Holding a Second Congregation in the Mosque
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Q46: What is the ruling on holding a second congregation in the mosque ?
A46: Holding a second congregation for one of the five obligatory prayers falls into three cases: The first: Holding a second congregation before the first congregation has finished. This is not permissible because it leads to the division of the Muslims, which contradicts a fundamental objective of Islam, namely, uniting the word of the Muslims and calling to everything that brings affection and love among them, and blocking the door to everything that calls for division
and discord. This is in addition to the disturbance some cause to others and the confusion it places upon the worshippers regarding which of the two congregations to join. It is obligatory to perform the prayer with the first congregation. The second: A congregation forms in the mosque after the imam has finished the prayer, and they pray in congregation. This is permissible, indeed prescribed, whether one person starts the congregation and others join him, or a group of people comes and prays with one of them as imam, or one person comes to the mosque and one of the previous worshippers stands up to pray with him in a second congregation. This is due to the generality of the hadith of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him):, narrated by Abu Dawud . The third: A member of the mosque congregation delays performing the prayer with the imam in congregation in order to wait for those who did not catch the prayer in congregation. A man delays for this purpose, or arranges for it. This is an innovation not known in the early period of this Ummah or its Salaf. It is a bid'ah (religious innovation) that is not permissible to perform or approve. It is a great deprivation for this latecomer, and a delay in what Allah has made obligatory upon him, which is performing the prayer in its time in congregation
in the mosque. It is obligatory for him to pray with the mosque congregation. If the congregation is missed by one of the Muslims, let one of those who prayed previously pray with him if no one else is available to pray with him, as in the second case, or let him pray alone.
A46: Holding a second congregation for one of the five obligatory prayers falls into three cases: The first: Holding a second congregation before the first congregation has finished. This is not permissible because it leads to the division of the Muslims, which contradicts a fundamental objective of Islam, namely, uniting the word of the Muslims and calling to everything that brings affection and love among them, and blocking the door to everything that calls for division
and discord. This is in addition to the disturbance some cause to others and the confusion it places upon the worshippers regarding which of the two congregations to join. It is obligatory to perform the prayer with the first congregation. The second: A congregation forms in the mosque after the imam has finished the prayer, and they pray in congregation. This is permissible, indeed prescribed, whether one person starts the congregation and others join him, or a group of people comes and prays with one of them as imam, or one person comes to the mosque and one of the previous worshippers stands up to pray with him in a second congregation. This is due to the generality of the hadith of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him):
That the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saw a man praying alone, and he said: "Is there no man who would give charity to this man by praying with him?"
أن رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - أبصر رجلا يصلي وحده ، فقال : ألا رجل يتصدق على هذا فيصلي معهin the mosque. It is obligatory for him to pray with the mosque congregation. If the congregation is missed by one of the Muslims, let one of those who prayed previously pray with him if no one else is available to pray with him, as in the second case, or let him pray alone.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.