Fatwa ID: 08699

 

 

Answered by: Maulana Ateiq-ur Rehman

 

Question:

For many years, our community has maintained a tradition of giving young individuals the opportunity to lead tarawih Salah in the main masjid of our town. While this initiative has its benefits, it has not always adhered fully to Shariah guidelines.  

 

Last year, Alhamdulillah, we were blessed with a new Imam, who is also a Qari, willing and capable of leading the full 20 rak‘ahs of Tarawih Salah. His leadership was well-received by the congregation, and his recitation and adherence to tajweed were exemplary.  This year, however, the committee is insisting on allowing some youngsters to lead, even though the Imam is prepared to lead the entire tarawih again. The concern with this arrangement is that some of these youngsters may not have proper tajweed, do not always present themselves in accordance with Shariah (e.g., their hairstyles), and may lack knowledge of some Salah-related masa’il.  

 

Considering these issues, is it permissible for such individuals to lead the Salah, especially when the Imam is willing and able to perform the full 20 rak‘ahs? We seek your guidance on ensuring our practice aligns with the principles of Shariah.  

 

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

As you rightfully mentioned, there are benefits in allowing shabaab (youngsters) to lead the tarawih Salaahs. It is pleasing to hear your community is allowing youngsters to lead the congregational prayers, the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow and I believe the best way to create strong leaders is to nurture them from their youth. 

 

 

The question you pose is extremely valid, especially today when we are seeing the unfortunate watering-down of Shari’ah guidelines within communities and Masaajids. Although our religion is easy to follow, the importance of following the Sunnah and Islamic etiquettes is important for every believer, and even more so for the one presenting himself for the responsibility of imaamat (leading of prayer).

 

The simple answer to your question is clearly stated in a hadith of our messenger Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم: 

 

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (RA): Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Pray over him who said (believed): ‘Nothing deserves to be worshipped except Allah’; and pray behind him who says: ‘Nothing deserves to be worshipped except Allah’.” (Bulugh al-Maram 2/334)

 

 

From this hadith, we learn that so long as the one leading the salaah is a true believer, it is permissible to read salaah behind them. Many more hadith have been reported in books of fiqh and the Hanafi Jurists have put forth certain conditions for who should be selected to lead salaah. For the regular fardh Salaah the best candidate should be selected in terms of knowledge, piety and age. The taraweeh salaah is not fardh and therefore the conditions can be judged less stringently to allow the regular Imaam some respite and also opportunities for others to lead. 

 

 

However, care should be taken that the one presenting themselves to lead the taraweeh salaah is aware of the immense responsibilities he is undertaking and is confident in the rules of how to fulfil the role of an imam. Salaah behind an imam who is under-qualified, less practising, and whose lifestyle and presentation are not in full conformance to the sunnah is still permissible. 

 

I have seen great examples in masaajid around the UK where the madrassah students have their own taraweeh salaah going on in another room and they’re given training on the etiquettes of imaamat, so the shabaab still get the experience and only the serious reciters get to lead in the main masjid hall, this is a good option where there are disputes between who should lead the community in taraweeh salaah. 

 

 

 

 

References:

 

وَعَنْ اِبْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-{ صَلُّوا عَلَى مَنْ قَالَ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اَللَّهُ, وَصَلُّوا خَلْفَ مَنْ قَالَ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اَللَّهُ } رَوَاهُ اَلدَّارَقُطْنِيُّ بِإِسْنَادٍ ضَعِيفٍ ‏

‏1 ‏- موضوع.‏ رواه الدارقطني (2/56)‏، وله طرق عن ابن عمر، ولكن كلها واهية، ففي قول الحافظ “بإسناد ضعيف” تسامح كبير، ومثله قول النووي في “المجموع” (4/153)

 

 

وعن أبي يوسف رحمه الله: أقرؤهم لأن القراءة لا بد منها والحاجة إلى العلم إذا نئبت نائبة ونحن نقول القراءة مفتقر إليها لركن واحد والعلم لسائر الأركان 

” فإن تساووا فأقرؤهم ” لقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام ” يؤم القوم أقرؤهم لكتاب الله فإن كانوا سواء فأعلمهم بالسنة وأقرؤهم كان أعلمهم ” لأنهم كانوا يتلقونه بأحكامه فقدم في الحديث ولا كذلك في زماننا فقدمنا الأعلم 

” فإن تساووا فأورعهم ” لقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام ” من صلى خلف عالم تقي فكأنما صلى خلف نبي ” ” فإن تساووا فأسنهم ” لقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام لابني أبي مليكة ” وليؤمكما أكبركما سنا ” ولأن في تقديمه تكثير الجماعة “

كتاب الهداية في شرح بداية المبتدي 1:57

 

 

وأما الصبي فلأنه متنفل فلا يجوز اقتداء المفترض به وفي التراويح والسنن المطلقة جوزه مشايخ بلخ رحمهم الله ولم يجوزه مشايخنا رحمهم الله ومنهم من حقق الخلاف في النفل المطلق بين أبي يوسف ومحمد رحمهما الله

والمختار أنه لا يجوز في الصلوات كلها لأن نفل الصبي دون نفل البالغ حيث لا يلزمه القضاء بالإفساد بالإجماع ولا يبني القوي على الضعيف بخلاف المظنون لأنه مجتهد فيه فاعتبر العارض عدما.

” والفاسق ” لأنه لا يهتم لأمر دينه “

” وإن تقدموا جاز ” لقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام ” صلوا خلف كل بر وفاجر “

كتاب الهداية في شرح بداية المبتدي 1:57

 

 

 

 

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Maulana Ateiq-ur Rehman

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham