Fatwa ID: 07391

 

Answered by: Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat

 

Question:

 

My mom forces me to pray in which my knees are not touching the ground or in tashahud. I didn’t raise my finger at all time I pray asr & zuhr like men in academy but when I reach home mom force me to pray asr I can’t tell that I already have prayed because they will hit me for praying in academy can I act to pray in front of them just gesturing? or should I pray at home with uncovered awrah & not like men so that I will not be force to act? The situation is worse and I can’t say that I am not feeling well. I can’t pray because they knew I pray 5 time alhumdulilah

 

And can I combine prayers so that I pray both prayers with obligatory actions like putting maghrib and Isha together? is it permissible in my case?

 

What should I do?

 

 

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

 

 

Answer:

 

First and foremost, we ask Allah to ease your situation and guide you to what pleases Him. According to the Hanafi school of thought, prayers should be performed at their appointed times with all their obligatory acts and conditions.

 

 

1. Praying by Gesturing:

 

Praying by gesturing is only permissible if one is incapable of standing or performing the prostrations correctly due to severe illness or disability. In your case, you need to perform the prayer fully with its pillars and conditions if you can do so.¹

 

 

2. Praying with Inappropriate Attire:

A Muslim must cover their awrah (nakedness) during prayer. For men, this is from the navel to the knees, and for women, it is the entire body except the face and hands. If you are forced to pray with inappropriate attire due to coercive reasons, you should strive to cover your awrah as best as possible.²

 

 

3. Combining Prayers:

The Hanafi school does not allow combining prayers except in cases of travel or heavy rain that prevents one from going to the mosque. However, in your specific case where there is significant hardship and fear of harm, you may follow the concession in extreme necessity. In this situation as it would fall under the lesser of the two evils, rather than missing salah, you’d rather pray the salah at what is deem able for you; and would fall under the category of Hifz ul Aqal – for your peace of mind in helping you preserve your deen. ³⁴ But keeping in mind that you do mind make this a habit, this case would only be conditional until your situation eases.

 

 

Practical Solutions:

 

– Try to calmly explain to your mother that you are performing your prayers on time.

 

– If possible, perform your prayer correctly in a place where you can fulfil all the pillars before returning home.

 

– Take advantage of legal concessions such as combining and shortening prayers in cases of travel or extreme necessity.

 

We ask Allah to help you and ease your affairs, and to provide relief from every distress and a way out from every hardship.

 

 

1

– يغطي الأحكام التفصيلية المتعلقة بشروط الصلاة وأركانها.

– المرجع: الهداية، كتاب الصلاة، باب شروط الصلاة*، الجزء 1، الصفحة 49 وما بعدها.

 

2

– يقدم أحكامًا عملية وآراء فقهية حول مختلف مسائل الفقه بما في ذلك الصلاة في الظروف الصعبة.

– المرجع الفتاوى الهندية، كتاب الصلاة، الباب السابع، الجزء 1، الصفحة 94 وما بعدها.

 

3 يناقش مختلف الاستثناءات والشروط التي يمكن تحتها تعديل بعض العبادات بسبب الضرورة.

: رد المحتار، كتاب الصلاة، فصل الأعذار الشرعية،

 

4 Iqtisad Islami page 28

 

 

 

Only Allah knows best

Written by Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham