Fatwa ID: 02909
Answered by: Maulana Muhammad Afzal Hussain
Question:
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah
Can I pray behind someone doing Milad Un Nabi?
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of ALLAH the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Answer:
Assalamualaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuh
Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) has reported: He who likes to meet Allah tomorrow as a Muslim, he should persevere in observing these prayers, when a call is announced for them, for Allah has laid down for your Prophet the paths of right guidance, and these (prayers) are among the paths of right guidance. If you were to pray in your houses as this man who stays away (from the mosque) prays in his house, you would abandon the practice of your Prophet, and if you were to abandon the practice of your Prophet, you would go astray. No man purifies himself, doing it well, then makes for one of those mosques except that Allah records a blessing for him for every step he takes raising him a degree for it, and removing a sin from him for it. I have seen the time when no one stayed away from it, except a hypocrite, who was well known for his hypocrisy, whereas a man would be brought swaying (due to weakness) between two men till he was set up in a row. [Muslim: 654]
It is stated by Imam Abu Jafar Al-Tahawy in his famous book of `Aqidah:
“We opine offering prayer behind every pious and disobedient Muslim as well as offering it over those who die among them.”
[See: Aqeedah al-Tahawy, Page: 147, Mahmudayah Kutub khana Sylhet Bangladesh]
It is also narrated by Imam Abu Dawud from Mak-hul on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that Allah’s Messenger stated:
“The Salah is obligatory on you behind every Muslim, pious or impious, even if he commits grave sins. Jihad (fighting/striving in the Cause of Allah) is incumbent on you along with every ruler, whether he is pious or impious, even if he commits grave sins”. [Abu Dawud: 2533]
One of the chapters in Sahih Bukhari is entitled “Offering prayers behind a man who is a victim of Al-Fitan (trials and affections) or a heretic.”
Under this chapter, Imam Bukhari has mentioned that Hasan said: ‘Pray behind him but his innovation is on him.’
It is narrated by 'Ubaid-Ullah bin Adi bin Khiyar: I went to 'Uthman bin Affan while he was besieged, and said to him, "You are the chief of all the Muslims in general and you see what has befallen you. We are led in the Salat (prayer) by a leader of Al-Fitan (trials and afflictions etc.) and we are afraid of being sinful in following him." 'Uthman said. "As-Salat (the prayers) is the best of all deeds so when the people do good deeds do the same with them and when they do bad deeds, avoid those bad deeds." [Sahih al-Bukhari 695]
It is narrated by Abu Hurairah: Allah's Messenger said, "If the Imam leads the prayer correctly then he and you will receive the rewards but if he makes a mistake (in the prayer) then you will receive the reward for the prayer and the sin will be his." [Sahih al-Bukhari 694]
Hasan and Hussain prayed behind Marwan though he was corrupt and tyrannical. [Ma Sahha min Aatharas-Sahabati fil Fiqhi: 964, Vol: 1]
In Fatawa Alamgheeri, it is stated that ‘Praying behind an innovator is allowed.’ [See: Vol: 1, Page: 112, Publisher: Bangladesh Taj Company]
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Maulana Muhammad Afzal Hussain
Checked and approved Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
