What is the ruling if the imam is forced to combine the prayers?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Your Eminence, what is the ruling if the imam is forced to combine the prayers?
The Shaykh : Forced to do what?
The questioner : To combine the prayers.
The Shaykh : Who is forcing him?
The questioner : The congregation, the praying people, are forcing him.
The Shaykh : It is not possible for the imam to be forced to combine. The imam is called an imam, and the imam is the authority in his mosque. If the people tell him to combine, he should look at the situation. If the people are in a state that permits them to combine, it is obligatory for him to combine, because he is the guardian, and the guardian must do what is most beneficial for those under his care.
For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Mishkat al-Masabih 1131 So, if the congregation asks him to combine and combining is permissible, it is obligatory for him to combine. However, he himself may combine or may not combine, provided there is a valid reason. If the congregation asks him to combine and the situation does not permit combining, it is not permissible for him to accept their request; he should say, "I will not combine because I do not see combining as permissible."
If they insist and say, "Either you pray with us combining, or we will pray ourselves," he should say, "You pray yourselves, but I will not combine." If he fears fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) in such a situation, let him pray with them and intend it as a voluntary prayer if he fears fitnah.
The issue is possible, meaning, even in a remote way, that there may be a valid reason for combining. But if there is no valid reason, it is not permissible to combine. The fitnah is for the one who is tempted. He should say to them, "O people, it is forbidden for me to combine without a valid reason, because Allah said:[An-Nisa 4:103] and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained this time, assigning a specific time for each prayer. Yes.
Your Eminence, what is the ruling if the imam is forced to combine the prayers?
The Shaykh : Forced to do what?
The questioner : To combine the prayers.
The Shaykh : Who is forcing him?
The questioner : The congregation, the praying people, are forcing him.
The Shaykh : It is not possible for the imam to be forced to combine. The imam is called an imam, and the imam is the authority in his mosque. If the people tell him to combine, he should look at the situation. If the people are in a state that permits them to combine, it is obligatory for him to combine, because he is the guardian, and the guardian must do what is most beneficial for those under his care.
For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
When one of you leads the people in prayer he should be brief, for among them are the sick, the weak, and the aged. But when one of you prays by himself he may be as long as he likes.
إذا أمَّ أحدكم الناس فليخفف وإذا صلى لنفسه فليطول ما شاءIf they insist and say, "Either you pray with us combining, or we will pray ourselves," he should say, "You pray yourselves, but I will not combine." If he fears fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) in such a situation, let him pray with them and intend it as a voluntary prayer if he fears fitnah.
The issue is possible, meaning, even in a remote way, that there may be a valid reason for combining. But if there is no valid reason, it is not permissible to combine. The fitnah is for the one who is tempted. He should say to them, "O people, it is forbidden for me to combine without a valid reason, because Allah said: