The Criterion of Difficulty in Combining the Two Prayers Due to Rain

Question:
I say: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, we are a group of mosque imams, and we are presenting this problem to you, which is the issue of combining prayers in the rain. We exert effort when some rain falls and we combine the prayer, due to the existence of difficulty in the view of the mosque imam. However, some of the youth go to one of the scholars and inform him of the situation, and he says this combining is not valid, which causes confusion among the worshippers. So I ask you to clarify the criterion of difficulty to justify combining in the rain, and whether the ground must be slippery, and who is considered regarding the difficulty: are they the elderly and those similar to them, or the majority of the congregation? I ask for clarification of this, may Allah grant you success.

Answer:
What is like rain that restricts combining? Some days it is strange; if the weather is clear or there is just a light drizzle in clear weather, this is not permissible. The intended rain is the kind that wets the travelers and soaks the clothes, if one is traveling and the rain comes out and soaks his clothes. As for the light drizzle, this does not harm and does not require [combining] by itself. Or if there is mud in the ground between him and the mosque that makes his feet slip and get dirty, even if there is no rain at the time of going out, the existence of the mud and dirt is sufficient. Or if there is a very cold wind, meaning it is so cold it breaks [one's bones], meaning three things: either rain falls and remains in the day between him and the mosque, this is one. The second is rain where there is no rain but its effects are in the ground; the ground has mud or has pools of water like today, where the water gathers and becomes large pools and people are in the middle of the water. This is also an excuse. The third excuse is if there is no rain and no [mud], but there is a very cold wind, also in a dark night, meaning the wind is cold and strong and it is a dark night. So in these three matters, it is permissible to combine the Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers, either combining by estimation for the sake of the people's comfort, or combining by following [the first prayer] if that is easier for you. And as for the mere existence of rain or [garbled].
Or rain and [garbled] where there is no [garbled], the rain stopped and the ground has no [garbled], the ground is [garbled] and [garbled] to the rain or [garbled] rain and there are no [garbled] or there is no [garbled], combining is not permissible. And He (Mighty and Majestic) says: [It is] suspended, so it must be performed in its times except for a legal excuse that necessitates combining. So the imams should fear Allah the Exalted and Sublime.
And as for who is considered from the congregation, the one considered is the one for whom it is difficult to endure, even if they are few, an elderly person or a sick person or a blind person or a person for whom it is difficult to endure, so the needs of the needy brothers are considered, even if they are few, and the rest follow them. Allah the Exalted knows best, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and his Companions.