In some Islamic countries, they pray Fajr before its Shari'ah time by about a third of an hour. What is the ruling on their prayer?
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The questioner : We have brothers from the Salafis in Alexandria who call the adhan for Fajr twice. The adhan that is considered valid is a third of an hour after the regular adhan. They say: "The true dawn and the false dawn." This is, of course, dangerous from the perspective of fasting. So what do you see in this issue, and what is the position of the rest of the republic, given that if it is established that Fajr is delayed by a third of an hour, they are praying before the time based on this consideration?
The Shaykh : This is a calamity that has befallen many Islamic regions, unfortunately, where they prohibit food before the time of prohibition arrives, and they pray the Fajr prayer before the time of prayer enters. We have experienced this in this country with our own hands, especially since my house, and this is a favor from Allah upon me, is elevated. So I see the rising and setting of the sun, and the rising of the true dawn, every morning and evening. I find that they are indeed praying before the time, meaning the Fajr prayer. This is one of the reasons that compels me to come to this mosque and pray Fajr, because I do not find in the mosques around me anything but that they hasten the prayer. At the very least, they do not pray the Sunnah except before the true dawn. This is the Sunnah, at the very least. And the matter did not stop only in this country. I learned that one of our Salafi brothers in Kuwait wrote a treatise, and he mentions in it exactly as I mention the situation here. Also, perhaps you have heard of him if you do not know him personally, Dr. Taqi al-Din al-Hilali. He has a treatise saying the same thing about Maghrib, and that they call the adhan for the Fajr prayer before the time by about a third of an hour, or twenty-five minutes. I also learned the same thing by phone about Ta'if. A question came to me from one of them saying, "We have..."The Shaykh : Sa'd al-Fulani. He named him Sa'd al-Fulani.The Shaykh : Sa'd ibn such-and-such, I do not know. He says that the people here pray the Fajr prayer according to the astronomical timing, and that this contradicts the Shari'ah time, exactly as we speak about here and there. So I return to answering the question about our brothers in Alexandria. In that they call the adhan twice, they have hit upon the Sunnah. But I do not know if they are precise in their second adhan. Are they calling the adhan when the dawn flashes and shines and the light bursts forth? If they do that, they have revived a Sunnah that the majority of Muslims have killed. But if they are calling the adhan according to the almanacs and calendars, these do not give the Shari'ah time at all. In that case, they have mixed a good deed with an evil one. That is, they combined the two adhans, which is a Sunnah, but they did not determine the Shari'ah time for the second adhan.
The questioner : As for us in Cairo, in this situation, the Fajr prayer in congregation will be lost for me. The Fajr prayer in congregation, because almost all the mosques close their doors and they have finished the prayer before the Shari'ah time has actually entered. So what do I do?
The Shaykh : Allahu Akbar. In this situation, you pray behind them as a voluntary prayer, then you return to your house and pray the obligatory prayer with your family.
The questioner : Okay, so what is the value of me going down?
The Shaykh : Participating in the congregation and not separating from the congregation.
The questioner : Only.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : It seems to you that the congregation is obligatory?
The Shaykh : How not? It is so.
The questioner : That is correct.
Another questioner : It is an authentic hadith, O Shaykh, that you have authenticated:, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us to pray with them as a voluntary prayer and return to our houses and pray the obligatory prayer.
The Shaykh : And this hadith is in Sahih Muslim, you know it, the hadith of Abu Dharr.
The questioner : Yes, but they kill the prayer, meaning they pray after the time.
The Shaykh : Yes, but from the juristic perspective, whether it is this or that, why did he (peace and blessings be upon him) order them that if they catch that time, they should pray with them? Then he said: It is clear from the hadith that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) orders them to pray the prayer in its time, but at the same time, he ordered them to pray the prayer that they pray in a time other than its time. The reason for that is preserving the congregation of the Muslims. So there is no difference in this situation between an imam who advances the prayer or delays the prayer.
The questioner : Okay, as for the ruling on the prayer of the people, meaning the vast majority of people pray before the time. The ruling on the prayer of these people.
