He also says: “Your Eminence, we were traveling to one of the Gulf states for work. We arrived there before Maghrib, and due to urgent circumstances, I told my companion who was with me on the trip that we would combine the Maghrib and ‘Isha’ prayers by delaying them, and he agreed to that. While we were passing by one of the mosques during the time of ‘Isha’, we wanted to pray with them. How can we join them for the ‘Isha’ prayer when we have not yet prayed Maghrib? Do we pray Maghrib with them individually and then catch up with them, or do we join them in the ‘Isha’ prayer with the intention of Maghrib? We ask for your guidance.”
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The questioner : We were traveling to one of the Gulf states for work, and we arrived there before Maghrib. Due to urgent circumstances, I said to my companion who was with me on the trip: We will combine the Maghrib and Isha prayers with delay. He agreed to that. While passing by one of the mosques during the time of Isha, we wanted to pray with them. How can we join them in the Isha prayer when we have not prayed Maghrib? Do we pray Maghrib separately with them and then catch up with them, or do we join them in the Isha prayer with the intention of Maghrib? We ask for your guidance.
The Shaykh : If the mosque is spacious enough for you to be in a place far from the congregation, and you and your companion pray the Maghrib prayer, and then you join the congregation in the remainder of the ‘Isha’ prayer, that is good. But if the mosque is narrow such that you cannot pray except with the backs of the praying people facing you, then you join them in the ‘Isha’ prayer with the intention of Maghrib. Then, if you join in the first rak’ah, when the imam stands for the fourth rak’ah, he continues his prayer, but you two sit, recite the tashahhud, and say the taslim. Then you stand up and join them in the remainder of the ‘Isha’ prayer. If you join in the second rak’ah, you say the taslim with the imam. If you join in the third rak’ah, you make up one rak’ah. If you join in the fourth rak’ah, you make up two rak’ahs. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. Honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : If the mosque is spacious enough for you to be in a place far from the congregation, and you and your companion pray the Maghrib prayer, and then you join the congregation in the remainder of the ‘Isha’ prayer, that is good. But if the mosque is narrow such that you cannot pray except with the backs of the praying people facing you, then you join them in the ‘Isha’ prayer with the intention of Maghrib. Then, if you join in the first rak’ah, when the imam stands for the fourth rak’ah, he continues his prayer, but you two sit, recite the tashahhud, and say the taslim. Then you stand up and join them in the remainder of the ‘Isha’ prayer. If you join in the second rak’ah, you say the taslim with the imam. If you join in the third rak’ah, you make up one rak’ah. If you join in the fourth rak’ah, you make up two rak’ahs. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. Honorable Shaykh.