each person offers supplication on his own behalf, as in the opening du’aa’,
following the tashahhud and so on, where the person praying behind the imam
is offering supplication for himself, then the imam may offer supplication
for himself. End quote. 

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa
(23/116-118) 

Al-Iraqi (may Allaah have
mercy on him) said:    

Part of the etiquette of
supplication is that the one who offers du'aa' in a gathering should not
single himself out for du'aa' among them, or single himself and some of them
out but not all of them. All the members of the congregation should be
included in the du’aa’ by the imam, so he should not single himself out to
the exclusion of the people praying behind him, because of the report
narrated by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi from the hadeeth of Thawbaan (may
Allaah have mercy on him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and
peace of Allaah be upon him) said: “A man should not lead people in prayer
and single himself out for du'aa' to the exclusion of them, and if he does
that then he has betrayed them.” al-Tirmidhi said: it is a hasan hadeeth. 

The apparent meaning is
that this is to be understood as referring to that in which the people
praying behind him do not take part in saying the du’aa’, such as du’aa’
al-Qunoot and the like. As for that which everybody says, such as saying
between the two prostrations, “O Allaah forgive me and have mercy on me and
guide me,” each of the people praying behind him says this du’aa’, so there
is nothing wrong in that case with saying it in the singular. But some of
the people praying behind him may omit that because they forget or they do
not know this is mustahabb. In that case the imam should make the pronoun
plural.  End quote. 

Tarh al-Tathreeb
(2/136-137) 

And Allaah knows best.

Is it Sunnah for the muezzin to pray directly behind the imam?

 

Is it Sunnah for the muezzin to stand directly behind the imam 100%? 


I hope that you can advise me so that we can put an end to an argument in the mosque.

Praise be to Allaah.

With regard to the muezzin standing behind the imam, there is
no specific Sunnah that is proven from the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allaah be upon him). The only thing that is narrated concerning that is that
it is mustahabb for those who are most wise and dignified to be closest to
the imam. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said: “Let
those who are most wise and dignified be closest to me”. Narrated by Muslim
(432). 

But there is nothing wrong with leaving a space behind the
imam for the muezzin to stand when he has finished reciting the iqaamah or
call immediately preceding the prayer, so that he can find a suitable place
in which to pray without having to cut through the rows. And there is
nothing wrong with this place being slightly to one side of the imam, to the
right or left. 

And Allaah knows best.

There is nothing wrong with a person who has done tayammum leading in prayer people who have done wudoo'

 

Is it permissible for a person who has done tayammum to lead the prayer because there is no one else apart from him who can lead the prayer?.

Praise be to Allaah.

It is permissible for a person who has done tayammum to
lead in prayer people who have done wudoo' if he did tayammum for a
legitimate shar’i reason to purify himself from minor or major impurity.
It is permissible for him to lead in prayer those who have purified
themselves with water, and there is nothing wrong with that. Even if there
is someone else who is qualified to lead the prayer, but he (the one who
did tayammum) leads them in prayer, there is nothing wrong with that if he
is himself qualified to lead the prayer. End quote. 

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him). 

Meaning of the hadeeth, “The imam is a liable one”

 

Some people told me that the prayer of the one who prays behind an imam is dependent upon the prayer of the imam, i.e., so long as the imam does not make a mistake in his prayer, the prayer of the one who is praying behind him is valid, because it is dependent on it, whether the one who is praying behind him makes a mistake or not. Is this ruling correct, and what is the evidence for that? Does this mean that what invalidates the prayer when it is offered in congregation is different from when one is praying alone?.

Praise be to Allaah.

In a congregational prayer, the imam is in front of the
people before Allah and is leading them in the most important ritual of
Islam, namely the prayer. Hence his prayer is very important and the prayer
of those who are praying behind him is connected to it in many rulings, the
aims of which are summed up in the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be
pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) said: “The imam is liable and the muezzin is entrusted. O
Allah, guide the imams and forgive the muezzins.” 

Narrated by Abu Dawood, 517; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani
in Saheeh Abi Dawood. 

The words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him), “The imam is liable” include many of the meanings of liability or
responsibility on which the scholars are unanimously agreed with regard to
prayer in congregation. 

“The imam is liable” means that it is obligatory for him to
protect the prayer of those who are praying behind him from becoming invalid
and to remember the number of rak‘ahs; he should not peck in the prayer
(i.e., move too quickly), which undermines the pillars of the prayer, and he
should not fall short in fulfilling the conditions of the prayer; he should
make sure that he does the Sunnahs and postures of prayer properly, and so
on. 

“The imam is liable” means that he takes on behalf of those
who are praying behind him the responsibility of reciting out loud in the
prayers where recitation is to be done out loud, and the responsibility of
reciting the short soorahs (after al-Faatihah) too. He also covers the
mistake of the one who prays behind him if he omits some of the Sunnahs and
even if he omits reciting al-Faatihah if he comes late to the prayer. All of
that is covered in the idea of liability or responsibility, on which there
is scholarly consensus. 

“The imam is liable” also means that he is responsible for
offering supplication for all those who pray behind him if he says Qunoot or
offers supplication for them. He is responsible for teaching those who
prayed behind him the rulings on prayer so that it will not be spoiled and
they will not be deprived of the full reward. 

Al-Shawkaani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

“The imam is liable” -- liability or responsibility includes
the meanings of sponsorship, protection and care. 

What is meant is that they – i.e., imams – are liable or
responsible when they recite Qur’aan and adhkaar quietly. That was narrated
from al-Shaafa‘i in al-Umm. 

And it was said that what is meant is the responsibility to
make sure that his supplication includes all people, not only himself. 

And it was said that it is because he takes care of standing
and reciting for the one who joins the prayer late. End quote. 

Nayl al-Awtaar, 2/42. 

Nevertheless the scholars did not understand from this
hadeeth what some people understand, which is that if the imam’s prayer is
valid the prayer of those who are praying behind him is also valid no matter
what mistakes they make, and that if the imam’s prayer becomes invalid, then
the prayer of the those who are praying behind him also becomes invalid even
if they did all the essential parts and fulfilled all the conditions. 

Rather the scholars say that mistakes that may be made by the
one who is praying behind the imam in his prayer are either of two types: 

1.    
Either it is the kind of
mistake which invalidates the prayer, such as loosing one’s wudoo’, eating,
drinking, laughing and other things that invalidate the prayer. That also
includes omitting any essential part of the prayer. Such mistakes render the
prayer of the one who is praying behind the imam invalid and the imam cannot
cover any of that, according to scholarly consensus.

