I and my brother entered the city of Makkah at the time of the 'Asr adhan, and we were approaching the Haram, but we passed by mosques on the way where people were praying. Should we pray with them, or...
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The questioner : He says:The questioner : I and my brother entered the city of Makkah at the time of the 'Asr adhan, and we were approaching the Haram, but we passed by mosques on the way where people were praying. Should we pray with them, or wait until we reach the Haram to attain the greater virtue, even though the reward of the congregation would be lost on us? Is our action valid?
The Shaykh : If a person passes through Makkah and finds people praying in congregation, but he delays until he reaches al-Masjid al-Haram, we tell him: if you expect to catch the congregational prayer in al-Masjid al-Haram, that is better. But if you fear that you will miss the congregational prayer in al-Masjid al-Haram, it is obligatory for you to pray in congregation in the other mosques. It is not permissible for you to delay the congregation for the sake of the greater virtue and thereby miss the congregation in al-Masjid al-Haram.
The Shaykh : If a person passes through Makkah and finds people praying in congregation, but he delays until he reaches al-Masjid al-Haram, we tell him: if you expect to catch the congregational prayer in al-Masjid al-Haram, that is better. But if you fear that you will miss the congregational prayer in al-Masjid al-Haram, it is obligatory for you to pray in congregation in the other mosques. It is not permissible for you to delay the congregation for the sake of the greater virtue and thereby miss the congregation in al-Masjid al-Haram.