Is it permissible for the imam to omit reciting aloud in the Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers because it is a recommended practice (sunnah) and not obligatory?
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Question:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. The scholars mention a principle that if a matter is a recommended practice (sunnah), one should not persist in it constantly, so that the common people do not think it is obligatory. Does this apply to the fact that it is a recommended practice (sunnah) to recite aloud in the Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers, so one would contradict the sunnah by reciting quietly? Likewise, it is a recommended practice (sunnah) to recite aloud in the Dhuhr and 'Asr prayers, so one would recite aloud? And likewise, one would omit attending the wedding feast to let people know that it is a recommended practice (sunnah) and not obligatory at times?
Answer:
The wedding feast is not a recommended practice (sunnah). Responding to the invitation is obligatory; it is not a recommended practice (sunnah) as you heard, except for a valid religious excuse. So one does not omit it except for a valid religious excuse. As for reciting aloud in the night prayer, this is a recommended practice (sunnah) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) persisted in and did not leave for a single day. So how can we leave it? Yes.
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. The scholars mention a principle that if a matter is a recommended practice (sunnah), one should not persist in it constantly, so that the common people do not think it is obligatory. Does this apply to the fact that it is a recommended practice (sunnah) to recite aloud in the Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers, so one would contradict the sunnah by reciting quietly? Likewise, it is a recommended practice (sunnah) to recite aloud in the Dhuhr and 'Asr prayers, so one would recite aloud? And likewise, one would omit attending the wedding feast to let people know that it is a recommended practice (sunnah) and not obligatory at times?
Answer:
The wedding feast is not a recommended practice (sunnah). Responding to the invitation is obligatory; it is not a recommended practice (sunnah) as you heard, except for a valid religious excuse. So one does not omit it except for a valid religious excuse. As for reciting aloud in the night prayer, this is a recommended practice (sunnah) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) persisted in and did not leave for a single day. So how can we leave it? Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، [1891 -2802] هل يجوز للإمام ترك الجهر بالقراءة في صلاة المغرب والعشاء لأنه سنة وليس بواجب؟ — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.