2.    
Or it is the kind of mistake
that does not invalidate the prayer, such as omitting some Sunnahs or
aspects of postures, or making some mistakes such as turning the head,
smiling and the like, which does not make the prayer invalid. Or it may
include forgetting some obligatory parts of the prayer, such as forgetting
to recite the first tashahhud or the tasbeeh when bowing and prostrating,
and the like. These are the mistakes that may be covered by the imam’s
prayer, and the reward for praying in congregation may cover shortcomings
and mistakes that a person may make. 

There are some fiqhi issues concerning which the fuqaha’ of
the four madhhabs differed, according to their differences about the meaning
of the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), “The
imam is liable”. These may be seen in the books that discuss differences of
scholarly opinion. 

Is the prayer of the person praying behind the imam rendered invalid if the imam’s prayer becomes invalid?

 

Is it possible for someone to invalidate the salat of another person? For example, can the imam invalidate the prayers of everyone else without them knowing?.

Praise be to Allaah.

The scholars differed concerning the relationship between a
person’s prayer and the prayer of the imam. There are three opinions:

(i)               
That there is no connection
between them and each person is praying on his own account. This is the
prevailing view among the Shafaa‘is.

(ii)             
That it is connected to the
imam’s prayer and stems from it, so any fault that affects the imam’s prayer
will affect the prayer of the one who is praying behind him. This is the
view of Abu Haneefah and is narrated in one report from Ahmad.

(iii)           
That it is connected to the
imam’s prayer, but it only affects the prayer of the one who is praying
behind him when there is no excuse on the part of either of them. But if
there is an excuse, a defect in the imam’s prayer does not affect the prayer
of the one who is praying behind him. If the imam believes that he has
wudoo’, then he is excused for leading the people in prayer and the one who
is praying behind him is excused for following him in prayer. This is the
view of Maalik, Ahmad and others and this is what could be understood from
the report narrated from the Sahaabah concerning this issue. And this is the
soundest approach. 

Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa by Shaykh
al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him), 23/370-371 

Thus the prayer of one who is praying behind an imam is not
necessarily invalidated as soon as the imam’s prayer becomes invalidated,
because if the one who is praying behind him does his prayer properly,
fulfilling all its conditions and doing all of its essential and obligatory
parts, it is not permissible to regard it as invalid except with sound
evidence. This is indicated by the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (694) and
Ahmad (8449) from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), according to
which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: “They lead you in prayer; if they do it properly then it is for you
and for them, but if they make a mistake then it is for you and against
them.” 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

Ibn al-Mundhir said: This hadeeth refutes those who say that
if the prayer of the imam is rendered invalid, the prayer of those praying
behind him is also rendered invalid. End quote. 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him)
said: 

This is a text which shows that if the imam makes a mistake
it is his responsibility and not that of those who are praying behind him.
End quote. 

Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 23/372 

Al-Sa‘di (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

The correct view is that the prayer of the one who is praying
behind an imam is not rendered invalid in all cases if the prayer of his
imam becomes invalid, even if the imam’s prayer became invalid during the
prayer and he exited it. The one who is praying behind the imam may carry on
with his prayer, either on his own, or one of them may lead them in the rest
of the prayer. This is a strong report from Imam Ahmad. End quote. 

al-Fataawa al-Sa‘diyyah, 7/120

Based on that, if the prayer of the imam became invalid for
some reason which has nothing to do with the prayer of the one who is
praying behind him, then the prayer of the latter is not rendered invalid,
such as if the imam prayed without wudoo’ by mistake, or he lost his wudoo’
during the prayer. 

There are some cases in which the prayer of the one who is
praying behind the imam does become invalid if the prayer of the imam is
rendered invalid. For example: 

-        
If the imam’s prayer becomes
invalid for an obvious reason that could not be hidden from those who are
praying behind him, and they continue following him in prayer, such as if he
did not face the qiblah or cover his ‘awrah, or he failed to say takbeerat
al-ihram (the opening takbeer) or to recite al-Faatihah in a prayer in which
Qur’aan is to be recited out loud. 

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If other
conditions are not met by the imam, such as covering (his ‘awrah) and facing
the qiblah, the one who is praying behind him cannot be excused, because
such things usually cannot be hidden, unlike minor impurity (losing one’s
wudoo’) and najaasah (impurity, i.e., on his clothes). End quote. 

Al-Mughni, 1/420 

The prayer of the imam and the one who is following him is
rendered invalid if there passes between the imam and his sutrah anything
that interrupts the prayer, such as a woman, a donkey or a black dog. If a
woman walks in between the imam and his sutrah, his prayer is rendered
invalid, as is the prayer of those who are praying behind him, because the
sutrah of the imam is the sutrah of those who are praying behind him, as the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you
stands to pray, he will be screened if he has something in front of him that
is like the back of a saddle. If he does not have something in front of him
that is like the back of a saddle, then his prayer will be interrupted if a
donkey, a woman or a black dog passes in front of him.” Narrated by Muslim,
510. 

See also the answer to question no.
3404. 

And Allah knows best.

 

 

Person for whom the prayer is obligatory praying behind one who is offering a naafil prayer

 

A friend of mine was offering 2 rakahs sunnah after Maghrib in the Mosque, when a new comer joined him for Jamaah. My friend didn't know what to do as he was offering the Sunnah and he knew that the new comer was under the impression that he was offering fard. After the prayer my friend was still in the Mosque when the new comer finished his prayer and asked my friend why he had not been reading out loud as it was MAghrib. My friend informed him that he had been reading the Sunnah and therefore could not have read out loud. Could you please clarify with daleel [proof from Hadith/Sunnah] as to what should be done in such a situation where you are offering a Sunnah prayer and someone joins you thinking its Fard?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

There is
nothing wrong with one who is offering an obligatory prayer praying behind
one who is offering a naafil prayer. It is proven that Mu‘aadh ibn Jabal
(may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray ‘Isha’ with the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he would go back to his
people and lead them in praying ‘Isha’, and the prayer was naafil for him
and obligatory for them. 

It was narrated
that Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Mu‘aadh ibn
Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray with the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he would go to his people
and lead them in prayer. And he would recite al-Baqarah. … The Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Recite ‘By the sun and
its brightness’ [al-Shams 91:1], and ‘Glorify the Name of your Lord,
the Most High’ [al-A’la 87:1] and the like.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari
(5755) and Muslim (465). 

