Fatwa ID: 09078
Answered by Muftiyah Maryam Badshah
Question:
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
What is the ruling on missing Jama’ah Salah due to a lesson of knowledge? What classes as a lesson of ‘Ilm, are there any conditions to this and what if one is able to catch up on the lesson later? What if it is online (like a live session for asking questions to a qualified Mufti) where one could rewatch it, but one wouldn’t be able to ask questions since he missed it?
Does this ruling have precedent in the early Imams or is it a ruling among later scholars – in either instance, what are the proofs for this?
Could you please quote the opinions of the Imams of the Madhab, as well as our Deobandi Akabir? (Even if just references are given – I will be able to find the source myself.)
Apologies if this is very long, may Allah ﷻ bless you guys for your work. جزاك الله خيرًا
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said, “If the people knew the reward for pronouncing the Adhan and for standing in the first row (in congregational prayers) and found no other way to get that except by drawing lots they would draw lots, and if they knew the reward of the Zuhr prayer (in the early moments of its stated time) they would race for it (go early) and if they knew the reward of `Isha’ and Fajr (morning) prayers in congregation, they would come to offer them even if they had to crawl.” (Bukhari) [1]
Performing salah in congregation is wajib for men, and as such, every effort should be taken in fulfilling this duty and achieving the abundant rewards connected to it. However, concession has been given to those who have a valid excuse, such as poor health, bad weather, a genuine fear, etc.. While this topic has not been mentioned in most books, it has been lightly mentioned in Nur al-Idah that if one will miss frequent group classes specifically on the topic of fiqh, this will be considered a valid excuse. However, Ibn ‘Abideen expands on this comment in Radd al-Muhtar, stating first that he had not found this excuse applied for anything else, and also that an individual who habitually misses congregation for such a reason will not be excused from the congregation. Therefore, you will need to consider the topic of your lessons, their frequency, and if you will be habitually missing congregation as a result.[2]
As your lessons are online and recordable, I suggest speaking with your teachers in regards to attending jama’ah (congregation) during class time. Ask whether you can ask your questions after class ends. If not, see if another student can ask the questions on your behalf, and then listen to the answer later. You can even ask your local masjid if you can take your online class in the masjid, so that you can pray your salah in the jama’ah and then return to class. Praying in jama’ah in the masjid should not take more than 15 minutes at most, allowing you ample time to ask questions and participate in lessons. Another suggestion would be to pray in congregation at home, or wherever you take your lessons, with your family or others after your classes end.[3]
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The prayer in congregation is twenty five times superior to the prayer offered by person alone.” (Bukhari) [4]
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Muftiyah Maryam Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ سُمَىٍّ، مَوْلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ لَوْ يَعْلَمُ النَّاسُ مَا فِي النِّدَاءِ وَالصَّفِّ الأَوَّلِ، ثُمَّ لَمْ يَجِدُوا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَسْتَهِمُوا عَلَيْهِ لاَسْتَهَمُوا، وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِي التَّهْجِيرِ لاَسْتَبَقُوا إِلَيْهِ، وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِي الْعَتَمَةِ وَالصُّبْحِ لأَتَوْهُمَا وَلَوْ حَبْوًا ”.
Sahih al-Bukhari 615 (Bk.10, ch.9, sunnah.com)
[2]
(الْفَصْلُ الْأَوَّلُ فِي الْجَمَاعَةِ) الْجَمَاعَةُ سُنَّةٌ مُؤَكَّدَةٌ. كَذَا فِي الْمُتُونِ وَالْخُلَاصَةِ وَالْمُحِيطِ وَمُحِيطِ السَّرَخْسِيِّ وَفِي الْغَايَةِ قَالَ عَامَّةُ مَشَايِخِنَا: إنَّهَا وَاجِبَةٌ وَفِي الْمُفِيدِ وَتَسْمِيَتُهَا سُنَّةً لِوُجُوبِهَا بِالسُّنَّةِ وَفِي الْبَدَائِعِ تَجِبُ عَلَى الرِّجَالِ الْعُقَلَاءِ الْبَالِغِينَ الْأَحْرَارِ الْقَادِرِينَ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ بِالْجَمَاعَةِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَرَجٍ…
وَتَسْقُطُ الْجَمَاعَةُ بِالْأَعْذَارِ حَتَّى لَا تَجِبَ عَلَى الْمَرِيضِ وَالْمُقْعَدِ وَالزَّمِنِ وَمَقْطُوعِ الْيَدِ وَالرِّجْلِ مِنْ خِلَافٍ وَمَقْطُوعِ الرِّجْلِ وَالْمَفْلُوجِ الَّذِي لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ الْمَشْيَ وَالشَّيْخِ الْكَبِيرِ الْعَاجِزِ وَالْأَعْمَى عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – وَالصَّحِيحُ أَنَّهَا تَسْقُطُ بِالْمَطَرِ وَالطِّينِ وَالْبَرْدِ الشَّدِيدِ وَالظُّلْمَةِ الشَّدِيدَةِ. كَذَا فِي التَّبْيِينِ وَتَسْقُطُ بِالرِّيحِ فِي اللَّيْلَةِ الْمُظْلِمَةِ وَأَمَّا بِالنَّهَارِ فَلَيْسَتْ الرِّيحُ عُذْرًا وَكَذَا إذَا كَانَ يُدَافِعُ الْأَخْبَثَيْنِ أَوْ أَحَدَهُمَا أَوْ كَانَ إذَا خَرَجَ يَخَافُ أَنْ يَحْبِسَهُ غَرِيمَهُ فِي الدَّيْنِ أَوْ يُرِيدُ سَفَرًا وَأُقِيمَتْ الصَّلَاةُ فَيَخْشَى أَنْ تَفُوتَهُ الْقَافِلَةُ أَوْ كَانَ قَيِّمًا لِمَرِيضٍ أَوْ يَخَافُ ضَيَاعَ مَالِهِ وَكَذَا إذَا حَضَرَ الْعَشَاءُ وَأُقِيمَتْ صَلَاتُهُ وَنَفْسُهُ تَتُوقُ إلَيْهِ، وَكَذَا إذَا حَضَرَ الطَّعَامُ فِي غَيْرِ وَقْتِ الْعِشَاءِ وَنَفْسُهُ تَتُوقُ إلَيْهِ. كَذَا فِي السِّرَاجِ الْوَهَّاجِ
Al-Fatāwa al-Hindiyyah (Vol.1, pg.82-3, Dār Al-Fiqr)
وَتَكْرَارُ فِقَةٍ بِجَمَاعَةٍ تَفُوتُهُ
Nur al-Idah: The Light Of Clarification (pg.170, Wesam Charkawi)
(قَوْلُهُ وَكَذَا اشْتِغَالُهُ بِالْفِقْهِ إلَخْ) عِبَارَةُ نُورِ الْإِيضَاحِ: وَتَكْرَارُ فِقَةٍ بِجَمَاعَةٍ تَفُوتُهُ، وَلَمْ أَرَ هَذَا الْقَيْدَ لِغَيْرِهِ، وَرَمَزَ فِي الْقُنْيَةِ لِنَجْمِ الْأَئِمَّةِ فِيمَنْ لَا يَحْضُرُهَا لِاسْتِغْرَاقِ أَوْقَاتِهِ فِي تَكْرِيرِ الْفِقْهِ لَا يُعْذَرُ وَلَا تُقْبَلُ شَهَادَتُهُ، ثُمَّ رَمَزَ لَهُ ثَانِيًا أَنَّهُ يُعْذَرُ، بِخِلَافِ مُكَرَّرِ اللُّغَةِ ثُمَّ وَفَّقَ بَيْنَهُمَا بِحَمْلِ الْأَوَّلِ عَلَى الْمُوَاظِبِ عَلَى التَّرْكِ تَهَاوُنًا، وَالثَّانِي عَلَى غَيْرِهِ، وَهَذَا مَا مَشَى عَلَيْهِ الشَّارِحُ فِي قَوْلِهِ أَيْ إلَّا إلَخْ (قَوْلُهُ فَلَا يُعْذَرُ وَيُعَزَّرُ)…
مَجْمُوعُ الْأَعْذَارِ الَّتِي مَرَّتْ مَتْنًا وَشَرْحًا عِشْرُونَ، وَقَدْ نَظَمْتهَا بِقَوْلِي:
أَعْذَارُ تَرْكِ جَمَاعَةٍ عِشْرُونَ قَدْ … أَوْدَعْتهَا فِي عَقْدِ نَظْمٍ كَالدُّرَرِ
مَرَضٌ وَإِقْعَادٌ عَمًى وَزَمَانَةٌ … مَطَرٌ وَطِينٌ ثُمَّ بَرْدٌ قَدْ أَضَرَّ
قَطْعٌ لِرِجْلٍ مَعَ يَدٍ أَوْ دُونَهَا … فَلَجٌ وَعَجْزُ الشَّيْخِ قَصْدٌ لِلسَّفَرِ
خَوْفٌ عَلَى مَالٍ كَذَا مِنْ ظَالِمٍ … أَوْ دَائِنٍ وَشُهِيَ أَكْلٌ قَدْ حَضَرَ
وَالرِّيحُ لَيْلًا ظُلْمَةٌ تَمْرِيضُ ذِي … أَلَمٍ مُدَافَعَةٌ لِبَوْلٍ أَوْ قَذَرٍ
ثُمَّ اشْتِغَالٌ لَا بِغَيْرِ الْفِقْهِ فِي … بَعْضٍ مِنْ الْأَوْقَاتِ عُذْرٌ مُعْتَبَرٌ
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.1, pg.556, Dār Al-Fiqr)
[3]
…وَإِذَا فَاتَتْهُ الْجَمَاعَةُ لَا يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ الطَّلَبُ فِي مَسْجِدٍ آخَرَ بِلَا خِلَافٍ بَيْنَ أَصْحَابِنَا لَكِنْ إنْ أَتَى مَسْجِدًا آخَرَ لِيُصَلِّيَ بِهِمْ مَعَ الْجَمَاعَةِ فَحَسَنٌ وَإِنْ صَلَّى فِي مَسْجِدِ حَيِّهِ فَحَسَنٌ وَذَكَرَ الْقُدُورِيُّ أَنَّهُ يَجْمَعُ فِي أَهْلِهِ وَيُصَلِّي بِهِمْ وَذَكَرَ شَمْسُ الْأَئِمَّةِ الْأَوْلَى فِي زَمَانِنَا إذَا لَمْ يَدْخُلْ مَسْجِدَ حَيِّهِ أَنْ يَتْبَعَ الْجَمَاعَاتِ وَإِنْ دَخَلَهُ صَلَّى فِيهِ
Al-Fatāwa al-Hindiyyah (Vol.1, pg.83, Dār Al-Fiqr)
[4]
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ، حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ الْهَادِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ خَبَّابٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ “ صَلاَةُ الْجَمَاعَةِ تَفْضُلُ صَلاَةَ الْفَذِّ بِخَمْسٍ وَعِشْرِينَ دَرَجَةً ”.
Sahih Al-Bukhāri 646 (Bk.10, ch.30, sunnah.com)