Is it permissible to lead the prayer while riding a mount if the follower is riding behind the imam?
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The Shaykh : The question. The time for the question has entered. Yes, please go ahead.
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah bless you. A person needs to deviate.
The Shaykh : To, to.
The questioner : A person needs a car, for example... and the like. He looks for a direction.
The Shaykh : But that is his direction in reality, because he cannot proceed except in this direction.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Right or left, or he turns back after, if the street is a dead end, he has to turn back to reach the exit. But this is his direction of travel in reality.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : What? Or.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : He is still in prayer, in the final part of the prayer.
The Shaykh : By Allah, it appears that this is part of the prayer, because it is in the interest of the journey. This is unlike the one who turns to look and see what is in front of him, whether it is goods, a tree, or an animal, which has no connection to the journey. Yes, Salim.
The questioner : May Allah forgive you, O Shaykh. The scholars' definition of travel, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : It is an overburdening and an overburdening that is not among the principles of the Shari'ah, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, correct. This also indicates that there is overburdening and deepening. Yes, yes.
The questioner : Our statement that if a traveler is praying on his mount and then it deviates with him, or he deviates from the direction of his travel, his prayer is invalid.
The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.
The questioner : It is confusing in light of the generality of His saying:Sahih Muslim 700b.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : There is a generality in it that may include this.
The Shaykh : No, no, it does not include it, because the mount does not face except in the direction of travel, yes.
The questioner : The worshipper in al-Masjid al-Haram.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And it may not be possible for him.
The Shaykh : Perhaps.
The questioner : He may not be able to face the exact direction of the Ka'bah.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah. Now, in al-Masjid al-Haram, in most cases, one cannot see the Ka'bah because of the pillars, so one cannot see it. But now, praise be to Allah, what are they called? Lines, no, there are lines, and also... they direct one toward the qiblah. The problem is gone; otherwise, in the past, it was a problem, and sometimes one would repeat the prayer. Glory be to Allah.
The questioner : The issue of travel itself, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : ... from the benefit of travel.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : He remains with his prayer, yes, he remains with his prayer, because he cannot face it except in this manner.
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you, the rule has not become clear to me.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : The rule has not become clear to me: that the evidentiary action specifies the evidentiary statement.
The Shaykh : Yes, how?
The questioner : Clarify the rule.
The Shaykh : The hadith[Al-Baqarah 2:144] This is general, encompassing travel and residence, the rider and the walker. The action of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in turning toward other than the qiblah specifies this generality. Yes.
The questioner : In the case of praying while traveling, is it better to place one's hands on the chest or on the ...?
The Shaykh : No, on the chest. In the case of standing, on the chest, Samir.
The questioner : ... The one who is unable, such as the sick person. Is it better for him to delay the prayer until the end of its time, or to pray it at the beginning of its time?
The Shaykh : Does he hope that someone will guide him? Yes, he should delay it, because preserving the condition is more important than preserving the advancement of the prayer at the beginning of the time, if he was.
The questioner : If he was in doubt.
The Shaykh : In doubt? How is he in doubt?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : The original ruling is that it is not obligatory. He prays at the beginning of the time. But if he knows that his companion will arrive at the end of the time, let him delay it. Yes, what?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, and what do you see? Are you the driver or not? I am asking you, are you the driver or not? Okay, if you were occupied with the voluntary prayer, is there danger? I am asking you, say yes or no. Ah, there is no danger. Why?
The questioner : Now, cars have a speed limiter...
The Shaykh : Even if the speed is set, there can be danger. No one... there is always danger. Suppose, suppose the car experiences some kind of malfunction. Sometimes, if there is a speed bump, even if it is not large, the car... I think one should not pray, because there is, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Bulugh al-Maram 2:119 Yes, Abdullah.
The questioner : Is it permissible to lead the prayer while riding a mount in a voluntary prayer?
The Shaykh : Is it permissible?
The questioner : Leading the prayer.
The Shaykh : On a mount, a camel and not a donkey?
The questioner : This and that.
The Shaykh : It is permissible, but they line up behind him.
The questioner : How?
The Shaykh : How is that strange? Does he not line up in front of them while he is on the ground and they are on the ground?
The questioner : If there is only one person, if there is only one person, meaning two are riding, and he stands behind him.
The Shaykh : Meaning, he is riding behind him. It is possible that the one in front is the imam, and in the car... in this car, we may be forced to do this in the congestion when leaving 'Arafah. Sometimes the travel continues until midnight, and one cannot get out and cannot walk. They line up and pray on their mounts, facing the qiblah as much as possible. Yes.
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah bless you. A person needs to deviate.
The Shaykh : To, to.
The questioner : A person needs a car, for example... and the like. He looks for a direction.
The Shaykh : But that is his direction in reality, because he cannot proceed except in this direction.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Right or left, or he turns back after, if the street is a dead end, he has to turn back to reach the exit. But this is his direction of travel in reality.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : What? Or.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : He is still in prayer, in the final part of the prayer.
The Shaykh : By Allah, it appears that this is part of the prayer, because it is in the interest of the journey. This is unlike the one who turns to look and see what is in front of him, whether it is goods, a tree, or an animal, which has no connection to the journey. Yes, Salim.
The questioner : May Allah forgive you, O Shaykh. The scholars' definition of travel, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : It is an overburdening and an overburdening that is not among the principles of the Shari'ah, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, correct. This also indicates that there is overburdening and deepening. Yes, yes.
The questioner : Our statement that if a traveler is praying on his mount and then it deviates with him, or he deviates from the direction of his travel, his prayer is invalid.
The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.
The questioner : It is confusing in light of the generality of His saying:
used to pray on (the back of) his camel in whatever direction it took him
يصلي على راحلته حيث توجهت بهThe Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : There is a generality in it that may include this.
The Shaykh : No, no, it does not include it, because the mount does not face except in the direction of travel, yes.
The questioner : The worshipper in al-Masjid al-Haram.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And it may not be possible for him.
The Shaykh : Perhaps.
The questioner : He may not be able to face the exact direction of the Ka'bah.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah. Now, in al-Masjid al-Haram, in most cases, one cannot see the Ka'bah because of the pillars, so one cannot see it. But now, praise be to Allah, what are they called? Lines, no, there are lines, and also... they direct one toward the qiblah. The problem is gone; otherwise, in the past, it was a problem, and sometimes one would repeat the prayer. Glory be to Allah.
The questioner : The issue of travel itself, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : ... from the benefit of travel.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : He remains with his prayer, yes, he remains with his prayer, because he cannot face it except in this manner.
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you, the rule has not become clear to me.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : The rule has not become clear to me: that the evidentiary action specifies the evidentiary statement.
The Shaykh : Yes, how?
The questioner : Clarify the rule.
The Shaykh : The hadith
So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram
فول وجهك شطر المسجد الحرامThe questioner : In the case of praying while traveling, is it better to place one's hands on the chest or on the ...?
The Shaykh : No, on the chest. In the case of standing, on the chest, Samir.
The questioner : ... The one who is unable, such as the sick person. Is it better for him to delay the prayer until the end of its time, or to pray it at the beginning of its time?
The Shaykh : Does he hope that someone will guide him? Yes, he should delay it, because preserving the condition is more important than preserving the advancement of the prayer at the beginning of the time, if he was.
The questioner : If he was in doubt.
The Shaykh : In doubt? How is he in doubt?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : The original ruling is that it is not obligatory. He prays at the beginning of the time. But if he knows that his companion will arrive at the end of the time, let him delay it. Yes, what?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, and what do you see? Are you the driver or not? I am asking you, are you the driver or not? Okay, if you were occupied with the voluntary prayer, is there danger? I am asking you, say yes or no. Ah, there is no danger. Why?
The questioner : Now, cars have a speed limiter...
The Shaykh : Even if the speed is set, there can be danger. No one... there is always danger. Suppose, suppose the car experiences some kind of malfunction. Sometimes, if there is a speed bump, even if it is not large, the car... I think one should not pray, because there is, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
No Salat (prayer) can be (rightly offered) with food brought (before the worshiper) or when he is resisting the urge to relive himself of the two filths (i.e. urine and feces).
لا صلاة بحضرة طعام ولا هو يدافع الأخبثانThe questioner : Is it permissible to lead the prayer while riding a mount in a voluntary prayer?
The Shaykh : Is it permissible?
The questioner : Leading the prayer.
The Shaykh : On a mount, a camel and not a donkey?
The questioner : This and that.
The Shaykh : It is permissible, but they line up behind him.
The questioner : How?
The Shaykh : How is that strange? Does he not line up in front of them while he is on the ground and they are on the ground?
The questioner : If there is only one person, if there is only one person, meaning two are riding, and he stands behind him.
The Shaykh : Meaning, he is riding behind him. It is possible that the one in front is the imam, and in the car... in this car, we may be forced to do this in the congestion when leaving 'Arafah. Sometimes the travel continues until midnight, and one cannot get out and cannot walk. They line up and pray on their mounts, facing the qiblah as much as possible. Yes.