Al-Nawawi
said: 

In this hadeeth
we see that it is permissible for one who is offering an obligatory prayer
to pray behind one who is offering a naafil prayer, because Mu‘aadh used to
offer the obligatory prayer with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him), so he discharged his duty, then he would pray the
second time with his people, so it was voluntary for him and obligatory for
them. This is stated clearly elsewhere than in Muslim, and this is
permissible according to al-Shaafa‘i (may Allah have mercy on him) and
others. End quote. 

Sharh Muslim,
4/181 

Secondly: 

There is
nothing wrong with a person starting his prayer alone and then becoming an
imam when someone else joins him. 

It was narrated
that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I stayed overnight
with my maternal aunt. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) got up to pray at night and I got up to pray with him. I stood on his
left and he took hold of my head and made me stand on his right.

Narrated by al-Bukhaari
(667) and Muslim (763). 

Imam al-Bukhaari
included this report in a chapter entitled: If the imam did not intend to
lead others in prayer, then people join him so he leads them in prayer. 

And it was
narrated that Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of
Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was praying in Ramadaan,
and I came and stood beside him, and another man came and stood too, until
there was a group of us. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) realized that I was behind him, he made his prayer brief.

Narrated by
Muslim (1104). 

Some of the
scholars said that it is permissible to do this in naafil prayers, but not
in obligatory prayers. But the correct view is that it is valid in both
cases. 

Shaykh al-Islam
Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

The correct
view is that that is permissible in both obligatory and naafil prayers. End
quote. 

Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa,
22/258 

Shaykh Ibn
‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

But the correct
view is that it is valid in both obligatory and naafil prayers. With regard
to naafil prayers, it is mentioned in the text; with regard to obligatory
prayers, what is proven in the case of naafil prayers is also proven with
regard to obligatory prayers, unless there is evidence to the contrary. 

Al-Sharh al-Mumti‘,
2/304 

Thirdly: 

If a person
starts to pray behind a man who has started to offer a naafil prayer, as in
the case asked about here, then the imam has the choice as to whether he
recites out loud or quietly. But if he intended to lead the prayer from the
outset, then he should recite out loud, because of the hadeeth of Mu‘aadh
(may Allah be pleased with him) quoted above. 

And Allah knows best.

 

Islam Q&A

 

Is exaggerating in beautifying the voice when leading people in prayer regarded as showing off?

 

Sometimes when i lead the prayer and i try to make my voice good while reciting quran . and after the prayer i feel that i did exagrate are sho offed. but i say to my self that this is prophet Muuhammed9sallahu alaihai wasallam) hadith that to make voice good .and i dont knwo what should i do .

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

Beautifying the voice when reciting Qur’aan is something
mustahabb that is encouraged in many texts, such as the words of the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “Adorn the Qur’aan with your
voices.” Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 1015; Abu Dawood, 1468; classed as saheeh
by al-Albaani. 

Al-Sindi said: 

i.e., make your voices beautiful when reciting, because
beautiful words become even more beautiful when recited in a beautiful
voice, and this is something well known.

End quote from Haashiyat Sunan al-Nasaa’i, 2/179 

Al-Munaawi said: 

By doing it in a beautiful voice and doing it well, this
encourages people to listen to it and ponder it.

End quote from Fayd al-Qadeer, 4/90. 

Being keen to beautify one’s voice when reciting Qur’aan is
something that is prescribed in Islam, and it is not regarded as blameworthy
effort or showing off. 

This is indicated by the report narrated from Abu Moosa al-Ash‘ari
(may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) listened to my recitation at night. The next
morning he said: O Abu Moosa, I listened to your recitation last night; you
have been given a beautiful voice like the beautiful voice of Dawood.” I
said: O Messenger of Allah, if I had known you were there, I would have made
it more beautiful? 

Narrated by al-Nasaa’i in al-Sunan al-Kubra, 7/273;
Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh, 16/169; al-Bayhaqi in his Sunan,
3/12; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani (3532). 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer said: This indicates that it is
permissible to put extra effort into beautifying one’s voice. Abu Moosa had
been given a beautiful voice along with perfect focus, and the gentleness of
the people of Yemen. This indicates that this is something that is
acceptable in sharee‘ah.

End quote from Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 1/63. 

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have
mercy on him) said: 

This indicates that if a person makes his voice beautiful
when reciting Qur’aan so that the listener may enjoy it and feel happy when
hearing it, there is nothing wrong with that and it is not regarded as
showing off. Rather this encourages people to listen to the word of Allah,
may He be glorified and exalted, so that the people will feel happy to hear
it.

End quote from Sharh Riyadh al-Saaliheen, 4/662 

Al-Haafiz said in al-Fath (9/63): 

There is no doubt that people are more inclined to listen to
recitation if it is done in a melodious voice than to listen to one who does
not have a melodious voice, because the melodious voice is more effective in
softening the heart and bringing tears. 

What may be understood from the evidence is that beautifying
the voice when reciting Qur’aan is something desirable; if a person’s voice
is not beautiful than he should beautify it as much as he can, as Ibn Abi
Mulaykah said. End quote. 

And he said: Ibn Abi Dawood narrated via Ibn Abi Musji‘ah who
said: ‘Umar used to give precedence to a young man with a beautiful voice
because of his beautiful voice (to lead people in prayer).

End quote from Fath al-Baari, 9/80 

Secondly:

If your intention by beautifying the voice is to achieve the
hoped-for aims of sharee‘ah, such as obtaining proper focus and humility in
the heart and making the eye weep, or to move the people when listening to
the Qur’aan, this is something that is prescribed in Islam and is
encouraged, and it cannot be regarded as showing off at all. 

But if your aim in doing that is to show how beautiful your
voice is and how good your recitation is so that people will praise you for
it, then this is a kind of showing off and you have to strive against these
thoughts so that your action will be sincerely for the sake of Allah alone. 

See also the answer to questions no.
9359 and
156796. 

And Allah knows best.

 

 

When one comes to the mosque and finds the last row full

 

What should a person who comes to the
Prayer late and finds that there is no space in the rows do?; does he pray by himself due
to the weakness of the hadeeth which demands that the person pulls a person from the row?
What about a person from the filled row backing up himself for the person who is praying
alone in the back?

Praise be to Allaah.

The following questions were put to the Standing Committee for Academic
Research and Issuing Fatwas (al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth
al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Iftaa):

A person comes to the prayer and finds the rows full, and the last
person in the row is a boy. Can he pull him back to pray beside him, or what?

