The question in this letter asks whether it is valid for a Muslim to pray the Friday prayer behind the radio, given that I was residing in the mountains and there were no mosques nearby for me to pray in.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : The question in this letter asks whether it is valid for a Muslim to pray the congregational prayer behind the radio, or the Friday prayer behind the radio, given that I was residing in the mountains and there were no mosques nearby for me to pray in. Is my prayer valid or not?
The Shaykh : We say: As for your residence in the mountains and the fact that there are no mosques around you, the Friday prayer is not obligatory upon you; rather, you pray the midday prayer in its place, because you are not among the people for whom the Friday prayer is obligatory, as long as you are not in a village. As for your prayer behind the radio, this is not permissible. This is because the Friday prayer requires gathering behind a single imam. How can there be a gathering when there are very long distances between you and this imam? This is assuming that the Friday prayer is being broadcast live from the mosque. What about the possibility that it is not being broadcast live, but rather recorded? We say: If it is not being broadcast live, then it is not valid, without any doubt in that. And if it is being broadcast live, it is still not suitable, because the purpose of the Friday prayer is the gathering behind a single imam in the same place and in the same actions.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : These long distances do not fulfill this condition, which is necessary for the Friday prayer and for the congregation as well.
The questioner : This questioner is from the Northern Borders, Rafha city, from the National Guard, Naif Abdullah al-Harbi.
The Shaykh : We say: As for your residence in the mountains and the fact that there are no mosques around you, the Friday prayer is not obligatory upon you; rather, you pray the midday prayer in its place, because you are not among the people for whom the Friday prayer is obligatory, as long as you are not in a village. As for your prayer behind the radio, this is not permissible. This is because the Friday prayer requires gathering behind a single imam. How can there be a gathering when there are very long distances between you and this imam? This is assuming that the Friday prayer is being broadcast live from the mosque. What about the possibility that it is not being broadcast live, but rather recorded? We say: If it is not being broadcast live, then it is not valid, without any doubt in that. And if it is being broadcast live, it is still not suitable, because the purpose of the Friday prayer is the gathering behind a single imam in the same place and in the same actions.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : These long distances do not fulfill this condition, which is necessary for the Friday prayer and for the congregation as well.
The questioner : This questioner is from the Northern Borders, Rafha city, from the National Guard, Naif Abdullah al-Harbi.