Delaying the prayer from the beginning of its time for a need
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Fatwa number ( 21254 )
Q: We are private schools that provide services for children with disabilities during the morning and evening periods of each day. We have a group of teachers and specialists who conduct teaching and assessment from 5:00 PM (five o’clock before Maghrib) until 8:00 PM (eight o’clock after Isha). Since we all perform the Maghrib prayer in congregation inside the school at the exact prescribed time with everyone present, but the time for the Isha prayer falls within the teaching and assessment sessions for some of the children, conducted by the teachers and specialists, and out of our desire to perform the Isha prayer in congregation inside the school, forming a gathered congregation rather than individuals, we have decided that the prayer will be delayed by only fifteen (15) minutes so that everyone can attend. This is to preserve the spirit of congregation and prevent any division, isolation, or deviation, forming brothers who love one another in righteousness and piety and cooperate in it, and to put a stop to those who want to waste the student’s time, which is a trust in our care entrusted to us by the guardians. This is because some teachers wish to deviate from what the congregation has agreed upon and the public interest, by performing the prayer before the time designated by the school, inciting deviation from the congregation’s opinion, and engaging in deviation, splitting the unity, and not following the instructions of our noble religion,
causing chaos and tearing apart the ranks of the congregation and causing division. Therefore, we hope that you will graciously provide us with the Islamic ruling on this matter, so that the brothers may be clear about their religion and hold fast to it. May Allah reward you with the best reward, and may Allah protect and preserve you.
A: If the situation is as described, and there is no mosque near you where you can pray with the mosque congregation, then there is no blame on you for delaying the iqamah of the prayer from the beginning of its time slightly according to the need. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: We are private schools that provide services for children with disabilities during the morning and evening periods of each day. We have a group of teachers and specialists who conduct teaching and assessment from 5:00 PM (five o’clock before Maghrib) until 8:00 PM (eight o’clock after Isha). Since we all perform the Maghrib prayer in congregation inside the school at the exact prescribed time with everyone present, but the time for the Isha prayer falls within the teaching and assessment sessions for some of the children, conducted by the teachers and specialists, and out of our desire to perform the Isha prayer in congregation inside the school, forming a gathered congregation rather than individuals, we have decided that the prayer will be delayed by only fifteen (15) minutes so that everyone can attend. This is to preserve the spirit of congregation and prevent any division, isolation, or deviation, forming brothers who love one another in righteousness and piety and cooperate in it, and to put a stop to those who want to waste the student’s time, which is a trust in our care entrusted to us by the guardians. This is because some teachers wish to deviate from what the congregation has agreed upon and the public interest, by performing the prayer before the time designated by the school, inciting deviation from the congregation’s opinion, and engaging in deviation, splitting the unity, and not following the instructions of our noble religion,
causing chaos and tearing apart the ranks of the congregation and causing division. Therefore, we hope that you will graciously provide us with the Islamic ruling on this matter, so that the brothers may be clear about their religion and hold fast to it. May Allah reward you with the best reward, and may Allah protect and preserve you.
A: If the situation is as described, and there is no mosque near you where you can pray with the mosque congregation, then there is no blame on you for delaying the iqamah of the prayer from the beginning of its time slightly according to the need. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.