If he comes and finds that the people are doing rukoo’, is it
correct for him to pull someone back when he is in rukoo’, or what?

If the rows are full, and he cannot find anyone to pray with him except
for young boys, some of whom have reached the age of discernment and some have not, is it
OK for him to pray with them in that row?

The committee replied:

If he finds the row is full, he should wait until someone else comes to
stand beside him, and should not pull anyone out of the row. If he can join the row or
pray on the imaam’s right, he should do so. As for standing in the row with the boys,
if they are of the age of discernment, then it is OK to join their row, because of the
reports in al-Saheehayn and elsewhere from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him)
who said:

“The orphan and I formed a row behind him, and the old lady stood
behind us” – referring to their praying behind the Messenger of Allaah SAWS
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), when he visited him in his house one morning.
If the boys are not yet of the age of discernment, then then praying with them behind the
last row is like praying standing alone, and it is not correct to pray standing alone
behind a row, because the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“There is no prayer for the one who stands alone behind the row.”

And Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet
Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace.

Al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah
wa’l-Iftaa, Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 8/706

If it is feared that he will miss the prayer and there is no place in
the row, and no one else comes along to pray behind the imaam, then his prayer standing
alone is valid, because Allâh says (interpretation of the meaning):

“So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can” [al-Taghaabun
64:16]. This was the fatwa of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, may Allaah have mercy on
him. And Allaah knows best.

 

Islam Q&A

 

What is the distance within which it is obligatory to pray in the mosque?

 

Iam ging to travel to the UK and stay there for one week InshAllah ,the nearest mosque to my residence there is about one and a half kilometres away. Of course I would not here the call to prayer because adhan is not announced in the UK in most places . It would be rather difficult for me to walk this long distance five times a day back and forth for jamaa prayers( I am in very good health but this distance five times daily would be some effort). I know I could take a bus but still would be alot of work when done five times a day. Would it be permissible for me to pray alone at my residence for that week? I have read that the distance beyond which adhan could not be heard is about five kilometres but I believe this is a very long distance indeed to ask anyone to walk to reach the mosque, besides I could not imagine how adhan could be heard anyway from this very long distance even if it is very quiet. I believe there is some mistake in this calculation. Kindly please give me your opinion as to praying at my residence , is it allowed or not?

Praise
be to Allaah.  

It is obligatory upon the one who hears the call to prayer
given in a normal voice, without the use of loudspeakers, to respond
and attend the prayer in congregation in the mosque from which the call
is given, because the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever hears
the call and does not come [to the mosque], there is no prayer for him,
except for one who has an excuse." This was narrated by Ibn Maajah,
al-Daaraqutni, Ibn Hibbaan and al-Haakim with a saheeh isnaad.

Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) was asked
what counts as an excuse. He said, "Fear or sickness." Muslim
narrated in his Saheeh from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased
with him) that a blind man said, "O Messenger of Allaah, I do not
have anyone to guide me to the mosque; may I have a dispensation to
let me pray in my house?" The Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "Can you hear
the call to prayer?" He said, "Yes." He said, "Then
respond."

In Saheeh Muslim it is narrated that Ibn Mas'ood
(may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "Whoever wants to meet Allaah
tomorrow as a Muslim, then let him pray these prayers regularly when
the call for them is given, for Allaah has shown your Prophet the ways
of guidance, and they are part of the ways of guidance. If you pray
in your houses like this one who stayed at home, then you have forsaken
the Sunnah of your Prophet, and if you forsake the Sunnah of your Prophet
you will go astray. And at that time we saw no one stay behind except
for a hypocrite who was known for his hypocrisy or one who was sick.
A man would be brought to the prayers, supported by two others, so that
he could stand in the row."

In al-Saheehayn it is narrated that the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "I was thinking
of commanding that the call to prayer should be given, then the iqaamah,
then I would command a man to lead the people in prayer, and I would
go out with some men carrying bundles of wood to people who do not attend
the prayers, and I would burn their houses with them inside." There
are many ahaadeeth which speak of the importance of the prayer and urge
us to pray in the mosques. It is obligatory for the Muslims to pray
regularly in the mosques and encourage one another to do that and to
co-operate in doing so… But in the case of one who is far away from
the mosque and cannot hear the call to prayer except via the loudspeaker,
he is not obliged to attend the mosque and he and others who are with
him can pray in jamaa'ah on their own, because of the apparent meaning
of the ahaadeeth quoted above. But if they take on the hardship and
join the congregation in the mosque from which they cannot hear the
call to prayer except via loudspeakers, because they are far away from
it, that will increase their reward, because the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "The people who
will earn the greatest reward for prayer are those who live farthest
away, (and the further away you live, the more reward you will earn)."
And there are very many ahaadeeth which speak of the virtues of going
to the mosque and encourage us to do so. And Allaah is the Source of
strength.

Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah
have mercy on him), vol. 12, 58-61

The scholars said concerning the guidelines on hearing
the call to prayer (adhaan):

Al-Shaafa'i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: [the
guideline is the distance within which the adhaan can be heard] if the
muezzin has a loud voice and a person can hear (i.e., he is not deaf),
and there is little noise and the wind is still – because if the muezzin
does not have a loud voice, and the people are not paying attention,
and there is a lot of noise, then fewer people would hear the call.

Al-Umm, vol. 1, p. 221

Al-Nawawi said: the guideline with regard to hearing the
call to prayer is that the muezzin stands at a certain location in the
city, there is no noise and the wind is still, and a person can hear
him; if a person can hear him he is obliged to attend the prayers in
the mosque, and if he cannot hear him, he is not obliged.

(al-Majmoo' Sharh al-Muhadhdhab, vol. 4, p. 353

Ibn Qudaamah said: The furthest place from which the call
can usually be heard– if the muezzin has a strong voice and stands in
a high place, and the wind is still and there is no noise, and the listener
is not inattentive – is the distance which is to be taken into account.

(al-Mughni,
vol. 2, p. 107).

 

Did it ever happen that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) started to pray when he was junub by mistake?

