Some scholars hold that it is the Sunnah for the imam to come to the prayer when the iqamah is called, and it is known that fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) occurs due to this imam’s delay?

The questioner : Shaykh Rida holds that it is the Sunnah for the imam not to come to the prayer until, he does not enter except that the prayer is called immediately. So it is observed that fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) occurs in the mosque because of his delay, and he does not come until after...

The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, this is it.

The questioner : ... I tell you ... my Shaykh.

The Shaykh : What Allah willed ... .

The questioner : So is it the Sunnah that the imam delays until, meaning the prayer is not called until, meaning he enters, and although this matter ... the people of the mosque

The Shaykh : We hear from him, he is speaking with this talk.
Another questioner: Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy.

The Shaykh : And peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Another questioner: In this way, the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) occurs.
Another questioner: How is our Shaykh doing? May you be well.
Another questioner: How is Abu Abdullah? What are your news ... .
Another questioner: Welcome.
Another questioner: The fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) does not occur merely upon the arrival ... of the mu'adhdhin (the one who calls to prayer) to the prayer or ... the prayer. The fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) occurs when I ... use this behavior and come after the time has passed, which is determined ... a quarter of an hour, or a third of an hour, or ten minutes.
Another questioner: ...
Another questioner: So the commotion occurs when I enter late. But for example, if I enter exactly on time and I comply with what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did, and the prayer is called, nothing happens. The fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) occurs when I enter two or three minutes late. Where is the Shaykh? Where is the imam who is standing ... like this, a commotion occurs.

The Shaykh : Is there a difference between your words and his words?
Another questioner: I do not observe a difference.

The Shaykh : He means he clarifies two points in the matter.
Another questioner: Yes

The Shaykh : The first point is the timing that the Awqaf (religious endowments) announce in the mosques. So he says if he delays until this time, no fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) will occur, but if he increases the delay, fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) will occur.

The questioner : By Allah, the talk is as if it is not precise at all.

The Shaykh : Therefore, therefore, we need to reconcile the two statements.

The questioner : ... Of course, the truth ... Of course, I want to hear ... .

The Shaykh : It is enough for you to hear from one person.

The questioner : Okay...

The questioner : And perhaps you may hear from several people, but we do not want to listen to you except in ... the talk is not precise, as evidenced by the fact that today, he, today they caused a commotion again, even though he came one minute before the time.
Another questioner: No.

The questioner : One minute.
Another questioner: He came late, O Shaykh.

The questioner : No, you came according to what you said. You said ... one minute, fourteen minutes have passed, you said.
Another questioner: I was mistaken, I told you I assumed this was a mistake of mine that I was on time. When I went out, it became clear to me that this assumption was not precise, as evidenced by the fact that they called the iqamah and a commotion occurred.

The Shaykh : No, when you went out, yes, where did you go out?
Another questioner: To the mosque ... the mosque.

The Shaykh : When you entered the mosque.
Another questioner: Yes, when I entered the mosque, yes, from the house, meaning.

The Shaykh : I understand you went out, meaning you left.
Another questioner: Yes, no, I went to the mosque. If I, for example, right now finished and there is still, for example, a quarter of an hour between the adhan (the call to prayer) and the iqamah (the second call, immediately before prayer) in the Zuhr (the midday prayer), if I entered except five minutes before it, for example, one minute, no one would cause a commotion. But what happened today is that I entered after the time, even though I was assuming that this was the time, but it became clear to me from you that I came late.

The questioner : Okay.
Another questioner: So the commotion occurs after, after ... .

The questioner : Even though you did not clarify this to me, even though you have now clarified it, there is no harm, but I tell you that.
Another questioner: In general.

The questioner : In general also, that something other than this ... happened several times, the prayer is called and you say there are still two minutes left, still three, and a problem occurs between you and 'Abud specifically, right or not?
Another questioner: ...

The questioner : No, no, I was once, I think it was more than once, but several times.
Another questioner: ...
Another questioner: 'Abud makes, 'Abud makes problems.

The Shaykh : But excuse me.
Another questioner: Leave the word ... no.

The Shaykh : You are not ... I see this talk is in his interest.

