بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Rulings related to Combining Prayers
Combining prayers is a Sunnah act, if the reason behind doing so exists, because:
1) It is an action which Allah has made permissible, and Allah loves for what He has made permissible to be practiced.
2) In joining prayers, you are following the action of the Prophet ﷺ, because he ﷺ combined prayers whenever the permissible reason for doing so existed.
An example of such is السفر (Travelling):
عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا ارْتَحَلَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَزِيغَ الشَّمْسُ أَخَّرَ الظُّهْرَ إِلَى وَقْتِ الْعَصْرِ، ثُمَّ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَهُمَا، وَإِذَا زَاغَتْ صَلَّى الظُّهْرَ ثُمَّ رَكِبَ.
Narrated by Anas رضي الله عنه: When Allah's Messenger ﷺ (while on a journey) proceeded before the sun had declined from the centre of the sky, he ﷺ delayed the Thuhr prayer till the time of the 'Asr prayer; he ﷺ would then alight and combine the two prayers. If the sun declined before he ﷺ moved off, he ﷺ would offer the Thuhr prayer and ride (the beast)." [Agreed upon]
و في رواية الحاكم في الأربعين بالإسناد الصّحيح: صَلَّي الظهر و العصر ثمّ ركب
In the narration of Al-Hakim quoted in the Al-Arba'in with a Sahih Isnad, "He ﷺ prayed Thuhr and 'Asr then rode (his beast to continue his journey)"
و لأبي نعيم في مستخرج مسلم: كان إذا كان في سفر فزالت الشّمس صَلَّى الظهر و العصر جميعاً ثمّ ارتحل
Narrated Abu Nu'aim رضي الله عنه in the Mustakhraj of Muslim, "While on a journey, if the sun declined, he ﷺ used to pray Thuhr and 'Asr together and then continue his journey"
The Scholars differed with regards to the joining of prayers:
1) The first group are of the opinion that joining prayers is not permissible except in two places; Arafah and Muzdalifah - claiming that joining prayers is of the rites of Hajj and not related to travel. This is incorrect due to the aforementioned Hadith.
2) The second group are of the opinion that combining prayers is permissible even if there is no reason for it, and offering prayer at its stated time is just a matter of excellence.
3) The third group state that it is permissible to join prayers if a legitimate reason exists. Thus if no reason is present, it becomes obligatory to pray each prayer at its stated time.
The second group, who took the opinion that it is permissible to join prayers at all times without restrictions, used the following Hadith as evidence:
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ جَمَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَ الظُّهْرِ وَالْعَصْرِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَالْعِشَاءِ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فِي غَيْرِ خَوْفٍ وَلاَ مَطَرٍ .
Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ combined the noon prayer with the afternoon prayer and the sunset prayer with the 'Isha' prayer in Medina without being in a state of danger or rainfall.
Shaykh Ibn Othaimeen رحمه الله said in response: Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه did not say that the Prophet joined prayers without a reason; he said, "without being in a state of fear or rainfall" - negating two reasons which permit one to join the prayer.
However, the Prophet ﷺ joined prayers for another reason, which Ibn Abbas mentioned:
فِي حَدِيثِ وَكِيعٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ لِمَ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ كَىْ لاَ يُحْرِجَ أُمَّتَهُ .
وَفِي حَدِيثِ أَبِي مُعَاوِيَةَ قِيلَ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ مَا أَرَادَ إِلَى ذَلِكَ قَالَ أَرَادَ أَنْ لاَ يُحْرِجَ أُمَّتَهُ .
And in the hadith transmitted by Waki' (the words are): I said to Ibn 'Abbas: What prompted him to do that? He said: So that his Ummah should not be put to (unnecessary) hardship." And in the hadith transmitted by Mu'awiya (the words are):" It was said to Ibn 'Abbas: What did he intend thereby? He said he wanted that his Ummah should not be put to unnecessary hardship." [Muslim]
This means that whenever one finds difficulty in offering every prayer at its stated time, he is allowed to join them. And if there is no hardship, it is not permissible for him to join prayers. This is because Allah said in Surah An-Nisa [4:103]:
"إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَّوْقُوتًا"
"...Verily, the prayer is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours."