 

We seek a detailed answer about this Hadeeth:


Narrated by Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the prophet (PBUH) went out to pray, and when he said Allahu Akbar, he left and referred to them to stay as they are. Then he left, had ghusl and came back with his hair dripping of water, and led the prayer. After he fished the prayer he said: “I was junub and forgot to make ghusl” narrated by Ahmed.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

This incident was narrated from the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the books of Sunnah. To sum
up, the people had formed their rows to pray behind the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and he stood before them as if he was
going to lead them in prayer, then he remembered that he was junub, so he
gestured to them to stay where they were, and he went and did ghusl, then he
came back to them with his head dripping with water. 

But there are some differences in the reports: 

Did the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) say takbeer and then remember that he was junub? Or did he remember
before the opening takbeer? 

The reports may be summed up as follows: 

1 – A version which clearly states that he remembered that he
was junub before he started to pray: 

This version was narrated by ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Wahb from Yoonus
from al-Zuhri from Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf from Abu
Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), as was narrated in Saheeh
Muslim (605), where it says: The iqaamah for prayer was given, and we
stood up and made the rows straight before the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came out to us. Then the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came
and stood in his prayer place before saying the takbeer, then he went away
and said to us: “Stay where you are.” We remained standing, waiting for him,
until he came out to us. He had done ghusl, and his head was dripping water.
Then he said takbeer and led us in prayer. 

Saalih ibn Kaysaan narrated from al-Zuhri – as was recorded
by al-Bukhaari (639) as follows: 

… until, when he was standing in his prayer place and we were
waiting for him to say takbeer, he turned and said, ‘Stay where you are.’ We
stayed where we were until he came out to us with his head dripping with
water, as he had done ghusl. 

2 – A version which clearly states that he said takbeer and
started to pray, then remembered that he was junub. 

This was narrated by Usaamah ibn Zayd from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn
Yazeed, the freed slave of al-Aswad ibn Sufyaan, from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd
al-Rahmaan ibn Thawbaan, from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him),
as is recorded by Ibn Majaah in al-Sunan (1220), al-Daaraqutni
(1/361) and al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra (2/397). This version
says:

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
came out to pray and said the Takbeer, then he gestured to them to wait. He
went and did ghusl, and his head was dripping with water whilst he led them
in prayer. When he finished he said, “I came out to you in a state of
janaabah, and I forgot until I had started to pray.” 

But there is some weakness in this isnaad with regard to
Usaamah ibn Zayd al-Laythi, Abu Zayd al-Madani. In his biography in
Tahdheeb al-Tahdheeb (1/209) it says: He was regarded as matrook by
Yahya ibn Sa’eed. Ahmad said: he is nothing. Abu Haatim said: His hadeeth
may be written down but should not be used as evidence. Al-Nasaa’i said: He
is not strong. Ibn Hibbaan said: He makes mistakes although he is of sound
character. End quote. No one narrated that he was trustworthy except Yahya
ibn Ma’een, but in another report from him he said that his ahaadeeth were
regarded as munkar. 

This version was also narrated via Muhammad ibn Sireen from
Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said takbeer, leading them in Fajr
prayer, then he gestured to them and went away, then he came back with his
head dripping, and led them in prayer. He said: “I am only human; I was
junub and I forgot.” 

Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Awsat (5/317) and
al-Sagheer (2/74). He said: No one narrated it from Ibn ‘Awn except
al-Hasan ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan, and it was narrated only by Abu’l-Rabee’
al-Haarithi. It was also narrated by al-Bayhaqi (2/398). But this report
contains an error. The correct version was narrated from Muhammad ibn Sireen
from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). That is
based on two points: 

1 – The trustworthy narrators among the companions of Ibn
‘Awn differed with the report of al-Hasan ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan. Al-Bayhaqi
said: It was narrated by Ismaa’eel ibn ‘Aliyah and others from Ibn ‘Awn from
Muhammad from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
in a mursal report.  End quote.  

2 – Others followed Ibn ‘Awn in his mursal narrations. Abu
Dawood (233) said: It was narrated by Ayyoob, Ibn ‘Awn and Hishaam from
Muhammad in a mursal report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him). End quote. 

Al-Bayhaqi said in Ma’rifat al-Sunan wa’l-Athaar
(1306): This is how it was narrated by Ayyoob and Hishaam from Muhammad via
a mursal isnaad, and it was narrated by al-Hasan ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan
al-Haarithi from Ibn ‘Awn, from Muhammad, from Abu Hurayrah, but the former
is more sound. End quote. 

There is some corroborating evidence in other reports which
say that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
remembered he was junub after he had said the takbeer and started the
prayer: 

1-

It was narrated from al-Hasan from Abu Bakrah (may Allaah be
pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) started to pray Fajr, then he gestured with his hand,
saying stay where you are, then he came with his head dripping and prayed. 

Narrated by Abu Dawood (233), Ahmad (5/41), Ibn Khuzaymah
(3/62), Ibn Hibbaan (6/5), al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra (3/94) and
al-Tahhaawi in Bayaan Mushkil al-Athaar (2/86). According to some
versions it says “and he said takbeer”. 

Ibn Rajab said in Fath al-Baari (3/599): The hadeeth
of al-Hasan from Abu Bakrah is like a mursal report, because al-Hasan did
not hear from Abu Bakrah according to Imam Ahmad and the majority of earlier
scholars. End quote. 

2-

It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik said: The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) began to pray, and
he said takbeer and we said takbeer with him, then he gestured to the people
(as if saying) stay where you are. Then we remained standing until the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to
us having done ghusl, and his head was dripping with water. 

Narrated by al-Daaraqutni (1/362), al-Tabaraani in
al-Awsat (4/92), al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra (2/399) via
Mu’aadh al-‘Anbari from Sa’eed ibn Abi ‘Aroobah from Qataadah from Anas. 

This hadeeth was also narrated in a mursal report from
Qataadah from Bakr ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Muzani. 

3-

It was narrated that ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) led us in prayer one day, and he left, then he came with
his head dripping water and led us in prayer. Then he said: I led you in
prayer just now when I was junub. Whoever experiences something like I
experienced, or feels cramps in his belly (as if needing to defecate), let
him do what I did.” 

Narrated by Ahmad (1/99), al-Tabaraani (6/272) and al-Bazzaar
(890). Its isnaad includes Ibn Luhay’ah, who is somewhat weak. Al-Tabaraani
said in al-Awsat (6/272). This hadeeth was only narrated from ‘Ali
with this isnaad, and it was narrated only by Ibn Luhay’ah. 

4 – It was narrated from ‘Ata’ ibn Yasaar that the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said takbeer in
one of the prayers, then he gestured to them with his hand to stay put, and
he went away, then he came back with traces of water on his skin. 

