If the imam and the congregation of worshippers are contrary to the rulings of the Shari'ah, such as advancing the prayer before its time, and they have been advised but did not respond, is it permissible to leave the prayer?
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The questioner : I begin by speaking about the congregational prayer and the emphasis on it. And although I believe in that, I find myself compelled to leave the congregation in the mosque for many reasons that I find practiced in our village mosque, which contain what undermines the validity of the prayer and what undermines the etiquettes of the mosques, which are the houses of Allah. And unfortunately, the people here are not benefited by admonition from one side, nor do they benefit from the other side. And when I try to guide them to the truth and the correct path, I find them always saying, "You are on one madhhab and we are on another madhhab, and our madhhab permits us that." Knowing that I take my religion from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), following the sayings of the Messenger and his hadiths. And I say to them that the sayings of the imams (may Allah be pleased with them) are taken from the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and they do not differ in the fundamentals; rather, their difference is in the branches, and that has no effect on the validity or invalidity of the prayer. The Zuhr prayer, which I sit for a long time waiting for after the time has entered, is delayed to be prayed with 'Asr, advanced before its time enters. And the 'Isha' prayer is advanced before its time to be prayed after Maghrib, after the passage of half an hour, meaning from the entry of the time of Maghrib. And I once left when the 'Isha' prayer was established, and I looked, and behold, the light of twilight was still distinct. And when I alerted the imam and the worshippers to that, they said that it is permissible, and they do not want any discussion in that. And from that time, I knew that there is no benefit, and I confined myself in my house, praying all the times in their proper times without any shortcoming. So am I wrong in this action of mine? And is the excuse, or is this excuse, permitting me to lag behind the congregation and separate from them so that no disagreement occurs between us? Or is that not permissible?
The Shaykh : Your action contains correctness and contains error.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for the correctness, it is your refutation of these people for advancing the prayer before the entry of its time, and delaying the prayer that it is recommended to advance to the last of its time. It is not befitting for the imam to delay the prayer from the first of its time except where that is prescribed. And it is not permissible for the imam or for anyone other than the imam to advance a prayer before the entry of its time except where combining is permitted. And you are also correct in your saying that the imams take their madhhabs from the Book of Allah, and there is no disagreement between them in the fundamentals. The imams take their madhhabs from the Book of Allah and from the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and there is no disagreement between them that what the Book and the Sunnah indicate is obligatory, even if it contradicts their sayings. And all of them, may Allah have mercy on them and reward them with good, are in agreement that their sayings are not a proof, and that the proof is in the Book of Allah and in the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). And that if their sayings contradict the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), then the obligatory thing is to follow what the Book and the Sunnah indicate. This is a matter in which there is no disagreement between them, and their sayings in that are famous and known. But you erred in leaving the congregational prayer, and it is obligatory for you to pray with the congregation, even if they delay it from the first of the time. Because the prayer in the first of its time is better than the prayer in the last of its time, so advancing it in the first of the time is from the category of what is better, and not from the category of what is obligatory.
As for the congregational prayer, it is obligatory. And on this basis, it is obligatory for you to wait until you pray with them, even if they delay it from the first of the time. And as for the prayer that they advance before its time, if there is harm and fitnah in your lagging behind them, then pray it with them and intend it as a voluntary prayer. Then when the time enters, pray the prayer in your house, and there is no blame on you in this. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Your action contains correctness and contains error.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for the correctness, it is your refutation of these people for advancing the prayer before the entry of its time, and delaying the prayer that it is recommended to advance to the last of its time. It is not befitting for the imam to delay the prayer from the first of its time except where that is prescribed. And it is not permissible for the imam or for anyone other than the imam to advance a prayer before the entry of its time except where combining is permitted. And you are also correct in your saying that the imams take their madhhabs from the Book of Allah, and there is no disagreement between them in the fundamentals. The imams take their madhhabs from the Book of Allah and from the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and there is no disagreement between them that what the Book and the Sunnah indicate is obligatory, even if it contradicts their sayings. And all of them, may Allah have mercy on them and reward them with good, are in agreement that their sayings are not a proof, and that the proof is in the Book of Allah and in the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). And that if their sayings contradict the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), then the obligatory thing is to follow what the Book and the Sunnah indicate. This is a matter in which there is no disagreement between them, and their sayings in that are famous and known. But you erred in leaving the congregational prayer, and it is obligatory for you to pray with the congregation, even if they delay it from the first of the time. Because the prayer in the first of its time is better than the prayer in the last of its time, so advancing it in the first of the time is from the category of what is better, and not from the category of what is obligatory.
As for the congregational prayer, it is obligatory. And on this basis, it is obligatory for you to wait until you pray with them, even if they delay it from the first of the time. And as for the prayer that they advance before its time, if there is harm and fitnah in your lagging behind them, then pray it with them and intend it as a voluntary prayer. Then when the time enters, pray the prayer in your house, and there is no blame on you in this. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.