Accordingly, the third opinion of the Scholars; which is the permissibility of combining prayers when there is hardship or difficulty for the person, is the most correct point of view. Joining prayers during travel is thus permissible, as traveling is a type of hardship.
Question: Is it more virtuous to advance the joining or delay it?
Answer: Ibn Othaimeen رحمه الله said that the best and most virtuous is that which is easiest for the person.
Valid Reasons for Combining Prayers
General Rule: Hardship makes combining prayers permissible
1) Travelling
Joining prayers during travel takes two forms; It is either a Recommended Sunnah, or Permissible.
It becomes a recommended Sunnah when one is actually travelling, and becomes permissible when one is settled in a place.
Therefore, the correct point of view is that the traveller is permitted to combine prayers regardless if he is traveling or settling in a place; however, combining (and shortening) is better when he is on the move, and praying prayers at their stated time (and only shortening them) becomes better for him when he has settled.
This is based on the following evidences:
a) عَنْ سَالِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَ الْمَغْرِبِ وَالْعِشَاءِ إِذَا جَدَّ بِهِ السَّيْرُ
Narrated Salim's father: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to offer the Maghrib and `Isha' prayers together whenever he was in a hurry on a journey. [Al-Bukhari #1106]
b) It was narrated by Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه that Allahs Messenger ﷺ used to offer the Thuhr and Asr prayers together on journeys, and also used to offer the Maghrib and 'Isha prayers together.
c) The Prophet ﷺ did not combine prayers when he was in Mina, during Hajj, because he has settled there; he just shortened them.
And he ﷺ, combined prayers whilst in 'Arafah because he only went for a short time.
You know your situation best - if it is difficult for you to pray at the stated times, then join.
d) It was reported by Al-Bukhari that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ combined the Thuhr and Asr prayers while in Tabuk [Hadith #1148 and #181]
2) Heavy Rainfall which wets clothes
It is permissible for those who offer congregational prayer in the Masjid to combine prayers during heavy rainfall which wets clothes. Otherwise, they may offer the prayer at its stated time in their houses, as they are excused.
3) Sickness
It is permissible for the sick person to join prayers because of the difficulty in offering each prayer in its stated time, whether the sickness is due to a headache, a pain in the abdomen, in the back, and so on and so forth. This ruling is based on the following:
a) The General Statement of Allah in Surah Al-Baqarah [2:185]:
"يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ "
"...Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you..."
And His Statement in Surah Al-Hajj [22:78]:
"وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ ۚ "
"...and He has not laid upon you in religion any hardship..."
b) The Hadeeth of Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه in which he narrated:
جَمَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَ الظُّهْرِ وَالْعَصْرِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَالْعِشَاءِ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فِي غَيْرِ خَوْفٍ وَلاَ مَطَرٍ .
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ combined the noon prayer with the afternoon prayer and the sunset prayer with the 'Isha' prayer in Medina without being in a state of danger or rainfall. [Muslim]
فِي حَدِيثِ وَكِيعٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ لِمَ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ كَىْ لاَ يُحْرِجَ أُمَّتَهُ .
وَفِي حَدِيثِ أَبِي مُعَاوِيَةَ قِيلَ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ مَا أَرَادَ إِلَى ذَلِكَ قَالَ أَرَادَ أَنْ لاَ يُحْرِجَ أُمَّتَهُ .
And in the hadith transmitted by Waki' (the words are): I said to Ibn 'Abbas: What prompted him to do that? He said: So that his Ummah should not be put to (unnecessary) hardship." And in the hadith transmitted by Mu'awiya (the words are):" It was said to Ibn 'Abbas: What did he intend thereby? He said he wanted that his Ummah should not be put to unnecessary hardship." [Muslim]
Shaykh Ibn Othaimeen رحمه الله gave examples for hardship, such as if ones standing and sitting in prayer will be affected if he offered it on time, or it is difficult for him to perform ablution for every prayer, and so on.
