After performing the obligatory prayer, I stood to perform the recommended practice, and a man stood with me. I prevented him, but he continued with me. Then I concluded the prayer, and he stood up to complete his prayer and then concluded it. I said to him, I am...
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The questioner : After I performed the obligatory prayer, I stood to perform the sunnah (recommended practice), and a man stood with me. I prevented him, but he continued to perform the prayer with me. Then I concluded the prayer, and afterwards the man completed his prayer. After finishing the prayer, I informed him that I was praying the sunnah (recommended practice), and he said to me, "You have a sunnah (recommended practice), and I have an obligatory prayer." Is his prayer valid in this case? Please inform us, may you be rewarded.
The Shaykh : First, it must be known that if a person comes and his brother is praying, and the one praying pushes him, indicating by that that he does not want him to pray with him, then it is not permissible for this latecomer to pray with the one who pushed him. This is because the one who pushed him intends by his push that he not make him his imam, meaning that the latecomer should not make this praying person his imam. This necessitates that he did not intend to be the imam. The majority of scholars have held that if the imam does not intend to be the imam, the prayer is not valid, because the congregation consists of an imam and a follower, and it is necessary for both the imam and the follower to intend their respective status. If the imam does not intend his status, which is that he is the imam, then the congregation is not valid, and the prayer is also not valid.
Based on this, if you enter the mosque and find someone praying, but he pushes you so that you do not pray with him, do not pray with him. And if you have missed the congregation due to an excuse, there is no sin on you. However, if he permits it and is pleased with your joining him, and you pray with him, then the prayer is valid, whether he is praying an obligatory prayer or a voluntary one. This is because the stronger position is that it is permissible for one who is praying an obligatory prayer to follow one who is praying a voluntary prayer. The evidence for this is that Mu'adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray the 'Isha' prayer with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then he would go to his people and pray that prayer with them, so it would be a voluntary prayer for him and an obligatory prayer for them. The stronger position is also that there is no harm in the one praying alone intending to follow or to lead, even during the prayer. The evidence for this is that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed one night while he was with Maymunah, and Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) was present, wanting to know how the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) at night was. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood to pray, he stood to pray, and Ibn 'Abbas was sleeping. Then Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) stood up and prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), but he stood to his left. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took his head from behind and placed him to his right. The point of this is that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) approved his joining him during the prayer.
So, if you enter and have missed the congregation, and you see someone praying, and you want to pray with him as a follower, and he does not prevent you, there is no blame on you; pray with him. If he concludes the prayer and you still have part of your prayer remaining, complete it. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. This is a message received from a listener of the program, Al-Khatib from Jordan. He says in his questions, his first question.
The Shaykh : First, it must be known that if a person comes and his brother is praying, and the one praying pushes him, indicating by that that he does not want him to pray with him, then it is not permissible for this latecomer to pray with the one who pushed him. This is because the one who pushed him intends by his push that he not make him his imam, meaning that the latecomer should not make this praying person his imam. This necessitates that he did not intend to be the imam. The majority of scholars have held that if the imam does not intend to be the imam, the prayer is not valid, because the congregation consists of an imam and a follower, and it is necessary for both the imam and the follower to intend their respective status. If the imam does not intend his status, which is that he is the imam, then the congregation is not valid, and the prayer is also not valid.
Based on this, if you enter the mosque and find someone praying, but he pushes you so that you do not pray with him, do not pray with him. And if you have missed the congregation due to an excuse, there is no sin on you. However, if he permits it and is pleased with your joining him, and you pray with him, then the prayer is valid, whether he is praying an obligatory prayer or a voluntary one. This is because the stronger position is that it is permissible for one who is praying an obligatory prayer to follow one who is praying a voluntary prayer. The evidence for this is that Mu'adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray the 'Isha' prayer with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then he would go to his people and pray that prayer with them, so it would be a voluntary prayer for him and an obligatory prayer for them. The stronger position is also that there is no harm in the one praying alone intending to follow or to lead, even during the prayer. The evidence for this is that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed one night while he was with Maymunah, and Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) was present, wanting to know how the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) at night was. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood to pray, he stood to pray, and Ibn 'Abbas was sleeping. Then Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) stood up and prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), but he stood to his left. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took his head from behind and placed him to his right. The point of this is that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) approved his joining him during the prayer.
So, if you enter and have missed the congregation, and you see someone praying, and you want to pray with him as a follower, and he does not prevent you, there is no blame on you; pray with him. If he concludes the prayer and you still have part of your prayer remaining, complete it. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. This is a message received from a listener of the program, Al-Khatib from Jordan. He says in his questions, his first question.