Narrated by Maalik in al-Muwatta’ (1/48/no. 110) with
a saheeh isnaad to ‘Ata’ who was one of the Taabi’een. 

Al-Bayhaqi said in al-Sunan al-Kubra (2/398): 

The report of Abu Salamah from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be
pleased with him) is more saheeh than the report of Ibn Thawbaan from him,
but with  the report of Ibn Thawbaan from him there is the report of Abu
Bakrah, and the report of ‘Ata’ ibn Yasaar and Ibn Sireen is mursal. It was
also narrated from Anas ibn Maalik. End quote. 

To sum up: When all these many isnaads are taken together,
which report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said takbeer and started to pray before he remembered that he was
junub, especially the saheeh reports from Ibn Sireen, Bakr al-Muzani and
‘Ata’ ibn Yasaar, all of that indicates that the incident did indeed take
place, and there is no contradiction between these reports and the report of
Abu Hurayrah which says that it happened before he said the takbeer, because
the incident may have been repeated, so it happened in one way on one
occasion and in another way on another occasion. Thus it is possible to
reconcile the reports.  

Abu Haatim Ibn Hibbaan said in his Saheeh (6/7): 

This is something that happened twice, on separate occasions.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came out on one
occasion and said takbeer, then he remembered that he was junub, so he left
and did ghusl, then he came back and resumed the prayer; and on another
occasion he came out and he stood to say takbeer, then he remembered that he
was junub before he said takbeer, so he went and did ghusl, then he came
back and led them in prayer, and there is no contradiction between the two
reports. End quote. 

Al-Nawawi said in Sharh Muslim (5/103): 

It may be that they were two separate incidents, which is
more likely. End quote. 

There is no problem, praise be to Allaah. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was a human being and he forgot
as all people forget. He made mistakes in his prayer on many occasions, and
none of the scholars denies that, rather they said that he was infallible
and protected from forgetting anything of the wahy (revelation) completely
in such a way that would cause it to be lost. 

Secondly: 

With regard to the fiqh of the hadeeth and deriving rulings
from it: 

It indicates that if the imam leads the people in prayer when
he is not in a state of purity (tahaarah) by mistake, then the prayer of the
people praying behind him is not affected, and it remains valid; and the
imam is the only one who is enjoined to repeat it, not those who prayed
behind him. 

The reason for that is that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) went back and did ghusl, then he came and
said takbeer for his prayer, and the people behind him were in their rows
and were still in a state of prayer, and he did not tell them to repeat the
takbeer with him. 

Ibn Rajab said in Fath al-Baari (3/600-602): 

There is nothing in the hadeeth to indicate that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) continued from where he had
left off from the opening takbeer when he forgot that he was junub, so it
could only have been one of two scenarios: 

1 – When he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
came back he said the opening takbeer and the people said takbeer with him 

2 – or the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) repeated the opening takbeer, and the people behind him continued
from their previous takbeer. 

This is what was suggested by al-Shaafa’i, who regarded it as
the basis for the validity of the prayer of one who is in a state of purity
behind an imam who prays in a state of impurity because he  forgot. 

Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said: some of the companions of Maalik
agreed with al-Shaafa’i concerning that. 

Two reports were narrated from Imam Ahmad concerning members
of the congregation starting and completing the prayer if they follow one
who forgot that he was impure, then he remembers it during his prayer. 

It was narrated from al-Hasan that they should complete their
prayers. 

The view of al-Shaafa’i is that it makes no difference
whether the imam forgot that he was impure or he remembered it, if the
person who prayed behind him did not know, and the one who prayed behind him
does not have to repeat his prayer. 

This is the view of Ibn Naafi’ among the Maalikis, and Ibn
‘Abd al-Barr narrated it from a number of fuqaha’ in the regions and
scholars of hadeeth. 

And it was narrated from Maalik and Ahmad that the one who
prayed behind the imam has to repeat the prayer. 

Hammaad, Abu Haneefah and his companions, and Sufyaan
al-Thawri –  according to the better known report from him –  said that the
one who prayed behind the imam should repeat the prayer, even if the imam
forgot and did not remember until he completed his prayer. End quote. 

On our site you will find a number of answers which state
that the prayer of the one who prayed behind an imam is valid if it becomes
apparent that the imam is without wudoo’, and that it is only the imam who
has to repeat the prayer, not those who prayed behind him. See
27091 and
85011. 

And Allaah knows best.

 

He works as an accountant and does not pray in congregation occasionally because of that

 

I work as an accountant and when the time for prayer comes I cannot pray in congregation sometimes, until my colleague comes and replaces me. Please note that outside of work I offer all the prayers regularly in the mosque.

Praise be to Allaah.

Prayer in congregation is
obligatory for men who are able to do it, according to the more correct of
the two scholarly opinions, based on a great deal of evidence that has been
explained in the answer to question no.
8918. 

An exception from that is
made for the one whose work cannot be left because obvious harm would result
from that, such as those who guard important places or doctors doing surgery
and the like; they may stay away from prayer in congregation. 

As for working as an
accountant, there does not seem to be any reason for not praying in
congregation because of it, because you can close the books, computers and
offices in order to go and pray. The boss has no right to stop employees
from praying in congregation. This has been discussed in the answer to
question no. 72895. 

We advise you to try to
pray in congregation and to do things that will help you to do that, and to
advise your bosses at work, because prayer is the most important pillar of
Islam after the Shahaadatayn, and it is the cause of success and prosperity
in this world and in the Hereafter. 

And Allaah knows best.

 

 

We have a prayer room in our school, but it is not big enough for all the students and some students stand in a row next to the imam. Is the row that is nest to the imam the first row, even though it happens every day?.

Praise be to Allaah.

The first row is that which is behind the imam. So the row
that is directly behind the imam is the first row, and those who form a row
to his right and his left will not have the reward of the first row, because
this standing -- meaning members of the congregation standing on the right
and on the left -- is something that is permitted but it is not mustahabb.
Standing behind the imam is undoubtedly the Sunnah, but if someone is forced
to stand on his right or on his left, they may do so but that is not
regarded as the first row. 

Question: even though this happens every day throughout the
year? 

Shaykh: There is no problem with that in any case. This thing
is permissible, to Allaah be praise. Their standing on his right and on his
left is better than their waiting until the first group has finished. End
quote. 

