Is it permissible to combine prayers on a rainy night?
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The questioner : Is it permissible to combine? Is it permissible to combine prayers on a rainy night, meaning: the rain falls and stops, and sometimes it is heavy and wets the clothes, and sometimes it is just drizzle, even if there is no rain at the time of prayer, and if it is just drizzle?
The Shaykh : Yes, first of all: we must know that prayer, as Allah Mighty and Majestic said:[An-Nisa 4:103] Complete it?
The student:.
The Shaykh : a written obligation, meaning: an obligation, timed, meaning: fixed to a time, it is not permissible to advance it or delay it. If that is the case, then it is not possible to combine two prayers unless we are certain of the presence of an excuse. And when in doubt whether this is an excuse that permits combining or not? It is obligatory not to combine; it is not permissible to combine while in doubt. So, for example, if the rain is falling and we see that it wets the clothes, and the meaning of wets the clothes is: the garment needs to be wrung out from this rain, not just that a drop of water falls and the garment gets wet; this is not an excuse. But if it wets them such that there is water in them that comes out when wrung, that is what wets the clothes. As for mere drizzle, it does not permit combining, unless there is mud on the ground or stagnant waters that make it difficult for people, which fell before; then there is no harm. So combining for rain is either for an excuse on the ground or an excuse in the sky. What is the excuse on the ground?
The student: The mud.
The Shaykh : The mud and the stagnant waters that tire people, and the excuse in the sky is the heavy rain that wets the clothes, as for mere drops, no.
Some people might say: now there are small, few drops, meaning, and the sky is completely cloudy with clouds, thunder, and lightning, so there is a possibility that a lot of rain will fall. We say: Yes, the possibility is present, but something that has not fallen, its knowledge is with whom? With Allah Mighty and Majestic. It may fall and it may not fall. So as long as the excuse is not present, the possibility that the excuse will be present is not a justification for combining. But suppose they did not combine, then they went out to their houses, then the sky rained heavily, what do they do? We say: they pray in their houses, for the Messenger, may peace and blessings be upon him, used to say: on a rainy night or a very cold, windy night. - What is that sound? -
So the result: the result is that one does not combine unless the excuse is verified. As for before the verification of the excuse, combining is not permissible. But if what permits combining is found after the people have dispersed, let them pray in their houses. And in this case, if there is a congregation in the house... in this case, if there is a congregation in the house, let them pray together, because the Prophet, may peace and blessings be upon him, said:Bulugh al-Maram 2:330.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : If there is also severe cold, that is another reason for the permissibility of combining. Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, first of all: we must know that prayer, as Allah Mighty and Majestic said:
Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers
إِنَّ الصَّلاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَاباًThe student:
at fixed times
موقوتاًThe Shaykh :
At fixed times.
مَوْقُوتاًThe student: The mud.
The Shaykh : The mud and the stagnant waters that tire people, and the excuse in the sky is the heavy rain that wets the clothes, as for mere drops, no.
Some people might say: now there are small, few drops, meaning, and the sky is completely cloudy with clouds, thunder, and lightning, so there is a possibility that a lot of rain will fall. We say: Yes, the possibility is present, but something that has not fallen, its knowledge is with whom? With Allah Mighty and Majestic. It may fall and it may not fall. So as long as the excuse is not present, the possibility that the excuse will be present is not a justification for combining. But suppose they did not combine, then they went out to their houses, then the sky rained heavily, what do they do? We say: they pray in their houses, for the Messenger, may peace and blessings be upon him, used to say:
Pray in your homes
صلوا في رحالكمSo the result: the result is that one does not combine unless the excuse is verified. As for before the verification of the excuse, combining is not permissible. But if what permits combining is found after the people have dispersed, let them pray in their houses. And in this case, if there is a congregation in the house... in this case, if there is a congregation in the house, let them pray together, because the Prophet, may peace and blessings be upon him, said:
A man's prayer offered with another man is purer than his prayer which he offers alone, and his prayer with two men is purer than his prayer with one and if they are more (in number), it is more beloved to Allah
صلاة الرجل مع الرجل أزكى من صلاته وحده، وصلاته مع رجلين أزكى من صلاته مع الرجل، وما كان أكثر فهو أحب إلى اللهThe questioner : ...
The Shaykh : If there is also severe cold, that is another reason for the permissibility of combining. Yes.