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CONTEMPORARY FATAWA – Book Sample

METHOD OF JOINING PRAYERS.

If one joins the congregational prayer late (i.e. in 3rd or 4th rakah) what is the proper way to complete the prayer? In which rakah he has to recite a surahand in which rakah he has to sit after sajdah?

(Abdul Sattar, Chicago)

A person who has not joined a prayer in the first rakah is called a ‘Masbuq’. He has to complete his prayer after the Imam has finished his prayer. A ‘Masbuq’has to observe? the following rules while completing his prayer:-

1. He should not make salam with his Imam; rather as soon as Imam completes his first salamhe should stand up to complete his prayer.

2. By completing his own prayer, a ‘Masbuq’ shall perform all the acts of prayers in the same manner as he has to perform while praying individually.

3. In the matter of recitation of surah he shall follow his own number of rakah i.e. if he has missed two raka’h with the Imam and has stood up to complete these remaining raka’h, h1a will have to recite surah in both of them because these raka’h will be de1amed to be his first and second raka’h and his performance with the Imam will be deemed to be third and fourth. Likewise, if he has missed three raka ‘hand performed only one raka ‘h with the Imam, then while performing the remaining three raka’h, he will recite surah in the first two raka’h only and will not recite in the third.

4. However, in the matter of Qa’dah (sitting for Tashahhud), he will follow the number of raka’h he has actually performed whether with the Imam or on his own. Therefore, if he has missed three raka’h and has performed only one raka’hwith the Imam, then he will have to sit for Qa’dah right in the first raka’h whike comple?ting his own prayer, because this is actually his second raka’h as combined with the one performed with the Imam, and since Qa’dah is obligatory after every two raka’h he has to make Qa’dah right there and he will not sit in the next raka’h because it is actually his third raka’h.

In the light of aforesaid rules, if a person has missed three raka’h and joined only in the fourth raka’h with the Imam, he will not follow the Imam in his salam and will stand up to complete his remaining three raka’h and in the first raka’h he will recite surah and after completing sajdah he will sit down to recite tashahhud, then he! will rise up and will recite the surah again. He will not sit in this second individual raka’h. Then in the third, he will not recite a surah and will sit down after sajdah to complete his Tashahhudand salam.

I hope this will be enough to explain the way in which a ‘Masbuq’ has to complete his prayer.

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER OF WOMEN – Contemporary Fatawa

Are women allowed to participate in congregational prayer led by a male? If it is allowed where they should stand? Similarly, is it allowed for women to arrange their own congregational prayer led by a female and participated by women exclusively? If it is allowed, what shall be the arrangement of the rows? Please also mention whether such type of congregational prayer can be held in the mosque or in the home. If it is possible for women to participate in a congregational prayer held in a mosque, how should a woman observe the injunctions relating to Hijab?

(Muhammad Hassan Chand, Karachi)

The Holy Prophet (S.A. W) has darified in a number of Ahadith that it is not preferable for a woman Ito perform prayer outside her home.

The congregational prayer has been intended for the male Muslims only and they are not only included to perform their prayers in a congregation but it has been made almost obligatory on them that they should perform the prayer in a mosque and should not abandon the congregational prayer except in a case of necessity. On the contrary, the females are always advised by the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) to perform their prayers in their homes so much so that the performance of prayer in an inner room has been made more rewardable for a woman than in the outside room, and performing the prayer in the outside room has been more rewardable for her than in a courtyard of her own ho1Use. However, in the days of the Holy Prophet (S.A. W) a large number of women used to come to the Mosque to perform prayer behind the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) – an unparalleled merit.

Since the women of those days used to observe all the requirements of Shari’ah including those of Hi jab in the days of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W), they were not forbidden from attending the congregational prayers. However, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) has made it clear that it is more advisable for them to pray in their homes.

But Sayyidna ‘Umar (R.A) felt in his days that the concession given to the women is sometimes misused and it was apprehended that it would be misused in the future even more. He was also aware of the fact that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) did not like thei women leaving their homes for the sake of prayers. Keeping all this in view he issued a directive that the women should no longer attend the congregational prayer. This directive was completely confirmed by all th1e Companions of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) available at that time. Sayyida Aisha (R.A) opined, that had the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) been alive in those days he would have certainly stopped the women from attending th1e mosque for prayers.

It is in this context that the Muslims jurists have been unanimous on the point that it is not advisable for women to attend the congregational prayers in a mosque, rather most of them have taken it as a prohibited act.

At the same time it should be kept in mind that even though the participation of women in a congregational prayer is not advisable according to the Shari’ah, yet, if they join a congregation at some occasion, the prayer will be valid. In this case, they have to stand behind the rows of the males and the Imam should havei the intention that he is leading both males and females in prayer.1

Similarly, the congregation of females only is held to be ‘Makrooh’ ((However, I (Jibril – who posted this content) do not see any evidence from Quran or Sunnah that makes women prayer in the mosque Makruh)) by the Muslim jurists. However, if at some occasion, the women elect to arrange their own congregation led by women, the female Imam should stand in the centre of the first row and not in front of the followers as the male Imam is supposed to do. As memtioned earlier, it is not advisable for women to pray in the mosques. However, if they elect to do so, their prayers will be valid according to the Shari’ah. In any case, the observance of Hijab while joining a male congregation is mandatory which cannot be dispensed with in any way.

I hope that this will satisfy your question. I would like to emphasize once again that the basic purpose of a Muslim, male or female, should be to follow the dictates of Shari’ah and to seek the pleasure of Allah and not to satisfy one’s own desire. The coingregation of the male Muslims has

1. There is a Hadith of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) to the effect that women should not be prevented from praying in the mosque, should they elect to do so. (EDITOR)

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