If two acts of worship agree in form but differ in the cause of their obligation, is one sufficient in place of the other?
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The Shaykh : If
The questioner : If two acts of worship agree in form but differ in the cause of their obligation, such as the ghusl for Friday and the ghusl for janabah, or like one who delays the sunnah of Fajr until the sun rises and then prays the two rak'ahs that are performed when the sun has risen a spear's length, what is the ruling on combining them in a single act?
The Shaykh : You have done well. This is an important question. That is, if two acts of worship coincide, is one sufficient in place of the other? The answer is: if the act of worship is intended for its own sake, it does not suffice for the other; one must perform both. If it is not intended for its own sake, but rather the intention is to achieve that act with whatever description we give it, then one suffices for the other. For example, the ghusl for Friday in the case of janabah, and for the sake of Friday, we say that the intention behind the ghusl for Friday is purity and cleanliness. This is why the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the Companions who came from the high places and distant locations, where they would have sweat and odor:Sahih Muslim 847a So here, what is the intention? Cleanliness and applying perfume. But because the Messenger commanded it, it became an act of worship. We say now: if one intends with his ghusl to remove janabah, it suffices for the ghusl of Friday, just as the obligatory prayer suffices for the greeting of the mosque. But if one intends the ghusl of Friday, it does not suffice for janabah, because the ghusl of Friday is not for a state of ritual impurity, whereas the ghusl of janabah is for a state of ritual impurity. Therefore, if one deliberately omits the ghusl of Friday and prays the Friday prayer, his prayer is valid. But if he deliberately performs the ghusl of janabah, or does not deliberate and prays the Friday prayer while in a state of janabah, his prayer is not valid. As for the issue of the sunnah of Fajr with the sunnah of Ishraq or the sunnah of Duha, one does not suffice for the other, because the sunnah of Duha is intended for its own sake. Therefore, if a person, for example, has the first rawatib of Zuhr, which is four rak'ahs in two taslims, and he missed it, and he comes and the imam is praying, and he wants to make it up, does he pray two rak'ahs for the four? No.
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : So it is necessary to perform them. This is the detail that... this is what achieves the understanding. If the act of worship is intended for its own sake, it must be performed, and the other does not suffice for it. If the intention is to achieve that act with whatever description it has, then one suffices for the other. But one suffices for the lesser by the greater, and the lesser does not suffice for the greater.
The questioner : If two acts of worship agree in form but differ in the cause of their obligation, such as the ghusl for Friday and the ghusl for janabah, or like one who delays the sunnah of Fajr until the sun rises and then prays the two rak'ahs that are performed when the sun has risen a spear's length, what is the ruling on combining them in a single act?
The Shaykh : You have done well. This is an important question. That is, if two acts of worship coincide, is one sufficient in place of the other? The answer is: if the act of worship is intended for its own sake, it does not suffice for the other; one must perform both. If it is not intended for its own sake, but rather the intention is to achieve that act with whatever description we give it, then one suffices for the other. For example, the ghusl for Friday in the case of janabah, and for the sake of Friday, we say that the intention behind the ghusl for Friday is purity and cleanliness. This is why the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the Companions who came from the high places and distant locations, where they would have sweat and odor:
Were you to cleanse yourselves on this day.
لو أنكم تطهرتم ليومكم هذاThe questioner : No.
The Shaykh : So it is necessary to perform them. This is the detail that... this is what achieves the understanding. If the act of worship is intended for its own sake, it must be performed, and the other does not suffice for it. If the intention is to achieve that act with whatever description it has, then one suffices for the other. But one suffices for the lesser by the greater, and the lesser does not suffice for the greater.