Shaykh Muhammad ibn’Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) 

 

 

 

Can a person be excused if he does not pray Jumu’ah or pray in congregation in the mosque, if there is turmoil in his country and he fears for himself if he goes to the mosque, and is afraid that he may be killed, imprisoned or beaten? As these reasons valid excuses for him not praying Jumu’ah or offering prayers in congregation?.

Praise be to Allaah.

We ask Allaah to set the affairs of the Muslims straight, and
keep us and you away from places of turmoil and trials, and to unite them on
the truth, and grant them victory against their enemies, for He is able to
do that. 

Praying in congregation in the mosque is obligatory for men
who are able to do that, and there is a great deal of evidence for that
which has been explained in the answers to questions no.
120 and
8918. 

The obligation of performing prayers in congregation and
Jumu’ah prayers is dependent upon there being no danger to a person’s life
or wealth or family, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“and [Allaah] has not laid upon you in religion any
hardship”

[al-Hajj 22:78]

“Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make
things difficult for you”

[al-Baqarah 2:185] 

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in
al-Mughni (1/366): The one who is afraid is excused for not praying in
congregation or praying Jumu’ah, because the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Valid excuses are fear and
sickness.” 

Fear is of three types: fear for oneself, fear for one’s
wealth or property, and fear for one’s family. End quote. 

If a person fears that he may be killed or arrested and
imprisoned unlawfully, then this is regarded as a valid excuse for his not
praying in congregation or praying Jumu’ah, and he may offer these prayers
in his house in order to protect himself. 

But if he prays Jumu’ah in his house, then he should pray it
as Zuhr with four rak’ahs, not like Jumu’ah prayer. 

And Allaah knows best.

The right side of the row is better than the left

 

Which is better, to pray on the right side of the imam or on his left? Which is better, the right side of the row or the left?.

Praise be to Allaah.

If only one man is praying with the imam, then he should
stand to the imam’s right, and not on his left, because of the hadeeth of
Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him), who stayed overnight with his
maternal aunt Maymoonah (may Allaah be pleased with her); the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) got up to pray qiyaam al-layl,
and Ibn ‘Abbaas stood on his left, and he reached behind him and made him
stand on his right. This indicates that if only one person is praying behind
the imam, he should stand on the right and not on the left. 

But if more than one person is praying behind the imam, then
they should stand behind him, and the right side of the row is better than
the left. This applies if the two sides of the row are similar, but if the
right side of the row is clearly stretching further than the left, then
being on the left and closer to the imam is better.  

Based on this, the people praying behind the imam should not
all be on the imam’s right to the extent that there is no one on his left
except one or two men. That is because what is prescribed in the case of
three men is that the imam should be between them, with one man on his right
and one on his left; they should not all be on his right. This indicates
that the imam should be in the middle of the row or thereabouts. 

To sum up: the right is better if the sides are equal or
close to that. But if the right hand side stretches further, then the left
is better, because it is closer to the imam. End quote. 

 

 

I He is tired after work and does not want to pray in congregation

 

What is the ruling on a person who comes home from work tired and has something to eat, then he waits for the adhaan for ‘Asr and prays at home on his own, and does not go to perform the prayer with the congregation, then he goes to sleep?

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him)
was asked a similar question and he replied: 

What you mention is not a valid shar’i excuse for you to delay praying with the congregation. Rather what you must do is hasten to pray with your Muslim brothers in the houses of Allaah (the mosques), then rest and eat after that, because Allaah has made it obligatory for you to pray on time with your Muslim brothers in congregation. What you mention is not a legitimate shar’i excuse to delay it. Rather that is a trick of the Shaytaan and of the (human) self which is inclined towards evil; it is a sign of weak faith and a lack of fear of Allaah. So beware of your whims and desires and your shaytaan (devil), and your (human) self which is inclined towards evil; if you do that the consequences will be good and you will attain salvation and happiness in this world and in the Hereafter. May Allaah protect you from the evil of your own self and help you to avoid the traps of the Shaytaan. 

If he enters the mosque when the imam has stood up from bowing, what should he say?

 

If I come to the mosque and the imam has stood up from bowing, what should I say at this point? Should I say “Rabbana wa laka al-hamd” or what?.

Praise be to Allaah.

If you enter the mosque
when the imam has stood up from bowing, then you should say the dhikr that
is prescribed at this point, which is Rabbana wa laka’l-hamd, and you should
not say the opening du’aa’, because its place is the beginning of the
prayer, and you should not say A’oodhu Billaahi min al-shaytaan il-rajeem,
because its place is before recitation. 

Al-Bukhaari (689) and
Muslim (411) narrated from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“The imam has been appointed to be followed, so when he says takbeer, then
say takbeer; when he prostrates, then prostrate; when he rises, then rise,
and when he says, Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah, then say Rabbana
wa laka’l-hamd. And if he prays sitting, then you should all pray
sitting.” 

For more information,
please see the answer to question no. 33592 and
43574. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may
Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: If I join the imam when he is bowing,
when I stand up for the second rak’ah should I recite the opening du’aa’ or
not? 

He (may Allaah have mercy
on him) replied: If a person who joins the prayer late joins the imam when
he is bowing, then he should say the opening takbeer first (takbeer
al-ihraam) before bowing, then he should bow, but in this case if he says
the takbeer for bowing it is better, but if he does not say it, it does not
matter. This is the view of the scholars (may Allaah have mercy on them).
Then when he gets up for the second rak’ah, he should not say the opening
du’aa’ because the opening du’aa’ should only be said at the beginning of
the prayer, and the beginning of the prayer has already passed. It is a
Sunnah and he has missed its place, so he should not make it up at a point
which is not the right place for it. But he should seek refuge with Allaah
from the accursed shaytaan before reciting. End quote from Fataawa Noor
‘ala al-Darb. 

To sum up: If a person
catches up with the imam at some point, he should recite the dhikr that is
prescribed at that point, such as if he catches up during the sitting
between the two prostrations, he should say Rabb ighfir li, and if he
catches up during the tashahhud he should recite it, and so on. 

See also the answer to
question no. 69821.

And Allaah knows best.

 

The imam’s saying: “Allaah does not look at a crooked row”

 

We hear a lot our imams saying before starting the prayers: “Allah does not look to a crooked row” is this a prophetic hadeeth or just a saying?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Undoubtedly a crooked row is an improper row, and the
worshippers are sinning if they do not make the row straight, because the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned those who do
not make the row straight, and said: “O slaves of Allaah, make your rows
straight or Allaah will create division among you.” As for the hadeeth that
you quoted, “Allaah does not look at a crooked row,” this is not saheeh. End
quote.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him). 

