Combining the two prayers in the mosques due to rain
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Your Eminence the Shaykh! With the blessing of continuous rains that Allah has bestowed upon our servants these days, much disagreement and debate have been observed in the mosques regarding the performance of prayers in combination, with some supporting it and others opposing it. Additionally, some of the imams and supporters have prepared the prayer in the first rak'ah in the homes, and some imams have combined the Friday prayer with the 'Asr prayer on the pretext of rain. Therefore, Your Eminence may see fit to clarify the issue in accordance with the content of the Sunnah, in order to prevent debate in the mosques and to ensure the performance of prayers in the proper manner.
Answer:
This has been discussed extensively in these days. It is obligatory for the imams of the mosques to fear Allah and to seek the religious ruling. If the neighborhood where the mosque is located has rain that harms people, makes it difficult for them, or if there are floods or slippery conditions on the ground, there is no harm in combining the two prayers, especially Maghrib and 'Isha'. As for Zuhr and 'Asr, it is safer to leave them separate because there is significant disagreement regarding the combination of Zuhr and 'Asr. If one combines 'Asr with Zuhr, it is valid, but the preferred and safer course is to leave them separate to avoid the strong disagreement on this matter; because the daytime is easier to manage. However, in any case, it is obligatory for the imams and the prominent people of the mosque to look into the matter and not to rush into combining prayers, but rather to reflect. If there is a clear cause such as slippery conditions and hardship in the streets, or continuous rain in their neighborhood, they should combine; otherwise, they should leave them separate. This is what is prescribed: combining is for an excuse, just as the traveler who is staying combines, and if he is traveling, he has the option to combine. The best for him, if he is staying, is to be careful; it is in his interest. But the resident in the town does not have the option to combine except for a religious excuse; he is prohibited from combining. So he must be careful and look, and if he finds a religious excuse such as mud, slippery markets, water, or rain that falls on them and they are harmed by it, he combines. And praise be to Allah. Yes.
And if the adhan is called and it is said, "Prayer is the opening," there is no harm. If the adhan is called and it is said, "O people, pray in your homes" due to hardship, and the hardship exists, there is no harm. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did that, as Ibn 'Abbas said. Yes.
Your Eminence the Shaykh! With the blessing of continuous rains that Allah has bestowed upon our servants these days, much disagreement and debate have been observed in the mosques regarding the performance of prayers in combination, with some supporting it and others opposing it. Additionally, some of the imams and supporters have prepared the prayer in the first rak'ah in the homes, and some imams have combined the Friday prayer with the 'Asr prayer on the pretext of rain. Therefore, Your Eminence may see fit to clarify the issue in accordance with the content of the Sunnah, in order to prevent debate in the mosques and to ensure the performance of prayers in the proper manner.
Answer:
This has been discussed extensively in these days. It is obligatory for the imams of the mosques to fear Allah and to seek the religious ruling. If the neighborhood where the mosque is located has rain that harms people, makes it difficult for them, or if there are floods or slippery conditions on the ground, there is no harm in combining the two prayers, especially Maghrib and 'Isha'. As for Zuhr and 'Asr, it is safer to leave them separate because there is significant disagreement regarding the combination of Zuhr and 'Asr. If one combines 'Asr with Zuhr, it is valid, but the preferred and safer course is to leave them separate to avoid the strong disagreement on this matter; because the daytime is easier to manage. However, in any case, it is obligatory for the imams and the prominent people of the mosque to look into the matter and not to rush into combining prayers, but rather to reflect. If there is a clear cause such as slippery conditions and hardship in the streets, or continuous rain in their neighborhood, they should combine; otherwise, they should leave them separate. This is what is prescribed: combining is for an excuse, just as the traveler who is staying combines, and if he is traveling, he has the option to combine. The best for him, if he is staying, is to be careful; it is in his interest. But the resident in the town does not have the option to combine except for a religious excuse; he is prohibited from combining. So he must be careful and look, and if he finds a religious excuse such as mud, slippery markets, water, or rain that falls on them and they are harmed by it, he combines. And praise be to Allah. Yes.
And if the adhan is called and it is said, "Prayer is the opening," there is no harm. If the adhan is called and it is said, "O people, pray in your homes" due to hardship, and the hardship exists, there is no harm. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did that, as Ibn 'Abbas said. Yes.
Source
لقاءات لابن باز - لقاء الخير - ابن باز — archive.org (31:32)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.