Why is it not permissible to follow a latecomer in prayer, while it is prescribed to join the prayer of one who is praying a voluntary prayer, such as the night prayer?
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The questioner : Why is it not permissible to follow a latecomer at a time when it is prescribed to join the prayer of one who is praying a voluntary prayer, such as the night prayer? Many people ask us, and we rebuke them for joining in, saying they prayed behind a latecomer or with someone praying a sunnah, standing beside him and praying. They cite the hadith that al-Abbas prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) at night. We tell them this was at night, and they say, "You have restricted the action of the Companion with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to the night. Well, most sunnahs came as the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) response to a person praying alone, so responding is prescribed in the obligatory prayer for one who has finished his salam. So why do you restrict it to the night prayer? Knowing that here, responding is prescribed in other than the voluntary prayer. It needs clarification, O Shaykh."
The Shaykh : What was the question? What was the difficulty with the answer you gave to that question?
The questioner : From me now, or regarding the questioner?
The Shaykh : From that one?The questioner : The one you are talking about, we do not know if you are speaking correctly or incorrectly about him. That is your responsibility.
The questioner : The questioner : He says, "Why is it not permissible to follow a latecomer? I want to follow a latecomer. Why do you tell me it is not permissible, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) followed al-Abbas while he was praying?"
The Shaykh : Is that the question?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Well, based on this question, but you will do what others have done; you will add something, and you will see.
The questioner : Perhaps.
The Shaykh : Be patient, and I will tell you: it is permissible to follow what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did, or what occurred with the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), whether at night or during the day.
The questioner : Well, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : No, but the answer was not understood here.
The questioner : Do you see that the stick is causing me trouble, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. If there is a stick there, it is a soft and polite one.
The Shaykh : The audience : They laugh.
The Shaykh : What is the answer now? Can he object?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Well, but he did not take the answer, because his question was about following a person praying a voluntary prayer, is that not so?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Well, he did not take the answer, correct?
The questioner : Correct.
The Shaykh : Did you see how strong this stick is?
The questioner : Yes, but it is small.
The Shaykh : But it is small. The person praying wants to pray the obligatory prayer, correct?
The questioner : Correct, O our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : We say that it came in *Sahih al-Bukhari* that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and this is a point of caution in some fiqh books: who is the Companion behind whom the Prophet prayed? The answer is 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf. If it were permissible to follow in a second instance, even hypothetically, behind a hypothetical leader, al-Mughirah would have seized the opportunity to pray the obligatory prayer and follow the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). But he prayed, each one with his own, which confirms the rule that we state, following the majority of the imams, that "there is no second congregation."
The questioner : O our Shaykh, what I understood from this narration is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and al-Mughirah followed 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf.
The Shaykh : What you understood, or what I said?
The questioner : What you said. Well, how can he be both imam and ma'mum? I mean, in the example I gave, if there were two of them praying with him, how would it be without one being the imam and the other the ma'mum?
The Shaykh : I told you how, so I spared you this question. We came late.
The questioner: Okay
The Shaykh : Yes, and we stand to pray. We intend to follow this one or that one intends to follow him, meaning instead of each one bowing and prostrating for himself, one of us links himself to the other.
The questioner : They are not latecomers, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : I know they are latecomers.
The questioner : How can they follow each other? They are entering the prayer, that is all.
The Shaykh : But deeds are by intentions.
The questioner : Correct, O our Shaykh. Deeds are by intentions.
The Shaykh: Okay
The questioner : I did not grasp the analogy...
Another questioner : The picture Abu Faris wants, in my opinion, is not this one.
Another questioner : It is, it is.
The Shaykh : My brother, the picture is different, my brother. But I am bringing that picture close to this one. I do not understand that this picture is a different matter from this one.
The questioner : The analogy did not work for him.
The Shaykh : First, this picture occurred. And if al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah had known that it was possible to follow to establish a second following after the first congregation, he would have intended to follow the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in this prayer anew, in this single obligatory prayer. So, based on that, the prayer you are asking about is included. Of course, this may convince some people and may not convince others. That is not a problem.
The questioner : This example, O our Shaykh, is not like the picture of...The questioner : .
The Shaykh : I have not understood yet that it is not the same picture. Especially when I say, "The preacher said, this is not his question." I know this is not your question, but this brings the answer to your question closer, just for you.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh: Or despite that, we have the rule that we always circle around. Do you imagine with me that a case like the one you are asking about occurred before, or did it not occur?
The questioner : It did not occur, the one I am asking about.
The Shaykh : This picture did not occur.
The questioner : It did not occur.
The Shaykh : No, no. Is the picture you are asking about permissible or not?
The questioner : It did not occur. We do not know of a narration where it occurred.
The Shaykh : The picture, the picture. It is not the answer I am telling you about, whether it occurred or not. The picture means: one person entered and was not praying the obligatory prayer, and he found a person completing his prayer, and he was following. Did this picture occur before?
The questioner : It has not passed me that it occurred.
