Fatwa ID: 05739

Answered by: Alimah Zakiratul Hoque

Question:

I pray at home alone and the Masjid is about 1 hour away from my house, walking distance. There are many Masjid in Birmingham but the closest to me as far as I know is about 1 hour away.

I read somewhere that if the azan is called in a city it suffices for everyone in the city. Due to Birmingham having many mosques that all call the azan, do I have to call my own azan, due to the distance between my house and the masjid, or is the azan sufficient for me.

Is the salah valid without azan or iqamah?

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

Answer:

When praying at home, if a person suffices on the Azaan and Iqaamah performed in the Masjids in the city, his prayer is valid. However, it is better to do it himself at home.

It is written in Fatawa Hindiya that:

و ندب الأذان و الإقامة للمسافر و المقيم في بيته […] و لا يكره تركهما لمن يصلي في المصر إذا وجد في المحلة […] و الأفضل أن يصلي بالأذان و الإقامة

“Azaan and Iqaamah are recommended for the traveller and the resident (praying) at home…and it is not Makruh for a person who prays in a city to leave them both (Azaan and Iqaamah) when they are found in the locality […] it is better to pray with the Azaan and Iqaamah” (Fatawa Hindiya, Vol 1, Pg 60) i.e., they should perform the Azaan and Iqaamah before praying though it isn’t necessary if the Azaan and Iqaamah are called somewhere in the city.

This is further explained in Badai Al Sanai:

و لو صلّى الرجل في بيته و اكتفى بأذان النّاس و إقامتهم أجزأه ، و إنْ أقام فهو حسنٌ ، لأنّه إن عجز عن تحقّق الجماعة بنفسه فلم يعجز عن التشبه ، فيندب إلي أن يؤدي الصّلاة علي هيئة الصّلاة بالجماعة ، و لهذا كان الأفضل أن يجهر بالقراءة في الصلوات الجهر ، و إنْ ترك ذلك و اكتفى بأذان النّاس و إقامتهم أجزأه

“And if a man prays in his house [alone] and suffices with the Azaan and Iqamah of the people, it is sufficient for him. And if he does Iqaamah, it is good, because if he is unable to attend the congregation himself, he is able to imitate it, so he is recommended to perform his Salaah in the form of prayer in Jama’at. For this reason, it is better to recite loudly in the prayers that are required to pray loudly. If he leaves this and suffices on the Azaan and Iqaamah of the people, it is sufficient/acceptable for him.” (Badai Al Sanai, Vol 1, Pg 479)

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Alimah Zakiratul Hoque

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham