Is it permissible to miss the congregational prayer due to studies? And is it permissible for them to combine prayers after finishing work in a mosque with a regular imam?

The questioner : Regarding the prayer of these students, I asked you and you did not answer.

The Shaykh : We were looking into this; they come to pray Maghrib as a second congregation in the mosque.

The questioner : The Dhuhr prayer, before their school shift begins.

The Shaykh : And where do they come from?

The questioner : They come to the school, at the end of the square, to a mosque on the street that overlooks the school square.

The Shaykh : And does this mean it is the start of their shift?

The questioner : It is the start of their shift.

The Shaykh : And they pray in this mosque as a second congregation.

The questioner : Yes, one of them leads the prayer.

The Shaykh : They do not have an imam, meaning.

The questioner : No, the congregation is present in the mosque, and I am the imam of the mosque.

The Shaykh : And where do you pray?

The questioner : No, I mean, we pray after the iqamah, following the adhan, and they pray and then go to their shift to catch up with it.

The Shaykh : And do you pray after them?

The questioner : We pray after them. The first congregation is us, but they pray before us so they can catch their shift.

The Shaykh : Now the issue is clear.

The questioner : If they want to wait for us, they will not catch their shift and will be late.

The Shaykh : Do you have knowledge of the ruling on the prayer of these people if they pray as a second congregation after you? Do you know what the ruling is on this second congregation?

The questioner : I have read about it, yes. I have read a little about it.

The Shaykh : You did not answer me, as usual.

The questioner : Yes, as usual. We...The questioner : ...

The Shaykh : How?

The questioner : AndThe questioner : ...

The Shaykh : I...The questioner

The questioner : The ruling on the second congregation after the first congregation, or the congregations after the first congregation...

The Shaykh : I am not asking you a written question; I am asking you to convey a ruling from one to another, if you know the opinion. If you know, tell me; if you do not know, say you do not know.

The questioner : I know.

The Shaykh : Well, what is it?

The questioner : That it is not permissible except in a mosque on the road or street.

The Shaykh : Well, they do not have a regular imam or a regular mu'adhdhin, so the congregation of these people is more deserving of being disliked because they break the fast and precede the official, regular imam.

The questioner : So what should these students do?

The Shaykh : These people should pray with the congregation.

The questioner : They are unable to.

The Shaykh : This is due to the corruption of society and the corruption of the system.

The questioner : Of course. So they leave it until they come from work... the prayer?

The Shaykh : I mean, the fact that they cannot maintain what is prescribed does not necessitate that they do what is not prescribed, because the end does not justify the means. And one of the benefits of this is that the one who acknowledges his error and acts on it will, one day, be hoped to return to the right path, whereas the one who knows and then deviates, justifying his deviation, will, over time, live in a state of deviation. Is this clear?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : I mean, if these students are left to their own devices, they are not aware that they are in violation. But if they are aware that they are in violation, at least when they are outside of school, they will be careful to perform the prayer with the congregation, because this is established in their hearts. But if we leave them to their own devices on the basis that they have an excuse—which is the corruption of the study system—then their time will pass and they will be practically deviating from the Shari'ah. The conclusion is that they should not combine prayers before the imam. And if, as a current legal solution, it is possible for the imam to hasten the performance of the prayer before his usual time, and after the adhan—considering these people—then this is preferable. It would be combining two benefits: the benefit of the mosque congregation, which may be a small number—I do not know the situation there—and the congregation of the students.

The questioner : Praying in tight-fitting clothes?

The Shaykh : Now, give the turn to someone else.