The questioner : Excuse us, we are clarifying the reality.

The Shaykh : But you are aiming to establish an argument against him that this is not his argument.

The questioner : I say ... I am not aiming to establish an argument, I want to clarify the truth in the matter.

The Shaykh : ... .

The questioner : Yes, that is right.

The Shaykh : Clarify the truth, and what is the truth in your view? That he is mistaken.

The questioner : Yes, in my view, it is obligatory for him to hasten to come to the mosque. This is in my opinion, I see that he must hasten in coming to the mosque, it is not a condition, meaning when the adhan (the call to prayer) is called he comes, no, at least before the iqamah (the second call, immediately before prayer) is called by five, or five minutes, because what happens is that if you look like this, the imam is not present, meaning one of them stands up and calls the iqamah (the second call, immediately before prayer), sometimes with the time.
Another questioner: No, no ... .

The questioner : Sometimes with the time, sometimes a little before the time, sometimes after the time.

The Shaykh : Okay, let us, so that there is not much discussion, now I understood from it that if the times are announced, for example, that the Zuhr (the midday prayer) is called after the adhan (the call to prayer) by a quarter of an hour, for example, you suggest that the imam arrives before this time by five, four minutes, which is.

The questioner : Yes, that is right.

The Shaykh : How do you suggest? What is your opinion of this suggestion?
Another questioner: My opinion?

The Shaykh : If it were me, you.
Another questioner: I say, my opinion.

The Shaykh : Do not say my opinion, I am asking you, what is your opinion? You say this.
Another questioner: No.

The Shaykh : Yes?
Another questioner: No.

The Shaykh : How not?
Another questioner: No, meaning ... no ... .

The Shaykh : Yes, what is your opinion between?
Another questioner: My opinion is that I, meaning the time ends, for example, except five, except six, I am present, yes, but the one who, who, meaning holds the iqamah (the second call, immediately before prayer) takes care of the time with me, meaning we agree, the two of us, that you take care of it and I take care of it at home, and we see, meaning we strive for this Sunnah (recommended practice) that I pray the Sunnah (recommended practice) at home, I wait, for example, the matter of Fajr (the dawn prayer) or Zuhr (the midday prayer), that the time comes its place, of course the times are approximately the adhan (the call to prayer) is advanced in the Zuhr (the midday prayer), I wait for them at home and seven minutes, eight minutes pass, I stand up and pray ... rak'ahs (a unit of prayer) that ... we presented them, and then I go to the mosque, it will be one minute, the mu'adhdhin (the one who calls to prayer) ... the prayer.

The Shaykh : What do I need this speed for? What do I need this speed for?
Another questioner: No, I wait four minutes because I do not arrive in four minutes.

The Shaykh : I understood, this is his suggestion, do you reject it?
Another questioner: Yes

The Shaykh : Why? Is the talk that I talked about not needed for us, why do you reject it?
Another questioner: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to enter ... the prayer is called.

The Shaykh : Good, did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) do this as legislation for people and as worship?
Another questioner: In my opinion, yes.

The Shaykh : How?
Another questioner: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

The Shaykh : How, how, meaning how did you understand that?

The questioner : The imamate (leadership) of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) among the Muslims, is it not imamate (leadership) for us too?

The Shaykh : Do not expand the matter ... you are asking us a question whose answer is known, but we, is this detail, meaning I want to circle around an ordinary Sunnah (recommended practice) and a devotional Sunnah (recommended practice).
Another questioner: Yes

The Shaykh : You have, I think, knowledge of this.
Another questioner: Yes

The Shaykh : Good, the question now, so that we do not go east and west, is that you have evidence that this is a matter intended by the Messenger (peace be upon him) for the servants?
Another questioner: No.

The Shaykh : So how do you argue with this?
Another questioner: Meaning, will I not have an argument? I am mistaken in it, meaning?

The Shaykh : Do not jump in the research, I asked a question just now, I asked you, what did I ask you?
Another questioner: You told me, why, since it is an ordinary Sunnah (recommended practice), why are you holding onto it and believing it is devotional?

