What is the ruling on standing in the mosque and not praying the greeting of the mosque on the pretext of waiting for the imam to come out?
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The questioner : Shaykh, regarding the time after Maghrib, we see that some students stand for five or ten minutes before the imam comes out without praying the greeting of the mosque. When we ask them, they say: We are remembering Allah, and I am reciting while standing; I do not sit.
The Shaykh : What are we?
The questioner : I mean, we are remembering Allah, for example, I recite while standing until the imam comes out, and only five or ten minutes remain.
The Shaykh : For the Maghrib adhan?
The questioner : Yes, for the Maghrib adhan, before the Maghrib adhan.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner : Before the iqamah.
The Shaykh : Between the adhan and the iqamah?
The questioner : Yes, and we have spoken about this a lot in the lesson and so on, and it is the same students, so we do not know if they have a valid argument or not!
The Shaykh : First: May Allah reward you. This is from Satan’s discouragement. It is amazing that these people stand waiting for the imam while they do not know when he will come; perhaps he will be delayed a long time, is that not so?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : That is one point. The second: How can they stand and not pray, when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This is from their ignorance. Then, who says that the one standing is not like the one sitting?
Standing is like sitting, and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) says:Sahih al-Bukhari 1167 Based on the fact that the norm is that a person, when he enters the mosque, sits and does not stand, so their standing is equivalent to sitting. And perhaps one can cite the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): to indicate that circling is equivalent to sitting, because it is not permissible for a menstruating woman to sit in the mosque, do you understand?
You should advise them, may Allah reward you with good. And I, if Allah wills, if I remember, will speak about this.
The questioner : And for others?
The Shaykh : No, neither this one nor any other. In fact, it is one of the wonders: if they see the imam stand up, even if the prayer has not started, if the imam is busy, then he goes, for example, to the right or left, or returns, if he enters and then remembers that he is not in a state of wudu, and goes to perform wudu? Do these people remain standing!
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : We seek help from Allah. O Allah, guide us among those You have guided.
The Shaykh : What are we?
The questioner : I mean, we are remembering Allah, for example, I recite while standing until the imam comes out, and only five or ten minutes remain.
The Shaykh : For the Maghrib adhan?
The questioner : Yes, for the Maghrib adhan, before the Maghrib adhan.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner : Before the iqamah.
The Shaykh : Between the adhan and the iqamah?
The questioner : Yes, and we have spoken about this a lot in the lesson and so on, and it is the same students, so we do not know if they have a valid argument or not!
The Shaykh : First: May Allah reward you. This is from Satan’s discouragement. It is amazing that these people stand waiting for the imam while they do not know when he will come; perhaps he will be delayed a long time, is that not so?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : That is one point. The second: How can they stand and not pray, when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Pray before Maghrib – three times – Pray before Maghrib, Pray before Maghrib, Pray before Maghrib, then he said in the third instance: for whoever wishes – out of dislike for people to take it as a regular practice –
صلّوا قبل المغرب -ثلاث مرات- صلّوا قبل المغرب، صلّوا قبل المغرب، صلّوا قبل المغرب، ثم قال في الثالثة لمن شاء -كراهة أن يتّخذها النّاس سنّة-Standing is like sitting, and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) says:
he should not sit until he has offered a tworak` at prayer
لا يجلس حتى يصلّي ركعتينA menstruating woman does not circumambulate
الحائض لا تطوفYou should advise them, may Allah reward you with good. And I, if Allah wills, if I remember, will speak about this.
The questioner : And for others?
The Shaykh : No, neither this one nor any other. In fact, it is one of the wonders: if they see the imam stand up, even if the prayer has not started, if the imam is busy, then he goes, for example, to the right or left, or returns, if he enters and then remembers that he is not in a state of wudu, and goes to perform wudu? Do these people remain standing!
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : We seek help from Allah. O Allah, guide us among those You have guided.