The ruling on praying in gardens that are watered with water having a foul smell
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Q: The reader: S. A. W. from Riyadh sent a question saying: What is the ruling on praying in public gardens? Knowing that these gardens are watered with water that emits a foul smell, and I have understood that this water is filtered from sewage or from wells into which impure water from latrines seeps. Do the Commission prevent people from praying in these gardens? I ask for clarification of the correct ruling in this matter.
A: As long as a foul smell emanates from it, the prayer in it is not valid; because one of the conditions for the validity of the prayer is the purity of the place upon which the Muslim prays. If he places a thick, pure barrier upon it, the prayer upon it is valid.
And it is not permissible for a Muslim to pray in the gardens—even upon a thick, pure barrier—rather, it is obligatory for him to pray with his Muslim brothers in the houses of Allah—the mosques—about which the Exalted said:[An-Nur 24:36] Men whom neither commerce nor sale diverts from the remembrance of Allah and the establishment of prayer and the giving of zakah. They fear a Day in which hearts and eyes will turn about. That Allah may reward them for the best of what they did and give them more of His bounty. And Allah provides for whom He wills without account. [An-Nur: 36 - 38] And for the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Bulugh al-Maram 2:308 Narrated by Ibn Majah, al-Daraqutni, Ibn Hibban, and al-Hakim, and its chain is according to the conditions of Muslim. And a blind man asked him (peace and blessings be upon him), saying: O Messenger of Allah, I have no guide to lead me to the mosque, so do I have a dispensation to pray in my house? So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Sahih Muslim 653 He said: Yes. He said: Narrated by Muslim in his Sahih.
And the hadiths in this meaning are many.
And it is obligatory for the Commission for Promoting Good and Forbidding Evil to prevent people from praying in the gardens, and to order them to pray in the mosques; acting in accordance with the saying of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) : [Al-Ma'idah: 2] And His saying, the Exalted: [At-Tawbah 9:71] the verse [At-Tawbah: 71] And the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 49a Narrated by Muslim in his Sahih.
A: As long as a foul smell emanates from it, the prayer in it is not valid; because one of the conditions for the validity of the prayer is the purity of the place upon which the Muslim prays. If he places a thick, pure barrier upon it, the prayer upon it is valid.
And it is not permissible for a Muslim to pray in the gardens—even upon a thick, pure barrier—rather, it is obligatory for him to pray with his Muslim brothers in the houses of Allah—the mosques—about which the Exalted said:
[Such niches are] in mosques which Allah has ordered to be raised and that His name be mentioned therein; exalting Him within them in the morning and the evenings
فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ Whoever hears the call for prayer and and does not come (to the mosque for prayer), his prayer will not be accepted from him, unless he has a (legitimate) excuse.
من سمع النداء فلم يأت فلا صلاة له إلا من عذرDo you hear the call to prayer?
هل تسمع النداء بالصلاة؟Then respond.
فأجبAnd the hadiths in this meaning are many.
And it is obligatory for the Commission for Promoting Good and Forbidding Evil to prevent people from praying in the gardens, and to order them to pray in the mosques; acting in accordance with the saying of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) :
cooperate in righteousness and piety
وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىThe believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong
وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِHe who amongst you sees something abominable should modify it with the help of his hand; and if he has not strength enough to do it, then he should do it with his tongue, and if he has not strength enough to do it, (even) then he should (abhor it) from his heart, and that is the least of faith.
من رأى منكم منكرًا فليغيره بيده فإن لم يستطع فبلسانه فإن لم يستطع فبقلبه وذلك أضعف الإيمان
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.