The Shaykh : So? You got the answer, you tell me I am mistaken, I tell you you are mistaken, and the time passes and we quarrel, this is of no benefit. Since you have knowledge that there is an ordinary Sunnah (recommended practice) and a devotional Sunnah (recommended practice), and the delay of the Messenger (peace be upon him) is possible that it is not devotional, and this is what I understand, but if you are convinced that this is devotional, you want to present an argument and evidence for this, and they are opposing you in this action, so that there is conviction in him, this is from one side. From another side, the group says that corruption occurs in the mosque behind this delay, but the research of this corruption is postponed now, because the original is that why does he hold onto this delay? He says the Prophet did it on the head, but was this action of his intended for worship?
Another questioner: I ... the detail is that it is ordinary or devotional.

The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good. That is the problem; the issue is that we did not know, we did not pay attention, and so on. Therefore, religion is advice and mutual advice, and one should be mindful of this matter. As I understand it, the delay of the Messenger (peace be upon him) was not a legislative ruling for the general public. He was the head of state, like the heads of states, and he was a Prophet with religious obligations and political and social obligations, and so on. If a man today were in the position of the Messenger (peace be upon him) regarding the burden of managing the state, a woman would not find him at home because he would not be free for her. So, if he takes this as an opportunity to perform the prayer, he will be with his family. You have no need for him to be with his family; you are living your whole life without managing a state or organizing armies or ... or anything else. So it is not possible that we imagine that the delay of the Messenger (peace be upon him) from going out when the adhan was called was a legislative ruling for the general people. Rather, every person has his own circumstances, especially if the public interest requires ... And peace be upon you. You should attend before the time. Excuse me, everyone, may you be given peace.
Another questioner: Hello.

The questioner : The speech ... .

The Shaykh : We heard, we heard. I am looking at you, you are moving your tongue, but what are you saying ... .

The questioner : ... .
Another questioner: It should be.
Another questioner: ... hadith.

The Shaykh : There is no god but Allah. Then, I see today that the imam has become a job like any other job, whereas the imamate must be elevated above the level of other jobs. The imam is like a school teacher and a subject professor. If he delivers his lesson, he enters to deliver it and leaves; that is just an employee like any employee in any job. But if the lesson is over and he lives with the students, taking and giving with them, gathering with them before the lesson in the break, in ... in such and such, then he is performing a religious duty, not just a job. Likewise, the imam must mix with the worshippers before and after the prayer and sit with them. Perhaps you know that the Messenger (peace be upon him) used to sit after the Fajr prayer and receive his Companions. One of the Companions said, "We would talk until we would talk about the stories of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would be with us, laughing and smiling with us." This character, this conduct, makes the imam become one of the group.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : Do you see? He wins their hearts and draws them to him. And we are in greater need of this character in reality. As I always say, and always, our call is the call of truth, and it is heavy by its nature. Therefore, you find that most people do not accept it and do not turn to it. So when the heaviness of the style is added to the heaviness of the truth, what does it become?

The questioner : Heaviness upon heaviness.

The Shaykh : A doubled heaviness that people cannot bear. Weights, yes. Therefore, the imam must be gentle in character, and this is not ... except through mixing with people. But how long? A quarter of an hour before, one minute, he had just entered and had not yet reached the place of the mihrab, and the iqamah was called. Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy. Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy. In your mind, goodbye. This is a routine job, meaning he is performing it. This does not achieve the goal of the call at all. Therefore, I actually suggest that you do not commit to this commitment. ... I have clarified the reason. The reason is that he imagines that this is a recommended act of worship.
Another questioner: Yes

The Shaykh : Okay, if you imagine that it is a recommended act of worship, is it complete for this recommended act to be a quarter of an hour for the Zuhr prayer, and I do not know how long for the 'Asr prayer, and I do not know how long for the 'Isha' prayer? Is this how a recommended act of worship is?
Another questioner: Of course not, but it is obligatory upon us. It was against my will, whether I was present or I came on time, a quarter of an hour, a quarter of an hour.

The Shaykh : Okay, if it is imposed on you by law and you accepted it, then accept what is imposed on you for the sake of public benefit.
Another questioner: Correct.
Another questioner: May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : May Allah reward with good the one who raised the issue.