He says in this message: If the weather is cold and it has rained, and the congregation of the mosque wants to combine the Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers, is the intention obligatory for the imam?
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The questioner : Welcome, His Eminence Shaykh Muhammad.
The Shaykh : Welcome to you, and may Allah greet you.
The questioner : His Eminence Shaykh Muhammad, this is a message we received from the congregation of a mosque, on behalf of Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz Al Abdullah from Riyadh. He says in his message, or they say in this message: If the weather is cold and it has rained, and the congregation of the mosque wants to combine the Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers, is the intention obligatory for the imam and the followers in that, or not?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may the prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. This question has two aspects. The first aspect is combining the Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers for the sake of rain, cold, and the like. There is no doubt that the correct opinion in this is the permissibility of combining for these matters that cause hardship for the Muslims, because the hadith of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) is explicit in that, where he reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)Sunan Abi Dawud 1211Sahih (Al-Albani) So his statement "and there was no rain" indicates that it was customary for them to combine for the sake of rain.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) was asked about that, and he said: "He intended not to burden his Ummah", meaning not to cause them hardship in performing the congregational prayer. This is in accordance with the spirit of the Islamic religion, about which Allah the Exalted said in the context of the verses of fasting:[Al-Baqarah 2:185] And He the Exalted and Majestic said: [Al-Hajj 22:78] So the conclusion is that it is permissible to combine for the sake of rain that causes hardship, and likewise for the cold wind that causes people hardship when they go out to the mosque.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And if combining is permissible, the criterion is the presence of the cause, and the intention is not a condition. This is the second aspect of the question.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : According to the stronger opinion, whenever the cause is present, even if they did not intend to combine at the opening takbir of the first prayer, the combining is permissible for them. And on this basis, if the excuse arises during the first prayer, such as if it rains during the Maghrib prayer, it is permissible for them to combine the Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers, even if they had not intended to combine, and even if the cause was not present at the beginning of the first prayer.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Rather, according to the correct opinion, which we see as the most correct, and that the criterion is the presence of the cause, if they did not intend until after the taslim, the taslim from the Maghrib, it is permissible for them to combine.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : For there is no connection between the two prayers by intention, and therefore one does not become invalid due to the invalidity of the other, such that we would say it is necessary to have the intention of combining between them. Rather, the whole matter depends on the presence of the cause.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And on this basis, if they say the taslim from the Maghrib prayer, for example, and it had rained during the prayer, and they want to combine the 'Isha' prayer with it, then this is permissible according to the stronger opinion.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : Welcome to you, and may Allah greet you.
The questioner : His Eminence Shaykh Muhammad, this is a message we received from the congregation of a mosque, on behalf of Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz Al Abdullah from Riyadh. He says in his message, or they say in this message: If the weather is cold and it has rained, and the congregation of the mosque wants to combine the Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers, is the intention obligatory for the imam and the followers in that, or not?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may the prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. This question has two aspects. The first aspect is combining the Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers for the sake of rain, cold, and the like. There is no doubt that the correct opinion in this is the permissibility of combining for these matters that cause hardship for the Muslims, because the hadith of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) is explicit in that, where he reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
at Medina without any danger and rain
جمع في المدينة من غير خوف ولا مطرThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) was asked about that, and he said: "He intended not to burden his Ummah", meaning not to cause them hardship in performing the congregational prayer. This is in accordance with the spirit of the Islamic religion, about which Allah the Exalted said in the context of the verses of fasting:
Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship
يريد الله بكم اليسر ولا يريد بكم العسرand has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. [It is] the religion of your father, Abraham
وما جعل عليكم في الدين من حرج ملة أبيكم إبراهيمThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And if combining is permissible, the criterion is the presence of the cause, and the intention is not a condition. This is the second aspect of the question.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : According to the stronger opinion, whenever the cause is present, even if they did not intend to combine at the opening takbir of the first prayer, the combining is permissible for them. And on this basis, if the excuse arises during the first prayer, such as if it rains during the Maghrib prayer, it is permissible for them to combine the Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers, even if they had not intended to combine, and even if the cause was not present at the beginning of the first prayer.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Rather, according to the correct opinion, which we see as the most correct, and that the criterion is the presence of the cause, if they did not intend until after the taslim, the taslim from the Maghrib, it is permissible for them to combine.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : For there is no connection between the two prayers by intention, and therefore one does not become invalid due to the invalidity of the other, such that we would say it is necessary to have the intention of combining between them. Rather, the whole matter depends on the presence of the cause.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And on this basis, if they say the taslim from the Maghrib prayer, for example, and it had rained during the prayer, and they want to combine the 'Isha' prayer with it, then this is permissible according to the stronger opinion.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.