The Shaykh : Of course, these people, there is no doubt that the responsibility falls upon the people of knowledge. So whoever has knowledge must convey it to the people. So if the ruling was conveyed to him and then he turned away from it, his prayer is invalid. And if the ruling was not conveyed to him, it is known that there is no responsibility in this situation.
The questioner : A question, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : The last one, meaning?
The questioner : The one before the last.
The Shaykh : This is a calamity that has befallen many Islamic regions, unfortunately, where they prohibit food before the time of prohibition arrives, and they pray the Fajr prayer before the time of prayer enters. We have experienced this in this country with our own hands, especially since my house, and this is a favor from Allah upon me, is elevated. So I see the rising and setting of the sun, and the rising of the true dawn, every morning and evening. I find that they are indeed praying before the time, meaning the Fajr prayer. This is one of the reasons that compels me to come to this mosque and pray Fajr, because I do not find in the mosques around me anything but that they hasten the prayer. At the very least, they do not pray the Sunnah except before the true dawn. This is the Sunnah, at the very least. And the matter did not stop only in this country. I learned that one of our Salafi brothers in Kuwait wrote a treatise, and he mentions in it exactly as I mention the situation here. Also, perhaps you have heard of him if you do not know him personally, Dr. Taqi al-Din al-Hilali. He has a treatise saying the same thing about Maghrib, and that they call the adhan for the Fajr prayer before the time by about a third of an hour, or twenty-five minutes. I also learned the same thing by phone about Ta'if. A question came to me from one of them saying, "We have..."The Shaykh : Sa'd al-Fulani. He named him Sa'd al-Fulani.The Shaykh : Sa'd ibn such-and-such, I do not know. He says that the people here pray the Fajr prayer according to the astronomical timing, and that this contradicts the Shari'ah time, exactly as we speak about here and there. So I return to answering the question about our brothers in Alexandria. In that they call the adhan twice, they have hit upon the Sunnah. But I do not know if they are precise in their second adhan. Are they calling the adhan when the dawn flashes and shines and the light bursts forth? If they do that, they have revived a Sunnah that the majority of Muslims have killed. But if they are calling the adhan according to the almanacs and calendars, these do not give the Shari'ah time at all. In that case, they have mixed a good deed with an evil one. That is, they combined the two adhans, which is a Sunnah, but they did not determine the Shari'ah time for the second adhan.
The questioner : As for us in Cairo, in this situation, the Fajr prayer in congregation will be lost for me. The Fajr prayer in congregation, because almost all the mosques close their doors and they have finished the prayer before the Shari'ah time has actually entered. So what do I do?
The Shaykh : Allahu Akbar. In this situation, you pray behind them as a voluntary prayer, then you return to your house and pray the obligatory prayer with your family.
The questioner : Okay, so what is the value of me going down?
The Shaykh : Participating in the congregation and not separating from the congregation.
The questioner : Only.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : It seems to you that the congregation is obligatory?
The Shaykh : How not? It is so.
The questioner : That is correct.
Another questioner : It is an authentic hadith, O Shaykh, that you have authenticated:
A time will come when they delay the prayer from its time and do not pray it at its time, so pray
يأتي زمان يؤخرون الصلاة عن وقتها ولا يصلون لوقتها فصلThe Shaykh : And this hadith is in Sahih Muslim, you know it, the hadith of Abu Dharr.
The questioner : Yes, but they kill the prayer, meaning they pray after the time.
The Shaykh : Yes, but from the juristic perspective, whether it is this or that, why did he (peace and blessings be upon him) order them that if they catch that time, they should pray with them? Then he said:
Pray it you in its time, then pray it with them, for it will be for you a voluntary prayer
صلوها أنتم في وقتها ثم صلوها معهم فإنها تكون لكم نافلةThe questioner : Okay, as for the ruling on the prayer of the people, meaning the vast majority of people pray before the time. The ruling on the prayer of these people.
The Shaykh : Of course, these people, there is no doubt that the responsibility falls upon the people of knowledge. So whoever has knowledge must convey it to the people. So if the ruling was conveyed to him and then he turned away from it, his prayer is invalid. And if the ruling was not conveyed to him, it is known that there is no responsibility in this situation.
The questioner : A question, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : The last one, meaning?
The questioner : The one before the last.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.