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Islamic Verdicts - Volume II The Book of Prayer - Congregational Prayers
Observe the Congregational Prayer, even if it be behind One You dislike Q: I entered the mosque to pray, but I found an Imam whom I do not like to pray behind; what should I do so that I get the reward of the congregational prayer? A: If you entered the mosque to offer the congregational prayer and you found them praying, then pray with them, even if the Imam is a person whom you dislike, because the congregational prayer is obligatory and in such case you are bound by that duty. So it is not permissible for you to leave it. And there remains the question of why you dislike this man? Is it due to some defect in his religion, or personal enmity between you? If it is due to personal enmity, then it is incumbent upon the Muslim to remove whatever rancor exists between him and his brother and replace it with harmony and brotherly love, as Allah, the Most High says: “The believers are but brothers” (Al-Hujurat 49: 10). However, if your dislike of him due to some defect in his religion, then it is incumbent upon you to advise him and make clear to him what is wrong in his religion, so that he may correct it and to go straight upon the path which Allah has ordained. As for people renouncing each other whenever they see some defect in each other's religion, and contenting themselves with concealing their rancor and enmity for each other, this conflicts with the state of the believers about whom Allah says: “You (true believers in Islamic monotheism and real followers of Prophet Muhammad H and his Sunnah) are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin Al-Ma'ruf (i.e. Islamic monotheism and all that Islam has ordained) and forbid Al-Murikar (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden) and you believe in Allah” (Aal 'Imran 3: 110). Ibn 'Uthaimin
Q: If a person was performing an obligatory prayer alone and while he was doing so, a number of people entered the mosque, made the Takbir and began to pray in congregation. Should he break off his prayer, or make his intention to pray a non-obligatory prayer, so that he might pray with them? A: It is better to make it a non-obligatory prayer and then pray with those who have started the congregational prayer, in order to attain the reward of the congregation. If he breaks it off, there is no sin in that, because he is breaking it off for some lawful benefit which returns to the same prayer. And through Allah is attained success. Ibn Baz
Fear Allah as much as You are able Q: I am a Muslim man and - all praise and thanks be to Allah - I habitually perform the prayers in the mosque, except that I am often late for the Fajr prayer because sleep overcomes me and it is difficult for me to get up, in spite of the presence of an alarm clock. Often I think about this and fear that I am guilty of hypocrisy. Am I considered a hypocrite in these circumstances? And what do you advise me? A: You must strive hard so that it is easy for you to offer the prayer in congregation, this includes the use of an alarm clock, sleeping early and charging one of your family with the task of waking you up, in case you do not hear the alarm clock. Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful says: “And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make his matter easy for him” (At-Talaq 65: 4). And He, the Most Glorified says: “So keep your duty to Allah and fear Him as much as you can” (At-Taghabun 64: 16). May Allah make your matter easy for you and aid you in performing what He has ordained for you. Ibn Baz
He is not required to make up for the Prayers He abandoned Q: Previously, I would not pray, then Allah blessed me with guidance and I have become diligent about performing it. My question concerns the prayers during those past years; do I have to make them up for, or not? A: When a person abandons prayer for a number of years, then repents and observes it, he is not required to make up the prayers he abandoned. If this were a condition of the acceptance of repentance, it would discourage many people from repenting. The one who repents is ordered only to strictly observe them in future, to perform many supererogatory prayers, righteous acts and good deeds, to draw near to Allah and to fear Him. Ibn Jibreen
The Ruling on abandoning Prayer in Congregation with the excuse of Soiled Clothing Q: I have a colleague in work (a car workshop) whom I entreat to pray, but he refuses, claiming that his clothes are not clean and it is difficult for him to change them and that he will pray when he returns to his house. What is the ruling on this action of his? A: It is incumbent upon this colleague whom you have mentioned to pray with the congregation and it is not permissible to delay the prayer until he returns to his house, according to the words of the Prophet (salallahou 'aleyhi wa salam): “Whoever heard the call (to prayer) and did not answer it, there is no prayer for him, unless he has an excuse” (Ibn Majah no. 793, Ad-Daraqutni 1: 420 and Al-Hakim 1: 245). An excuse would be illness, or the like. As for dirty clothes, that is not an excuse. However, if there is some impure filth on them, he must clean them or change into clean clothes. We ask Allah's Guidance for all of us. Ibn Baz
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