What is the criterion for combining and advancing the prayer in the case of heavy rain?
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The questioner : May Allah preserve us and you and those present, yesterday the rain was falling at our place, approximately from after the 'Asr prayer until the 'Isha' prayer.
The Shaykh : Where?
The questioner : In a town in the northeast of Buraydah.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And I was the imam, so the mu'adhdhin requested that we combine the prayer. We were confused about it, but due to the mu'adhdhin's insistence, we combined the prayer. A fatwa from your eminence has been issued regarding this matter, meaning: that we must verify the rain and its intensity, and that people going out in the rain is affected by it. So I do not know, may Allah grant you success, what is the criterion for this combining from all angles? May Allah reward you with good?
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you, you know that the original ruling is the obligation of performing the prayer in its time. This is the original ruling[An-Nisa 4:103], and the scholars have agreed that advancing the prayer before its time without a valid Shari'ah excuse renders it invalid, because it is contrary to what Allah commanded. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Sahih Muslim 1718b This is the original ruling, and it is a clear matter with no ambiguity.
If a cause for combining, whether advancing or delaying, is found, then the scholars differ on this:
Some of them hold that there is no combining except at 'Arafah and Muzdalifah only.
And some of them hold that combining is permissible in all cases, and this is the view of the Rafidah. The Rafidah hold that it is permissible to combine without a cause; if you wish, combine, and if you wish, pray separately.
But the correct view is that combining is permissible due to hardship, and the evidence for that is the hadith of 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) who said:. And the meaning of "burden" is: to impose hardship upon them, because hardship is negated by the Shari'ah. So if there is hardship and burden on the people in not combining, either because the markets are muddy, or because the rain is falling, wetting the clothes and harming the walkers, then this is an excuse. But if it is just light drops, the weather is warm, and the markets are not muddy, then do not obey him, even if the mu'adhdhin insists. Then if he insists, warn him with Allah, meaning: how can we advance it? Have you seen if one fasted Ramadan in Sha'ban, is that permissible?
Similarly, if one advances 'Isha' with Maghrib without a verified valid Shari'ah excuse, then it is not permissible. And the strange thing is that I remember that in the past, people did not have electricity, and the markets were dark and muddy—mud without asphalt—but they did not combine except with severe hardship, such that a person would not come to the mosque without a stick to lean on, or a heavy downpour of rain. And they were much more hard-pressed than now. Now, praise be to Allah, most markets are paved and lit, and there is no hardship or burden. So being lax in this is a great error. You have a clear text, which is the obligation of the prayer in its time, and you have a cause that permits combining. As long as you are not certain that the cause is valid according to the Shari'ah, do not combine.
The questioner : Do we repeat the prayer?
The Shaykh : By Allah, regarding your prayer, we say: you were overpowered in your matter. Yes, but usually the imam is above the mu'adhdhin. The imam is the one who has the authority in this matter. The mu'adhdhin has the authority over the adhan. But the matter of the prayer and combining, this is up to the imam. So take hold of your authority.
The questioner : The mu'adhdhin is old in age.
The Shaykh : Yes, if he is old in age, it is said: if it is difficult for you.
The Shaykh : Where?
The questioner : In a town in the northeast of Buraydah.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And I was the imam, so the mu'adhdhin requested that we combine the prayer. We were confused about it, but due to the mu'adhdhin's insistence, we combined the prayer. A fatwa from your eminence has been issued regarding this matter, meaning: that we must verify the rain and its intensity, and that people going out in the rain is affected by it. So I do not know, may Allah grant you success, what is the criterion for this combining from all angles? May Allah reward you with good?
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you, you know that the original ruling is the obligation of performing the prayer in its time. This is the original ruling
Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times.
إِنَّ الصَّلاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَاباً مَوْقُوتاًHe who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
مَن عمل عملا ليس عليه أمرنا فهو ردّIf a cause for combining, whether advancing or delaying, is found, then the scholars differ on this:
Some of them hold that there is no combining except at 'Arafah and Muzdalifah only.
And some of them hold that combining is permissible in all cases, and this is the view of the Rafidah. The Rafidah hold that it is permissible to combine without a cause; if you wish, combine, and if you wish, pray separately.
But the correct view is that combining is permissible due to hardship, and the evidence for that is the hadith of 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) who said:
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) combined the prayer in Madinah without fear or rain. They said: What did he intend by that?—meaning: why did he combine?—He said: He intended not to burden his Ummah.
جمع النّبيّ صلّى الله عليه وسلّم في المدينة من غير خوف ولا مطر، قالوا: ما أراد من ذلك؟ -يعني: ليش جمع؟- قال: أراد ألاّ يحرّج أمّتهSimilarly, if one advances 'Isha' with Maghrib without a verified valid Shari'ah excuse, then it is not permissible. And the strange thing is that I remember that in the past, people did not have electricity, and the markets were dark and muddy—mud without asphalt—but they did not combine except with severe hardship, such that a person would not come to the mosque without a stick to lean on, or a heavy downpour of rain. And they were much more hard-pressed than now. Now, praise be to Allah, most markets are paved and lit, and there is no hardship or burden. So being lax in this is a great error. You have a clear text, which is the obligation of the prayer in its time, and you have a cause that permits combining. As long as you are not certain that the cause is valid according to the Shari'ah, do not combine.
The questioner : Do we repeat the prayer?
The Shaykh : By Allah, regarding your prayer, we say: you were overpowered in your matter. Yes, but usually the imam is above the mu'adhdhin. The imam is the one who has the authority in this matter. The mu'adhdhin has the authority over the adhan. But the matter of the prayer and combining, this is up to the imam. So take hold of your authority.
The questioner : The mu'adhdhin is old in age.
The Shaykh : Yes, if he is old in age, it is said: if it is difficult for you.