Friday Prayer on a Ship
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Prayer after the first Adhan on Friday
Question: What is the ruling on praying two rak'ahs on Friday after the first Adhan, and after the Muslim has prayed the greeting of the mosque? Some people here say: It is disliked,And some others say: It is a recommended practice, so what is correct in this matter?
Answer: If the first Adhan is given early, and a person comes to the mosque after it, he should pray whatever Allah makes easy for him of prayers, until the Imam comes out for the sermon, without being restricted by a number or limit; he prays whatever is facilitated for him.
As for when the first Adhan is delayed, as is done in some cities, where the first Adhan is given when the Imam is about to enter, and there is only a short interval between it and the last Adhan, in this case, it is not prescribed to pray after the Adhan for one who is already in the mosque. However, if he enters the mosque, he performs the greeting of the mosque. But if he is settled in the mosque and has already prayed whatever was facilitated for him before, then it is not prescribed to pray a specific prayer after the first Adhan.
We gather, and our number may reach sixty or more. Are we obligated to establish the Friday prayer? Or do we consider ourselves travelers and pray the midday prayer? And do we shorten and combine the prayers, even though the prayer does not require us to stand to perform it? We have designated a place for prayer, but sometimes it may not accommodate all the worshippers, so they pray in an adjacent place, following the same Imam. Is this permissible, knowing that they do not see the Imam but they hear him? And what is the ruling if this place is in front of the Imam? Is the prayer there valid or not?
Answer: As for the Friday prayer, it is not valid for you, and it is obligatory for you to pray the midday prayer; because Friday prayer is only obligatory upon residents. As for the traveler on a ship or otherwise, Friday prayer is not obligatory upon him, and it is not valid from him if he prays it, unless he prays it following the people of the town. As for praying it while in a state of travel, it is not valid from him.
As for combining, combining the two prayers is only permissible when there is a need. So if there is a need for it, such that you are unable to perform each prayer in its time, there is no harm in combining the two prayers.
As for the prayer of those you mentioned, where the place becomes cramped for you, and there is another place adjacent to the prayer area where a group prays, there is no harm in that, if they hear the voice of the Imam. It is not permissible for them to be in front of him; rather, they must be to his right or to his left, or behind his back. As for being in front of him, it is not valid; because the position of the follower is behind the Imam, or to his right or to his left, if there are other worshippers on his right.
So the conclusion is that it is a condition for following the Imam that the follower not be in front of the Imam.
As for shortening, as long as their travel reaches the distance for shortening, eighty kilometers or more, it is permissible for them to shorten; because shortening is the recommended practice for the traveler, and combining is permissible when there is a need.
Question: But isn't the wisdom of shortening to save time for travel?
Answer: Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, prescribed for the traveler to shorten, and He linked shortening to the existence of travel. So if travel exists, shortening is prescribed.
Question: What is the ruling on praying two rak'ahs on Friday after the first Adhan, and after the Muslim has prayed the greeting of the mosque? Some people here say: It is disliked,And some others say: It is a recommended practice, so what is correct in this matter?
Answer: If the first Adhan is given early, and a person comes to the mosque after it, he should pray whatever Allah makes easy for him of prayers, until the Imam comes out for the sermon, without being restricted by a number or limit; he prays whatever is facilitated for him.
As for when the first Adhan is delayed, as is done in some cities, where the first Adhan is given when the Imam is about to enter, and there is only a short interval between it and the last Adhan, in this case, it is not prescribed to pray after the Adhan for one who is already in the mosque. However, if he enters the mosque, he performs the greeting of the mosque. But if he is settled in the mosque and has already prayed whatever was facilitated for him before, then it is not prescribed to pray a specific prayer after the first Adhan.
We gather, and our number may reach sixty or more. Are we obligated to establish the Friday prayer? Or do we consider ourselves travelers and pray the midday prayer? And do we shorten and combine the prayers, even though the prayer does not require us to stand to perform it? We have designated a place for prayer, but sometimes it may not accommodate all the worshippers, so they pray in an adjacent place, following the same Imam. Is this permissible, knowing that they do not see the Imam but they hear him? And what is the ruling if this place is in front of the Imam? Is the prayer there valid or not?
Answer: As for the Friday prayer, it is not valid for you, and it is obligatory for you to pray the midday prayer; because Friday prayer is only obligatory upon residents. As for the traveler on a ship or otherwise, Friday prayer is not obligatory upon him, and it is not valid from him if he prays it, unless he prays it following the people of the town. As for praying it while in a state of travel, it is not valid from him.
As for combining, combining the two prayers is only permissible when there is a need. So if there is a need for it, such that you are unable to perform each prayer in its time, there is no harm in combining the two prayers.
As for the prayer of those you mentioned, where the place becomes cramped for you, and there is another place adjacent to the prayer area where a group prays, there is no harm in that, if they hear the voice of the Imam. It is not permissible for them to be in front of him; rather, they must be to his right or to his left, or behind his back. As for being in front of him, it is not valid; because the position of the follower is behind the Imam, or to his right or to his left, if there are other worshippers on his right.
So the conclusion is that it is a condition for following the Imam that the follower not be in front of the Imam.
As for shortening, as long as their travel reaches the distance for shortening, eighty kilometers or more, it is permissible for them to shorten; because shortening is the recommended practice for the traveler, and combining is permissible when there is a need.
Question: But isn't the wisdom of shortening to save time for travel?
Answer: Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, prescribed for the traveler to shorten, and He linked shortening to the existence of travel. So if travel exists, shortening is prescribed.