What is the Islamic ruling on combining prayers by advancing them in the rain, O Shaykh?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : This listener, Zakariya al-Rifai from Amman, Jordan, says that he actually began his question by praising Allah the Mighty and Majestic, who has bestowed upon us the broadcast of the Noble Qur'an, in which the Muslim finds correct knowledge and beneficial speech in this world and the Hereafter. If you would be so kind, he says, I would like an answer to this question: What is the Islamic ruling on combining prayers by advancing them in the rain, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes. The statement regarding this, meaning the permissibility of combining, is what Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) indicated in his hadith when he narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) combined prayers in Madinah without fear or rain. They asked what he intended by that, meaning why did he do it? He said: "He intended not to burden his Ummah", meaning not to cause them hardship. So whenever there is hardship, meaning difficulty and tightness, in not combining, then combining is permissible, whether it is between Dhuhr and Asr or between Maghrib and Isha. A person combines for illness, and combines for rain that wets the clothing and causes difficulty, and combines for mud if there is a road with mud and slipperiness between him and the mosque. People combine for this so that they do not separate from the congregation. And one combines for travel. But is combining better, or is leaving it better? We say that if its cause is present, it is better, because it falls under the general meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Hajj 22:78] and His saying: [Al-Baqarah 2:185].
And as for when its cause is not present, it is forbidden, because it is obligatory to pray every prayer in its time, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[An-Nisa 4:103] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) defined the times with the clearest explanation, saying: So the original ruling is the obligation of every prayer in its time. But if a cause for combining is found, it is permissible between Maghrib and Isha and between Dhuhr and Asr, whether advancing or delaying. And as for Fajr, nothing before it or after it is combined with it.
Likewise, Jumu'ah is not combined with the Asr prayer. That is, if a traveler passes through a town on Friday and stays there until Asr, and the Jumu'ah prayer time arrives, he prays Jumu'ah and does not combine Asr with it, even if he will leave the town before Asr. He does not combine; rather, it is said: wait until the time of the Asr prayer comes, then pray Asr. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes. The statement regarding this, meaning the permissibility of combining, is what Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) indicated in his hadith when he narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) combined prayers in Madinah without fear or rain. They asked what he intended by that, meaning why did he do it? He said: "He intended not to burden his Ummah", meaning not to cause them hardship. So whenever there is hardship, meaning difficulty and tightness, in not combining, then combining is permissible, whether it is between Dhuhr and Asr or between Maghrib and Isha. A person combines for illness, and combines for rain that wets the clothing and causes difficulty, and combines for mud if there is a road with mud and slipperiness between him and the mosque. People combine for this so that they do not separate from the congregation. And one combines for travel. But is combining better, or is leaving it better? We say that if its cause is present, it is better, because it falls under the general meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted:
and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty
وَما جَعَلَ عَلَيكُم فِي الدّينِ مِن حَرَجٍAllah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship
يُريدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ اليُسرَ وَلا يُريدُ بِكُمُ العُسرَAnd as for when its cause is not present, it is forbidden, because it is obligatory to pray every prayer in its time, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times.
إِنَّ الصَّلاةَ كانَت عَلَى المُؤمِنينَ كِتابًا مَوقوتًاThe time for Dhuhr is when the sun passes its zenith and the shadow of a man is equal to his height, as long as Asr has not arrived. The time for Asr is as long as the sun has not turned yellow. The time for Maghrib is as long as the red twilight has not disappeared. The time for Isha is until the middle of the night. The time for Fajr is from the appearance of the dawn until the rising of the sun.
وقت الظهر إذا زالت الشمس وكان ظل الرجل كطوله ما لم تحضر العصر ووقت العصر ما لم تصفر الشمس ووقت المغرب ما لم يغب الشفق الأحمر ووقت العشاء إلى نصف الليل ووقت الفجر من طلوع الفجر إلى طلوع الشمسLikewise, Jumu'ah is not combined with the Asr prayer. That is, if a traveler passes through a town on Friday and stays there until Asr, and the Jumu'ah prayer time arrives, he prays Jumu'ah and does not combine Asr with it, even if he will leave the town before Asr. He does not combine; rather, it is said: wait until the time of the Asr prayer comes, then pray Asr. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh.