If one begins the obligatory prayer with the takbir and then something happens or he forgets something, and he makes this prayer voluntary, is this prescribed?
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The questioner : What is the ruling on what some people do when they begin the obligatory prayer with the takbir and then something happens, such as forgetting something or the like, and they make this obligatory prayer voluntary? Please advise us, and may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : When a person enters into an obligatory prayer, it is not permissible for him to break it off, because the legal principle among the scholars is: whoever begins an obligatory act must complete it, except in cases of excuse.
As for converting the obligatory prayer into a voluntary one, the least of its states is that it is disliked, except for a valid purpose. It may be forbidden if the intention is to reach the breaking off of this obligatory prayer. An example of a valid purpose is when a person begins the obligatory prayer alone, and then a congregation gathers, so he breaks it off or converts it to a voluntary prayer to complete it quickly, and then joins this congregation. This is a valid purpose, and his transition from the obligatory to the voluntary is for a benefit that returns to this obligatory prayer, which is praying it in congregation.
An example of a stratagem to break off the obligatory prayer is when a person begins the obligatory prayer and then a task arises for him, and he knows that breaking off the obligatory prayer is forbidden, so he converts it to a voluntary prayer in order to break it off, because breaking off a voluntary prayer is not forbidden. We tell him: this is forbidden for you because it is a stratagem to reach a forbidden act, and a stratagem to reach forbidden acts does not turn them into permissible ones, but only increases their prohibition in severity.
An example of a case with no valid purpose and no stratagem to break off the obligatory prayer is when one converts from the obligatory to the voluntary in order to increase the voluntary prayers by which he draws near to Allah. This purpose does not return to a benefit of the obligatory prayer. We tell him: do not do that, but continue in your obligatory prayer. And when you have completed it with the taslim, and you wish to add a voluntary prayer, and the time is not a time of prohibition, there is no blame on you for increasing the voluntary prayers.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : When a person enters into an obligatory prayer, it is not permissible for him to break it off, because the legal principle among the scholars is: whoever begins an obligatory act must complete it, except in cases of excuse.
As for converting the obligatory prayer into a voluntary one, the least of its states is that it is disliked, except for a valid purpose. It may be forbidden if the intention is to reach the breaking off of this obligatory prayer. An example of a valid purpose is when a person begins the obligatory prayer alone, and then a congregation gathers, so he breaks it off or converts it to a voluntary prayer to complete it quickly, and then joins this congregation. This is a valid purpose, and his transition from the obligatory to the voluntary is for a benefit that returns to this obligatory prayer, which is praying it in congregation.
An example of a stratagem to break off the obligatory prayer is when a person begins the obligatory prayer and then a task arises for him, and he knows that breaking off the obligatory prayer is forbidden, so he converts it to a voluntary prayer in order to break it off, because breaking off a voluntary prayer is not forbidden. We tell him: this is forbidden for you because it is a stratagem to reach a forbidden act, and a stratagem to reach forbidden acts does not turn them into permissible ones, but only increases their prohibition in severity.
An example of a case with no valid purpose and no stratagem to break off the obligatory prayer is when one converts from the obligatory to the voluntary in order to increase the voluntary prayers by which he draws near to Allah. This purpose does not return to a benefit of the obligatory prayer. We tell him: do not do that, but continue in your obligatory prayer. And when you have completed it with the taslim, and you wish to add a voluntary prayer, and the time is not a time of prohibition, there is no blame on you for increasing the voluntary prayers.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.