The traveler: Is the festival prayer obligatory upon him if he finds residents?
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The questioner : One of the conditions for the validity of the festival prayer is that one be a resident. However, if a traveler finds residents in the town he is passing through who are performing the prayer, is it obligatory for him to join them, or is it not obligatory?
The Shaykh : First: The festival prayer—may Allah reward you—most scholars hold that it is a recommended practice (sunnah). It has been said that it is a collective obligation (fard kifayah), and it has been said that it is an individual obligation (fard 'ayn). The most likely view is that it is an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) for men, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered even the women, even the menstruating women, even those in their private chambers, and the young girls, to go out for the festival prayer. So, if you pass through a town and they are praying the festival prayer, if you are in the midst of your journey, there is no harm in you not stopping. But if you are staying in this town for two or three days and the day of the festival coincides with your stay, then you pray with them.
The questioner : ...and we are, for example, performing tawaf or carrying out the rites, while the people of Makkah are performing them and praying.
The Shaykh : Likewise, for example, if you are in Makkah and they perform the festival prayer while you are performing tawaf, break off the tawaf, break off and join the festival prayer, then resume from the place where you broke off.
The questioner : Is it an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) for both men and women?
The Shaykh : No, it does not appear that it is an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) for women. However, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the women to go out. For this reason, there is no prayer to which women are called except the festival prayer; not Jumu'ah, not the five daily prayers, and not the standing in night prayer in Ramadan.
The Shaykh : First: The festival prayer—may Allah reward you—most scholars hold that it is a recommended practice (sunnah). It has been said that it is a collective obligation (fard kifayah), and it has been said that it is an individual obligation (fard 'ayn). The most likely view is that it is an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) for men, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered even the women, even the menstruating women, even those in their private chambers, and the young girls, to go out for the festival prayer. So, if you pass through a town and they are praying the festival prayer, if you are in the midst of your journey, there is no harm in you not stopping. But if you are staying in this town for two or three days and the day of the festival coincides with your stay, then you pray with them.
The questioner : ...and we are, for example, performing tawaf or carrying out the rites, while the people of Makkah are performing them and praying.
The Shaykh : Likewise, for example, if you are in Makkah and they perform the festival prayer while you are performing tawaf, break off the tawaf, break off and join the festival prayer, then resume from the place where you broke off.
The questioner : Is it an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) for both men and women?
The Shaykh : No, it does not appear that it is an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) for women. However, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the women to go out. For this reason, there is no prayer to which women are called except the festival prayer; not Jumu'ah, not the five daily prayers, and not the standing in night prayer in Ramadan.