The ruling on the difference between the intention of the follower and the intention of the imam in prayer
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What is your opinion when the call to prayer is made for travelers who have performed the obligatory Maghrib prayer and wish to perform the obligatory 'Isha' prayer, and then another group enters the mosque to perform the obligatory prayer? Do they pray Maghrib with the intention of 'Isha', or do they establish a separate congregation?The Shaykh: First: the congregation you mentioned that the travelers pray the rawatib, but the traveler does not have rawatib, and it is not befitting for him to pray the rawatib.
The questioner: They intend to pray Maghrib, but the time of 'Isha' has arrived because they intended to combine the prayers by delaying them.
The Shaykh: The important point is that there are no rawatib.
The questioner: Yes.
This group combined the prayers by delaying them, and then, after they prayed Maghrib, a group arrived intending to pray Maghrib: What is befitting is that the group that arrived should be the ones who pray behind the first group. So the first group establishes the prayer of 'Isha', and the second group joins them with the intention of Maghrib. When the first group completes the prayer of 'Isha'—which is two rak'ahs—these people stand up and complete the prayer of Maghrib. This is preferable because these people are earlier than the latecomers; and because if their imam is the one who prays with all of them, the prayer of Maghrib will not be disrupted for the others. But if the latecomers were the ones who prayed with this group as a congregation, the prayer of 'Isha' would be disrupted for them. So it is preferable that the imam be from the first group who intend to pray the prayer of Maghrib.
The questioner: If they perform Maghrib and 'Isha' as a congregation, and there is another group praying 'Isha' at the same time, is this permissible or not?The Shaykh: Leading two congregations in one mosque at the same time is contrary to the Sunnah and contrary to the gathering. In fact, some scholars have counted it among religious innovations. So what is befitting is that they gather as one congregation, and it is preferable that the congregation be led by the imam of the first group.
The questioner: If they enter while the imam is praying Maghrib, and they are travelers who have already performed the Maghrib prayer and want to pray 'Isha', do they pray four rak'ahs because they want to shorten the prayer?
The Shaykh: The congregation who entered with them while they were praying Maghrib?The questioner: They prayed Maghrib, and they still have the 'Isha' prayer remaining.
The Shaykh: The second congregation only has 'Isha' remaining?The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: They entered with the intention of praying 'Isha' with those who are praying Maghrib.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: The imam’s intention is Maghrib, and their intention is 'Isha', and they caught up with the imam for the Maghrib prayer, is that not so?The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: If they pray Maghrib with the imam for three rak'ahs and he says the closing salam, they stand up and perform one rak'ah, so the prayer of 'Isha' becomes completed.
The questioner: Do they say the closing salam after two rak'ahs because they are travelers?The Shaykh: No.
It does not benefit them to say the closing salam, but if they wish, they sit when he stands, or if they wish, they complete the prayer with him. When he says the closing salam, they perform one rak'ah.
The questioner: They intend to pray Maghrib, but the time of 'Isha' has arrived because they intended to combine the prayers by delaying them.
The Shaykh: The important point is that there are no rawatib.
The questioner: Yes.
This group combined the prayers by delaying them, and then, after they prayed Maghrib, a group arrived intending to pray Maghrib: What is befitting is that the group that arrived should be the ones who pray behind the first group. So the first group establishes the prayer of 'Isha', and the second group joins them with the intention of Maghrib. When the first group completes the prayer of 'Isha'—which is two rak'ahs—these people stand up and complete the prayer of Maghrib. This is preferable because these people are earlier than the latecomers; and because if their imam is the one who prays with all of them, the prayer of Maghrib will not be disrupted for the others. But if the latecomers were the ones who prayed with this group as a congregation, the prayer of 'Isha' would be disrupted for them. So it is preferable that the imam be from the first group who intend to pray the prayer of Maghrib.
The questioner: If they perform Maghrib and 'Isha' as a congregation, and there is another group praying 'Isha' at the same time, is this permissible or not?The Shaykh: Leading two congregations in one mosque at the same time is contrary to the Sunnah and contrary to the gathering. In fact, some scholars have counted it among religious innovations. So what is befitting is that they gather as one congregation, and it is preferable that the congregation be led by the imam of the first group.
The questioner: If they enter while the imam is praying Maghrib, and they are travelers who have already performed the Maghrib prayer and want to pray 'Isha', do they pray four rak'ahs because they want to shorten the prayer?
The Shaykh: The congregation who entered with them while they were praying Maghrib?The questioner: They prayed Maghrib, and they still have the 'Isha' prayer remaining.
The Shaykh: The second congregation only has 'Isha' remaining?The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: They entered with the intention of praying 'Isha' with those who are praying Maghrib.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: The imam’s intention is Maghrib, and their intention is 'Isha', and they caught up with the imam for the Maghrib prayer, is that not so?The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: If they pray Maghrib with the imam for three rak'ahs and he says the closing salam, they stand up and perform one rak'ah, so the prayer of 'Isha' becomes completed.
The questioner: Do they say the closing salam after two rak'ahs because they are travelers?The Shaykh: No.
It does not benefit them to say the closing salam, but if they wish, they sit when he stands, or if they wish, they complete the prayer with him. When he says the closing salam, they perform one rak'ah.