Islamic Verdicts - Volume II

The Book of Prayer - Congregational Prayers

Work is not an Excuse for delaying Prayer

Q: I am an immigrant working from seven o'clock in the lit evening until seven o'clock in the morning. Is it permissible for me to join the obligatory prayers and offer all of them together?

A: It is not permissible to advance a prayer to before its time which is fixed by the Islamic law, even if there is work or some other excuse. Nor is it permissible to delay it until its time ends, without an excuse. And daily work is not considered a valid excuse for delaying it or for combining the prayers. It is possible to offer prayers in the workplace, or close to the premises and go to the mosque. Scholars have imposed a condition that the worker be able to perform the five prayers at their fixed times, along with their Sunan. They have only allowed prayers to be combined for reasons of travel, rain, illness or the like.

Ibn Jibreen

It is not allowed to abandon Prayer in Congregation without a Valid Excuse

Q: I always perform my prayers at their stated times, but I do not go to the mosque for prayer; I offer them at home with my children. Is this permissible for me? And is the reward of prayer in the house like that of prayer in the mosque?

A: It is not permissible for you to abandon prayer in the mosque in congregation, even if you pray with your children at home, because the mosques were built in order that the prayer be performed therein in congregation, and the call to prayer was prescribed, in which the Mu'aththin says: Hayya 'Alas-Salah, which means: Come to prayer here in order to attain success. And when we hear it, it is incumbent upon us to go to it, where the Muslims join together, to be led in prayer by one Imam and learn the prayer which is an obligation upon them, meet other worshippers, exchange greetings of peace, gain the reward of the congregation, learn to love each other and mutually advise each other. And the evidence for the obligation of prayer in congregation is in Allah's Words: “And bow down (in obedience to Allah) with Ar-Raki'un (those who bow down with Muhammad as the Muslims have done)” (Al-Baqarah 2: 43).

And His Words: “And when you proclaim the call to prayer (Athan)...” (Al-Ma'idah 5: 58).

So it is incumbent upon the one to answer who is called to prayer, and this is why the Hadiths state that the threat of punishment for one who does not come to prayer is that his prayer will not be accepted, such as the Hadith which says: “Whoever heard the call (to prayer) and did not answer it, there is no prayer for him, unless he has an excuse (i.e. due to illness or travel)” (Ibn Majah no. 793, Ad-Daraqutni 1: 420 and Al-Hakim 1: 245).

And if there was any license (for praying at home), the Prophet (salallahou ‘aleyhi wa salam) would have permitted the blind man whose house was far from the mosque and between which there lay date-palm trees and a ravine, and who had no one to lead him. And those who did not attend the prayer were threatened with the burning of their house over them, except that there were women and children therein. So prayer in congregation is the reason for the existence of the mosques, which are the houses of obedience (to Allah) and the religious gathering places in the Muslim lands, and whose building Allah has permitted, for the purpose of remembering His Name and wherein men praise Him in the morning and the evening, and from which neither business nor selling diverts them.

Ibn Jibreen

Being Overcome by Tiredness at Fajr Time

Q: Allah, the Most High says: “O you who believe! Approach not the prayer when you are in a drunken state, until you know (the meaning) of what you utter” (An-Nisa' 4: 43).

Does this Verse include the situation of those brothers who come to Fajr prayer while they are afflicted by drowsiness? And what advice do you offer to those brothers?

A: l advise those brothers who come to Fajr prayer when they are very drowsy to go to bed early at night, because if they go to bed early, they will be relieved of this heavy drowsiness,' which causes them not to know what they are saying during their prayers. That is the solution to this problem.

Ibn 'Uthaimin

The Ruling on making a Second Congregation in the Mosque

Q: If I came to the mosque and found the Imam in the final Tashahhud, should I pray with him, or wait until he makes the Taslim and then pray in a second congregation? And what is the evidence for this waiting, if I am sure that he is in the last Rak'ah and there are a number of us? And is it obligatory to recite the final Tashahhud in full, or should I recite what I can of it?

A: It is better to go to another mosque, if you desire to catch the congregational prayer, or wait for another congregation, in that mosque, where you can pray after the Imam's Taslim. And it is better to wait for the first Imam's Taslim, so that confusion is not caused. And it is permissible to make the Takbir for the second congregation before the first Imam's Taslim. But if you know that there will not be a second congregation, you should join with those in the Tashahhud and recite what you can of the Tashahhud, all or part of it.

Ibn Jibreen

The Ruling on praying in Government Departments and abandoning the Mosques

Q: ls it permissible for the employees to pray in their department, even though there is a mosque beside them, or must they pray in the mosque?

A: The Sunnah, both by word and deed from the Messenger (salallahou ‘aleyhi wa salam) shows that prayer must be performed in congregation, in the mosque. And the Prophet (salallahou ‘aleyhi wa salam) intended to set fire to the houses of those who did not attend the prayer. It has also been reported from the Prophet's caliphs and the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, that they performed the prayers in the mosques, in congregation. And it has been authentically reported from the Prophet (salallahou ‘aleyhi wa salam) that he said: “Whoever heard the call (to prayer) and did not answer it, there is no prayer for him, unless he has an excuse (i.e. due to illness or travel)” (Ibn Majah no. 793, Ad-Daraqutni 1: 420 and Al-Hakim 1: 245).

It has also been authentically reported from him (salallahou ‘aleyhi wa salam) that a blind man said to him: "O Messenger of Allah! I have no one to lead me to the mosque; is there any license for me to pray in my house?" He (salallahou ‘aleyhi wa salam) said to him: “Do you hear the call to prayer?” He said: "Yes." The Prophet (salallahou ‘aleyhi wa salam) said: “Then answer it” (Muslim no. 653). In another narration, he said: “I do not find any license for you” (Abu Dawud no. 552 and Ahmad 3: 423).

From this, it is clear that it is incumbent upon the employees in any (government) department or the like to perform the Zuhr prayer in congregation in the mosque which is near to them, in accordance with the Sunnah, in compliance with their obligation, in order to prevent any excuse for not attending the prayer in the mosques, in congregation and so as to avoid resembling the hypocrites.

And may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet, Muhammad and upon his family and Companions.

The Permanent Committee