The Shaykh : It needs to pass you. May Allah guide you. It needs to pass you.
The questioner : I mean, the imam says the salam, and there is a latecomer, and there is someone who can enter with him. I have never seen it.
Another questioner : I mean, does this case occur or not? No, it did not occur before.
The Shaykh : Excuse me, I am taking it from his tongue. When does it occur?
The questioner : It occurs in this time.
The Shaykh : This time, you call it a span.
The questioner: No, it means... .
The Shaykh : Excuse me, my brother, say it. You said a span.
The questioner : A span.
The Shaykh : Well, is it permissible for it to be a meter?
The questioner : It is permissible.
The Shaykh : It is permissible for it to be a meter. We will see later.The Shaykh : What will it amount to? Is it permissible for it to be meters?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Every meter you give me is a hope, O Shaykh. May Allah guide you. It is not permissible to restrict a broad matter. When can you determine that Muslims began to be late in, for example, caring to catch the prayer at its beginning, leaving the care to perform the prayer?
The questioner : In the later ages.
The Shaykh : I am not telling you in the first age, because people are not all the same. It is as if you forgot, or you made me forget. Which one do you choose?
The questioner : No, I forgot.
The Shaykh : Well, but you appear, like my story, to accept being taught.
The questioner : No, by Allah, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said.
The Shaykh : No, it is fine. Do not forget. If the Messenger says where are you?
The questioner :
The Shaykh : Yes, many hadiths. They are late for the prayer at night. This can happen, and they enter the mosque, and when the imam says the salam, one of the present people stands to complete his prayer. This does not happen. May Allah guide you, O Abu Faris. Say "Ameen."
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : Yes, wait a little, because here now he called it a "ghanimah" (spoils). I think you will share with us, and therefore...
The Shaykh : What was the question? What was the difficulty with the answer you gave to that question?
The questioner : From me now, or regarding the questioner?
The Shaykh : From that one?The questioner : The one you are talking about, we do not know if you are speaking correctly or incorrectly about him. That is your responsibility.
The questioner : The questioner : He says, "Why is it not permissible to follow a latecomer? I want to follow a latecomer. Why do you tell me it is not permissible, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) followed al-Abbas while he was praying?"
The Shaykh : Is that the question?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Well, based on this question, but you will do what others have done; you will add something, and you will see.
The questioner : Perhaps.
The Shaykh : Be patient, and I will tell you: it is permissible to follow what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did, or what occurred with the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), whether at night or during the day.
The questioner : Well, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : No, but the answer was not understood here.
The questioner : Do you see that the stick is causing me trouble, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. If there is a stick there, it is a soft and polite one.
The Shaykh : The audience : They laugh.
The Shaykh : What is the answer now? Can he object?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Well, but he did not take the answer, because his question was about following a person praying a voluntary prayer, is that not so?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Well, he did not take the answer, correct?
The questioner : Correct.
The Shaykh : Did you see how strong this stick is?
The questioner : Yes, but it is small.
The Shaykh : But it is small. The person praying wants to pray the obligatory prayer, correct?
The questioner : Correct, O our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : We say that it came in *Sahih al-Bukhari* that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
It was on a journey, on the morning of a day, and he went with al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah far away to relieve himself. With al-Mughirah was a pitcher containing water. When the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) came to perform wudu, he was wearing a tight-sleeved robe, so he could not roll up the sleeves. He took off the robe and performed wudu. He was wearing leather socks, and he wanted to take them off. So he said to him: "Leave them, for I put them on while pure," and he wiped over them. The people were waiting for him for the Fajr prayer in the prayer area of the mosque. They delayed the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), so they brought forward 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf to lead them as imam. Then the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) came while they were standing, following 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf. Al-Mughirah wanted to inform the imam, 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf, that the Prophet, who is the true imam, had arrived, as it is said, "When water is present, tayammum is invalid." So he signaled to him. Do not do that. So they followed the Messenger and his companion al-Mughirah, and they prayed behind 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf.
كان في سفر في صباح يوم ذهب ومعه المغيرة بن شعبة بعيدا لقضاء الحاجة ومع المغيرة إبريق فيه ماء فلما جاء الرسول عليه السلام يتوضأ كان عليه جبة ضيقة الكمين فما استطاع يشمر فنزع الجبة وتوضأ وكان لابس خفين فأراد أن ينزعهما، فقال له: دعهما فإني أدخلتهما طاهرتين ومسح عليهما، وكان الناس ينتظرونه لصلاة الفجر - في المصلى في المسجد - فاتسأخروا الرسول عليه السلام فقدموا عبد الرحمن بن عوف ليصلي بهم إماما فجاء الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم وهم قيام مقتدين بعبد الرحمن بن عوف فأراد المغيرة أن يعلم الإمام عبد الرحمن بن عوف - بأن الرسول اللي هو الإمام الحق قد حضر وكما يقال " إذا حضر الماء بطل التيمم " - فأشار إليه ألا تفعل فاقتديا الرسول وصاحبه المغيرة وصلوا وراء مين عبد الرحمن بن عوفSo 'Abd al-Rahman concluded the prayer, and it became clear that the Messenger and his companion had missed a unit of prayer. The Messenger and his companion stood up and made up the unit of prayer.
