The Ruling on the First Congregation
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Fatwa No. ( 19021 )
Q: I am an employee at one of the companies, and this company has allocated a full hour for prayer and lunch (from twelve o’clock to one o’clock). They have set the time for the iqamah (second call to prayer) at 10:12. Some employees pray before going to lunch, while many of them go to the restaurant for lunch before praying. As a result, they miss the first congregation and pray in a second or third congregation after finishing their meal. The question is: What is the ruling on the first congregation? Is it the obligatory congregation, or is it permissible to miss it if they pray in a second congregation? And what is the ruling on the second congregation? Does it carry the reward of the congregation or not? It is known that some people justify their delay in the first congregation with matters such as the hadith: “There is no prayer in the presence of food,” and that they will pray in a second congregation, and that the restaurant prepared for lunch becomes crowded after the prayer.
A: It is obligatory for the congregation who pray in this mosque to agree among themselves on an appropriate time during the time of the Zuhr prayer so that they can perform the prayer, taking into account the comfort of everyone and being gentle with them, so that they may attain the virtue of praying in congregation. This is the solution to the problem and the end of the disagreement. The larger the congregation, the better and more pure it is, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Bulugh al-Maram 2:330, narrated by the Imam Ahmad in (Al-Musnad, Vol. 5, p. 145), and narrated by Abu Dawud in (His Sunan) and by al-Nasa'i in (His Sunan) in the chapter on leading the prayer. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: I am an employee at one of the companies, and this company has allocated a full hour for prayer and lunch (from twelve o’clock to one o’clock). They have set the time for the iqamah (second call to prayer) at 10:12. Some employees pray before going to lunch, while many of them go to the restaurant for lunch before praying. As a result, they miss the first congregation and pray in a second or third congregation after finishing their meal. The question is: What is the ruling on the first congregation? Is it the obligatory congregation, or is it permissible to miss it if they pray in a second congregation? And what is the ruling on the second congregation? Does it carry the reward of the congregation or not? It is known that some people justify their delay in the first congregation with matters such as the hadith: “There is no prayer in the presence of food,” and that they will pray in a second congregation, and that the restaurant prepared for lunch becomes crowded after the prayer.
A: It is obligatory for the congregation who pray in this mosque to agree among themselves on an appropriate time during the time of the Zuhr prayer so that they can perform the prayer, taking into account the comfort of everyone and being gentle with them, so that they may attain the virtue of praying in congregation. This is the solution to the problem and the end of the disagreement. The larger the congregation, the better and more pure it is, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
A man's prayer offered with another man is purer than his prayer which he offers alone, and his prayer with two men is purer than his prayer with one and if they are more (in number), it is more beloved to Allah, the Mighty the Majestic.
صلاة الرجل مع الرجل أزكى من صلاته وحده، وصلاته مع الرجلين أزكى من صلاته مع الرجل، وما كان أكثر فهو أحب إلى الله تعالى
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.