Ruling on establishing a congregation while unaware of the existence of another congregation in the mosque
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Regarding two congregations in a mosque: The second congregation does not know that there is a congregation in this mosque, as this often happens in the Haram or other mosques,It was divided, so do we say: Is their prayer accepted, or are they required to break it off from the moment they begin the takbir?
The Shaykh: They entered the mosque and assumed that the people had already prayed, so they began the prayer, and then it became clear that the people of the mosque had not prayed?The questioner: No, then it became clear that another congregation was praying in a different section.
The Shaykh: These people, then it became clear that another congregation was praying in a different section.
These people are not required to break off the prayer; because they entered in a state of being excused; they entered assuming that the prayer had been missed from them, and whoever misses the prayer establishes it as a congregation, so they are not required to break off the prayer.
This is unlike the case where they entered and said the takbir assuming that the people had left the prayer, and then it became clear that the congregation in the mosque had not yet prayed,Meaning: The mu'adhdhin established the prayer while they had already begun the prayer,So here we say: Break it off; because the imam of the mosque has authority, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade a man to lead another man in prayer within his authority.
So there is a distinction between when it is the first primary congregation or a subsequent congregation. If it is the first congregation, they break off their prayer, even if they have already begun it, and then they join the first congregation. And if it is the second congregation and they missed the prayer—for example—then they do not break off the prayer for their sake.
The Shaykh: They entered the mosque and assumed that the people had already prayed, so they began the prayer, and then it became clear that the people of the mosque had not prayed?The questioner: No, then it became clear that another congregation was praying in a different section.
The Shaykh: These people, then it became clear that another congregation was praying in a different section.
These people are not required to break off the prayer; because they entered in a state of being excused; they entered assuming that the prayer had been missed from them, and whoever misses the prayer establishes it as a congregation, so they are not required to break off the prayer.
This is unlike the case where they entered and said the takbir assuming that the people had left the prayer, and then it became clear that the congregation in the mosque had not yet prayed,Meaning: The mu'adhdhin established the prayer while they had already begun the prayer,So here we say: Break it off; because the imam of the mosque has authority, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade a man to lead another man in prayer within his authority.
So there is a distinction between when it is the first primary congregation or a subsequent congregation. If it is the first congregation, they break off their prayer, even if they have already begun it, and then they join the first congregation. And if it is the second congregation and they missed the prayer—for example—then they do not break off the prayer for their sake.