Which is better: for a person to pray the voluntary prayer at home, thereby losing the virtue of attaining the first row, or to attain the first row even if he loses the voluntary prayer?
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The questioner : His saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Muwatta Malik 3:3, ... His saying (peace and blessings be upon him): ; is it better for him to pray the voluntary prayer at home and leave... or to go into the mosque... the first row?
The Shaykh : Here there is a comparison between two virtues, and we do not find a text that prefers one virtue over the other, so we say: Allah knows best. And if he is able...
Another questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : If a person can combine the two virtues; for example, he prays the sunnah at the beginning of the time and then goes to the mosque, so he attains his place in the first row, this is the way out. But if one virtue conflicts with another, Allah knows best which of the two is better.
The questioner : Okay; if he does this and that sometimes; for example, he prays the voluntary prayer at home sometimes and catches up in the second row?
The Shaykh : He does this and that against his will.
If people knew what was in the adhan and the first row of the prayer and could only draw lots for it, they would draw lots.
لو يعلم الناس ما في النداء والصف الأول ثمَّ لم يجدوا إلا أن يستهموا عليه لَاستهمواThe best prayer of a man is in his home, except for the obligatory prayers.
أفضل صلاة الرجل في بيته إلا المكتوبةThe Shaykh : Here there is a comparison between two virtues, and we do not find a text that prefers one virtue over the other, so we say: Allah knows best. And if he is able...
Another questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : If a person can combine the two virtues; for example, he prays the sunnah at the beginning of the time and then goes to the mosque, so he attains his place in the first row, this is the way out. But if one virtue conflicts with another, Allah knows best which of the two is better.
The questioner : Okay; if he does this and that sometimes; for example, he prays the voluntary prayer at home sometimes and catches up in the second row?
The Shaykh : He does this and that against his will.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.