Non-traveller praying behind a imam who is a traveller

 

What is the ruling regarding the traveller leading the congregational prayer with the residents praying behind him?. So for instance, in Isha prayer the traveller will lead and give salaam after 2 rakahs, and the residents following with continue to prayer after salaam. Is this correct?.

Praise be to Allaah.

The Sunnah indicates that
it is permissible for a non-traveller to pray behind a traveller, so long as
the non-traveller offers his prayer in full and does not shorten it when the
traveller imam does so. This was narrated in a hadeeth which is attributed
to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and in which
there is some weakness, but it is in accordance with what is understood by
the four madhhabs and others. 

It was narrated that
‘Imraan ibn Husayn (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: 

I went out on campaign with
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and
I was present with him at the conquest [of Makkah]. He stayed in Makkah for
eighteen days, praying only two rak’ahs [in each four-rak'ah prayer], and he
said: ‘O people of the city, pray with four rak’ahs, for we are people who
are travelling.’” 

Narrated by Abu Dawood (no.
1229); classed as da’eef (weak) by al-Albaani in Da’eef Abi Dawood. 

Maalik narrated in
al-Muwatta’ (2/206) from Ibn Shihaab from Saalim  ibn ‘Abd-Allaah from
his father from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab that when he came to Makkah, he would
lead them in praying two rak’ahs, then he would say: “O people of Makkah,
complete your prayer for we are people who are travelling.” 

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said:  

The scholars are
unanimously agreed that if the non-resident prays behind a traveller, and
the traveller says the salaam after two rak’ahs, the non-traveller must
offer the prayer in full. It was narrated that ‘Imraan ibn Husayn said:  I
was present with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) at the conquest [of Makkah]. He stayed in Makkah for eighteen
days, praying only two rak’ahs [in each four-rak'ah prayer], and he said: ‘O
people of the city, pray with four rak’ahs, for we are people who are
travelling.’” Narrated by Abu Dawood. 

And because the prayer was
obligatory for him with four rak’ahs, so he does not have the right to omit
any of its rak’ahs, as would also have been the case if he had not been led
in prayer by a traveller. End quote. 

Al-Mughni
(2/64). 

Al-Kaasaani al-Hanafi (may
Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

A non-traveller following a
traveller (in prayer) is valid … then when the imam says the salaam after
praying two rak'ahs, the non-traveller should not say the salaam, because he
still has to complete his prayer, and if he were to say the salaam (at this
point) his prayer would be invalidated. Rather he should stand up and
complete the prayer with four rak’ahs, because the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Complete it, O people of Makkah, for
we are people who are travelling.” 

When the imam who is
travelling says the salaam, he should say to the non-travellers who are
behind him: “Complete your prayer, for we are people who are travelling,”
following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him). End quote. 

Badaa’i’ al-Sanaa’i’
(1/101). 

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said: 

If a non-traveller offers
an obligatory prayer such as Zuhr or ‘Asr or ‘Isha’ behind a traveller, then
he must pray four rak’ahs. Hence he must complete his prayer after the
traveller says the salaam following two rak’ahs. End quote. 

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz
(12/259). 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may
Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

It is permissible for the
traveller to be an imam for non-travellers, and when he says the salaam, the
non-travellers should stand up and complete the prayer after he has
finished. But the traveller who leads non-travellers in prayer should tell
them before he prays, “We are travelling so when we say the salaam, complete
the prayer,” because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) prayed in Makkah after the conquest and said: “Complete [your prayers]
O people of Makkah, for we are people who are travelling.” And he would lead
them in praying two rak'ahs, and they would complete their prayers after he
had finished. End quote. 

Majmoo’ Fataawa wa
Rasaa’il al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (15/153) 

See also Nayl al-Awtaar
(3/199), al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (6/33). 

And Allaah knows best.

 

 

Prayer in congregation is not obligatory for women, and a woman's prayer in her house, even on her own, is better

 

What is the ruling on prayer in congregation for a woman? Please note that she finds that she focuses better in prayer when she prays alone. How about if she finds an opportunity to pray in congregation in her house with her father or brothers, and she prays with them a second time and counts this prayer as naafil (supererogatory)?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Prayer in congregation is not obligatory for women, and a
woman’s prayer in her house on her own is better than her praying in
congregation in the mosque. 

Abu Dawood (567) narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be
pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) said: “Do not prevent your women from going to the mosques,
although their houses are better for them.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani
in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 515. 

The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas
said: 

It is not obligatory for women to offer any of the five
obligatory prayers in congregation, and their prayer in their houses is
better for them than praying in the mosques, whether that is an obligatory
or naafil prayer. But if she wants to pray in the mosque, she should not be
prevented from doing so, on condition that she observe proper Islamic
etiquette when going out and when praying, by going out fully covered, not
wearing perfume, and praying behind the men. End quote from Fataawa
al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (8/213). 

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

With regard to women, their prayer in their houses is better
for them, whether they pray individually or in congregation. End quote, 

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz,
12/78. 

If congregational prayer is held in the house, then it is
better for the woman to pray with them and not to pray alone, whether the
congregation is women or men who are her mahrams. 

In al-Musannaf (4989), Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated from
Umm al-Hasan that she saw Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) leading the women in prayer. She stood with
them in the same row. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Tamaam al-Mannah,
p. 154. 

Al-Bayhaqi (5138) narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be
pleased with her) led women in praying the obligatory prayer. She led them
standing in their midst. Classed as saheeh by al-Nawawi in al-Khalaasah,
as stated in Nasab al-Raayah by al-Zayla’i (2/39). 

The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas
said: 

If women pray in congregation in the house, that is better,
and their (female) imam should stand in their midst in the first row, and
they should be led by the one who has most knowledge of Qur’aan and other
rulings of Islam. End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah,
8/213. 

But even if a woman feels that she focuses better when
praying on her own, it is better, if a congregational prayer is held in the
house, to pray with them, so that she may attain the virtue and reward of
prayer in congregation -- which is a great bounty -- and so that her not
praying with this congregation will not be a cause of them thinking badly of
her or thinking that she dislikes the imam or congregation. And there is the
fear that the feeling that she focuses better when she prays on her own is
just an illusion by means of which the shaytaan wants to deprive her of the
virtue of praying in congregation. 

So what she should do is pray with the congregation in the house, and strive to focus properly in prayer. 

And Allah knows best.