فسلم عبد الرحمن وتبين أنه قد فات الرسول وصاحبه ركعة فقام الرسول وصاحبه وقضيا الركعةThe questioner : O our Shaykh, what I understood from this narration is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and al-Mughirah followed 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf.
The Shaykh : What you understood, or what I said?
The questioner : What you said. Well, how can he be both imam and ma'mum? I mean, in the example I gave, if there were two of them praying with him, how would it be without one being the imam and the other the ma'mum?
The Shaykh : I told you how, so I spared you this question. We came late.
The questioner: Okay
The Shaykh : Yes, and we stand to pray. We intend to follow this one or that one intends to follow him, meaning instead of each one bowing and prostrating for himself, one of us links himself to the other.
The questioner : They are not latecomers, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : I know they are latecomers.
The questioner : How can they follow each other? They are entering the prayer, that is all.
The Shaykh : But deeds are by intentions.
The questioner : Correct, O our Shaykh. Deeds are by intentions.
The Shaykh: Okay
The questioner : I did not grasp the analogy...
Another questioner : The picture Abu Faris wants, in my opinion, is not this one.
Another questioner : It is, it is.
The Shaykh : My brother, the picture is different, my brother. But I am bringing that picture close to this one. I do not understand that this picture is a different matter from this one.
The questioner : The analogy did not work for him.
The Shaykh : First, this picture occurred. And if al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah had known that it was possible to follow to establish a second following after the first congregation, he would have intended to follow the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in this prayer anew, in this single obligatory prayer. So, based on that, the prayer you are asking about is included. Of course, this may convince some people and may not convince others. That is not a problem.
The questioner : This example, O our Shaykh, is not like the picture of...The questioner : .
The Shaykh : I have not understood yet that it is not the same picture. Especially when I say, "The preacher said, this is not his question." I know this is not your question, but this brings the answer to your question closer, just for you.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh: Or despite that, we have the rule that we always circle around. Do you imagine with me that a case like the one you are asking about occurred before, or did it not occur?
The questioner : It did not occur, the one I am asking about.
The Shaykh : This picture did not occur.
The questioner : It did not occur.
The Shaykh : No, no. Is the picture you are asking about permissible or not?
The questioner : It did not occur. We do not know of a narration where it occurred.
The Shaykh : The picture, the picture. It is not the answer I am telling you about, whether it occurred or not. The picture means: one person entered and was not praying the obligatory prayer, and he found a person completing his prayer, and he was following. Did this picture occur before?
The questioner : It has not passed me that it occurred.
The Shaykh : It needs to pass you. May Allah guide you. It needs to pass you.
The questioner : I mean, the imam says the salam, and there is a latecomer, and there is someone who can enter with him. I have never seen it.
Another questioner : I mean, does this case occur or not? No, it did not occur before.
The Shaykh : Excuse me, I am taking it from his tongue. When does it occur?
The questioner : It occurs in this time.
The Shaykh : This time, you call it a span.
The questioner: No, it means... .
The Shaykh : Excuse me, my brother, say it. You said a span.
The questioner : A span.
The Shaykh : Well, is it permissible for it to be a meter?
The questioner : It is permissible.
The Shaykh : It is permissible for it to be a meter. We will see later.The Shaykh : What will it amount to? Is it permissible for it to be meters?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Every meter you give me is a hope, O Shaykh. May Allah guide you. It is not permissible to restrict a broad matter. When can you determine that Muslims began to be late in, for example, caring to catch the prayer at its beginning, leaving the care to perform the prayer?
The questioner : In the later ages.
The Shaykh : I am not telling you in the first age, because people are not all the same. It is as if you forgot, or you made me forget. Which one do you choose?
The questioner : No, I forgot.
The Shaykh : Well, but you appear, like my story, to accept being taught.
The questioner : No, by Allah, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said.
The Shaykh : No, it is fine. Do not forget. If the Messenger says
I was on the verge of ordering a man to lead the people in prayer, then ordering men to gather firewood, and then going to a group of people who neglect the prayer in congregation and burning down their houses.
لقد هممت أن آمر برجلا فيصلي بالناس ثم آمر رجالا فيحطبوا حطبا ثم أخالف إلى أناس يدعون الصلاة مع الجماعة فأحرق عليهم بيوتهمThe questioner :
There will continue to be groups of people
ما يزال أقوامThe Shaykh : Yes, many hadiths. They are late for the prayer at night. This can happen, and they enter the mosque, and when the imam says the salam, one of the present people stands to complete his prayer. This does not happen. May Allah guide you, O Abu Faris. Say "Ameen."
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : Yes, wait a little, because here now he called it a "ghanimah" (spoils). I think you will share with us, and therefore...
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.