Benefits of the Verse: ((And when you travel through the land, there is no sin upon you if you shorten the prayer, if you fear that those who disbelieve will fitnah you...))
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The Shaykh : And in this is evidence that the imam in the second rak'ah lengthens it more than the first, even though the Sunnah is that the first rak'ah should be longer than the second, but this is for the sake of the public benefit, the benefit of those who join late.
And perhaps from this is taken the indication to what the jurists (may Allah have mercy on them) mentioned, that if the imam senses someone joining, he waits for him as long as it does not burden the ma'mumin who were with him. It is not said, as some people have said, that this is a bid'ah (religious innovation), and that what the imam should do is pray the prayer as it is, lightening the second and lengthening the first, and not waiting for anyone. We say that this has a basis in the Shari'ah; if the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) lengthened the standing in waiting for this group, that indicates that there is no harm in waiting for the ma'mum to complete the prayer for the ma'mum. This is one point. Also, if the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) entered the prayer intending to lengthen it, and then heard the crying of a child, he lightened it. For the benefit of whom? For the benefit of one individual among the worshippers. He lightened it and cut off the lengthening for those with him, which they might have benefited from in supplication and dhikr, for the benefit of one of the ma'mumin.
And in this noble verse is clear evidence for the obligation of congregational prayer, because it contains[An-Nisa 4:102] and the "with" indicates companionship and association, and in the second it says: [An-Nisa 4:102].
And in this verse is also evidence for the weakness of the statement of the one who says that congregational prayer is a fard kifayah (collective obligation). The point is: if congregational prayer were a fard kifayah, the obligation would have been lifted by the first congregational prayer, and Allah the Exalted would not have obligated the congregation for the second.
And in it is also evidence that congregational prayer takes precedence over any defect or shortcoming that occurs in the prayer, but a defect and shortcoming in what congregational prayer requires. For example, congregational prayer obligates the ma'mum not to say the taslim before his imam, is that not so? Good, and here the first group said the taslim before the imam for the benefit of the second group? Clear? Then the second group completed the prayer before the imam's taslim, and the rule in congregational prayer is that the ma'mum does not stand to make up what he missed until his imam says the taslim, to the extent that the scholars said if he stands to make up what he missed before his imam's taslim, his prayer is invalid. And here the second group stood to make up what they missed before the imam's taslim. All of this is for the sake of achieving the congregation.
And in the verse is also the obligation of justice among people, even in acts of worship. Otherwise, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would have said, "You are the first group, pray with me, then we all turn to slaughter the enemy, and the second group comes and prays in congregation."
And in it is also evidence for the obligation of hastening with justice and not delaying it. For example, it is permissible to say that one prays the Zuhr prayer alone in congregation, and the second group prays the 'Asr prayer, for example. But it is said that there is a time between them, and perhaps one of them is better than the other. For example, the 'Asr prayer is better than the Zuhr prayer, is that not so? And the Zuhr prayer requires more lengthening than the 'Asr prayer. So this one is preferred in time, and this one is preferred in manner, making justice difficult. Whereas justice between them in the present prayer involves hastening with justice among people.
And the result is that if a person reflects on such matters, it becomes apparent to him from the secrets of the Shari'ah and its perfection and its consideration of the interests of the servants, what does not appear to a heedless man who lets these great words pass over his heart without reflection. And Allah knows best.
And perhaps from this is taken the indication to what the jurists (may Allah have mercy on them) mentioned, that if the imam senses someone joining, he waits for him as long as it does not burden the ma'mumin who were with him. It is not said, as some people have said, that this is a bid'ah (religious innovation), and that what the imam should do is pray the prayer as it is, lightening the second and lengthening the first, and not waiting for anyone. We say that this has a basis in the Shari'ah; if the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) lengthened the standing in waiting for this group, that indicates that there is no harm in waiting for the ma'mum to complete the prayer for the ma'mum. This is one point. Also, if the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) entered the prayer intending to lengthen it, and then heard the crying of a child, he lightened it. For the benefit of whom? For the benefit of one individual among the worshippers. He lightened it and cut off the lengthening for those with him, which they might have benefited from in supplication and dhikr, for the benefit of one of the ma'mumin.
And in this noble verse is clear evidence for the obligation of congregational prayer, because it contains
let a group of them stand [in prayer] with you
فلتقم طائفة منهم معكand have the other group come forward which has not [yet] prayed and let them pray with you
ولتأت طائفة أخرى لم يصلوا فليصلوا معكAnd in this verse is also evidence for the weakness of the statement of the one who says that congregational prayer is a fard kifayah (collective obligation). The point is: if congregational prayer were a fard kifayah, the obligation would have been lifted by the first congregational prayer, and Allah the Exalted would not have obligated the congregation for the second.
And in it is also evidence that congregational prayer takes precedence over any defect or shortcoming that occurs in the prayer, but a defect and shortcoming in what congregational prayer requires. For example, congregational prayer obligates the ma'mum not to say the taslim before his imam, is that not so? Good, and here the first group said the taslim before the imam for the benefit of the second group? Clear? Then the second group completed the prayer before the imam's taslim, and the rule in congregational prayer is that the ma'mum does not stand to make up what he missed until his imam says the taslim, to the extent that the scholars said if he stands to make up what he missed before his imam's taslim, his prayer is invalid. And here the second group stood to make up what they missed before the imam's taslim. All of this is for the sake of achieving the congregation.
And in the verse is also the obligation of justice among people, even in acts of worship. Otherwise, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would have said, "You are the first group, pray with me, then we all turn to slaughter the enemy, and the second group comes and prays in congregation."
And in it is also evidence for the obligation of hastening with justice and not delaying it. For example, it is permissible to say that one prays the Zuhr prayer alone in congregation, and the second group prays the 'Asr prayer, for example. But it is said that there is a time between them, and perhaps one of them is better than the other. For example, the 'Asr prayer is better than the Zuhr prayer, is that not so? And the Zuhr prayer requires more lengthening than the 'Asr prayer. So this one is preferred in time, and this one is preferred in manner, making justice difficult. Whereas justice between them in the present prayer involves hastening with justice among people.
And the result is that if a person reflects on such matters, it becomes apparent to him from the secrets of the Shari'ah and its perfection and its consideration of the interests of the servants, what does not appear to a heedless man who lets these great words pass over his heart without reflection. And Allah knows best.