4) Mud
If the ground is muddy and difficult for people to walk in, even if there is no rainfall, it becomes a valid reason to combine Magrib and 'Isha (and not Thuhr and 'Asr) according to the Madh'hab of Ahmed Ibn Hanbal. However, the correct point of view is that it is also permissible to combine Thuhr and 'Asr in such cases.
5) Violent Cold Winds
If the weather is cold, but there is no wind, it is not permissible to join prayers, because severe cold can be counteracted by wearing heavy clothes. Similarly, if there is violent wind but its not cold, it is not permissible to combine prayers, because violent winds without cold is not a hardship. However if the wind is very violent and dusty, and causes harm to people, the general rule applies and it becomes permissible to combine prayers.
The reasons for combing prayers are not restricted to the aforementioned only; they are merely examples of types of hardship.
Therefore, a woman experiencing prolonged bleeding (Isti'adhah) is permitted to combine Thuhr and 'Asr and Maghrib and 'Isha due to the difficulty of performing ablution for every prayer. So is the case of a person who is afflicted with incontinence, etc.
Conditions that should be followed when Combining Prayers
Once you already have a valid reason to combine prayers, the following requirements should be met:
1) Intention
Ibn Othaimeen رحمه الله is of the opinion that it is not a condition to have the intention to combine prior to the Takbiratul-Ihram of the first Salat. It is thus permissible to intend the combination of two prayers even after making the Tasleem of the first prayer, so long as the reason or cause for joining still exists and is valid. Imam Ahmed does not regard this as permissible, however other scholars, such as Ibn Taymiyah is of the opinion that it is.
2) Consecutivity
This means that the two combined prayers should be performed in succession. However, a short time distance between the two is allowed; the amount of time needed to make the Iqaamah (as making the Iqaamah for the second prayer is required), or to take ablution (as one may need to renew it in between the prayers).
E.g. A person performed Maghrib while intending to combine it with 'Isha. After he prayed Maghrib, he stood up and prayed the Raatibah of Maghrib. This is not an acceptable joining because he separated it with another Salat.
Shaikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyah, however, is of the opinion that consecutivety is not a required condition.
3) Chronological Order
It it is a required condition for the one who intends to combine prayers to begin with the first prayer, then the second, because the Prophet ﷺ said:
"صَلُّوا كَمَا رَأَيْتُمُونِي أُصَلِّي"
"Offer your prayers in the way you saw me offering my prayers" [Al-Bukhari #6008]
Also, the Shar' (Islamic Law) has enjoined the Salaat in order, according to its times. Therefore, the Salaat should be in the order the Lawmaker has put it in.
E.g. It so happened that you entered the Masjid at the Isha time, intending to join Maghrib and Isha. Then the Iqamah went for Isha. You offered Isha with them while you had still not prayed Maghrib. Shaykh Ibn Othaimeen (رحمه الله) says that your first prayer is invalid, as you mixed up the sequence, and you should offer it again.
4) It is not permissible to join Jum'ah Prayer (The Friday Congregational Prayer) with the 'Asr Prayer - even if you are a traveler.
This is because the Jum'ah Prayer is a seperate, independent prayer in its conditions, form, pillars, and reward. Also, it is not affirmed that the Prophet ﷺ ever combined the two.
5) The existence of the excuse or reason for combining prayers when beginning the second prayer (with Takbeeratul Ihram)
E.g. You are a traveler on your way back to your country of residence. You did not pray the Thuhr Prayer intending to combine it with 'Asr when you reach home. The plane arrived in the country early; before Thuhr finished. In this case you should pray the Thuhr Prayer on time and joining (as well as shortening) becomes invalid, because you are not a traveler anymore and do not have an excuse.
However, it is not a condition for the reason to exist until the end of the second prayer.
E.g. A group of peopled offered Thuhr in the Masjid and suddenly there was severe rainfall. They decided to combine it with the 'Asr Prayer. Even if the rainfall stopped while they were in the middle of 'Asr, their joining is valid. Because when they joined, the reason still existed.
Source:
- الشرح الممتع على زاد المستنقع
Ash-Sharh Al-Mumti' 'Ala Zad Al-Mustaqna' by Ibn Othaimeen رحمه الله
Comments
Post a Comment