A question regarding the prayer of a traveler behind a resident
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Question:
We have encountered signs of disagreement regarding the prayer of a traveler behind a resident and the Friday prayer for one praying alone. Some say that the traveler should conclude his prayer with two rak'ahs if he prays behind a resident, and that one praying alone on Friday should pray two rak'ahs if he does not catch the congregation. However, what we have learned and followed since we sat before the scholars of the Sunnah is that if the traveler is the imam, he concludes with two rak'ahs and the followers complete four, and that if one praying alone misses the Friday prayer in the mosque, he prays the midday prayer with four rak'ahs. We also believed that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed the midday and afternoon prayers on Friday at 'Arafah secretly, shortened, and combined, but we did not find evidence confirming that he recited secretly. We seek clarification.
Answer:
The correct position, which is the position of the Salaf and Khalaf of the Ummah, is what you are upon, not what has been brought to you as an example. It is that if a traveler prays behind a resident, he must complete four rak'ahs. This is established in Musnad Ahmad and Sahih Muslim from the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), which indicates this. However, if the traveler is the imam, the Sunnah for him is to pray the four-rak'ah prayer with two rak'ahs, and the followers must complete four if they are not travelers, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did on the Day of the Conquest.
As for the one who misses the Friday prayer, the position of the four imams and the majority is that he prays the midday prayer and it is not permissible for him to pray the Friday prayer. The opinion that he prays the Friday prayer is an anomalous view that contradicts the scriptural evidence, so it should not be relied upon.
As for the evidence of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) reciting secretly in the midday and afternoon prayers on Friday at 'Arafah, it is what is established in Sahih Muslim from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) .
We have encountered signs of disagreement regarding the prayer of a traveler behind a resident and the Friday prayer for one praying alone. Some say that the traveler should conclude his prayer with two rak'ahs if he prays behind a resident, and that one praying alone on Friday should pray two rak'ahs if he does not catch the congregation. However, what we have learned and followed since we sat before the scholars of the Sunnah is that if the traveler is the imam, he concludes with two rak'ahs and the followers complete four, and that if one praying alone misses the Friday prayer in the mosque, he prays the midday prayer with four rak'ahs. We also believed that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed the midday and afternoon prayers on Friday at 'Arafah secretly, shortened, and combined, but we did not find evidence confirming that he recited secretly. We seek clarification.
Answer:
The correct position, which is the position of the Salaf and Khalaf of the Ummah, is what you are upon, not what has been brought to you as an example. It is that if a traveler prays behind a resident, he must complete four rak'ahs. This is established in Musnad Ahmad and Sahih Muslim from the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), which indicates this. However, if the traveler is the imam, the Sunnah for him is to pray the four-rak'ah prayer with two rak'ahs, and the followers must complete four if they are not travelers, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did on the Day of the Conquest.
As for the one who misses the Friday prayer, the position of the four imams and the majority is that he prays the midday prayer and it is not permissible for him to pray the Friday prayer. The opinion that he prays the Friday prayer is an anomalous view that contradicts the scriptural evidence, so it should not be relied upon.
As for the evidence of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) reciting secretly in the midday and afternoon prayers on Friday at 'Arafah, it is what is established in Sahih Muslim from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) .
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.