Explanation of the Prayer of Fear
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Is it prescribed for some soldiers who work with certain weapons on the front line to perform the Prayer of Fear, and how is that done despite the fact that war is not being fought?
Answer:
They do not have the Prayer of Fear unless they are facing the enemy in ranks or fear an attack from them; based on the saying of Allah, the Exalted: [Surat al-Nisa: 102].
In the two Sahihs, it is narrated from Salih ibn Khatam, from one who prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) the Prayer of Fear on the Day of Dhat al-Riqa' that a group of his Companions (peace and blessings be upon him) formed a row with him, and another group faced the enemy. So he prayed with those with him one rak'ah, then he remained standing and they completed the prayer for themselves. Then they withdrew and formed a row facing the enemy, and the other group came and he prayed with them the remaining rak'ah. Then he remained sitting and they completed the prayer for themselves, and then he said the taslim with them... This is the wording of Muslim.
Also in the two Sahihs, it is narrated from Ibn 'Umar who said: "I went on a campaign with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) before Najd, and we encountered the enemy, so we formed ranks facing them. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and prayed with us. A group stood with him, and a group turned toward the enemy. He bowed with those with him and prostrated two prostrations, then they withdrew to the place of the group that had not prayed. They came, and he bowed with them one rak'ah and prostrated two prostrations, then he said the taslim. Then each of them stood up and bowed for himself one rak'ah and prostrated two prostrations..." This is the wording of al-Bukhari.
And from Jabir, who said: "I witnessed the Prayer of Fear with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). We formed two rows, one row behind the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and the enemy was between us and the qiblah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said the takbir and we all said it, then he bowed and we all bowed, then he raised his head from the bowing and we all raised our heads, then he descended into prostration with the row next to him, and the rear row stood facing the enemy. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) finished prostrating, and the row next to him stood up, the rear row descended into prostration and they stood up. Then the rear row moved forward and the front row moved back, then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) bowed and we all bowed, then he raised his head from the bowing and we all raised our heads, then he descended into prostration with the row next to him, which had been the rear row in the first rak'ah, and the rear row stood facing the enemy. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) finished prostrating and the row next to him, the rear row descended into prostration and they prostrated, then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said the taslim and we all said it." Muslim narrated it in his Sahih, and success is from Allah.
Is it prescribed for some soldiers who work with certain weapons on the front line to perform the Prayer of Fear, and how is that done despite the fact that war is not being fought?
Answer:
They do not have the Prayer of Fear unless they are facing the enemy in ranks or fear an attack from them; based on the saying of Allah, the Exalted:
And when you are among them and lead them in prayer, let a group of them stand [in prayer] with you and let them carry their arms. And when they have prostrated, let them be [in position] behind you and have the other group come forward which has not [yet] prayed and let them pray with you, taking precaution and carrying their arms. Those who disbelieve wish that you would neglect your weapons and your baggage so they could come down upon you in one [single] attack
وَإِذَا كُنْتَ فِيهِمْ فَأَقَمْتَ لَهُمُ الصَّلَاةَ فَلْتَقُمْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا أَسْلِحَتَهُمْ فَإِذَا سَجَدُوا فَلْيَكُونُوا مِنْ وَرَائِكُمْ وَلْتَأْتِ طَائِفَةٌ أُخْرَى لَمْ يُصَلُّوا فَلْيُصَلُّوا مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا حِذْرَهُمْ وَأَسْلِحَتَهُمْ وَدَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْ تَغْفُلُونَ عَنْ أَسْلِحَتِكُمْ وَأَمْتِعَتِكُمْ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَيْلَةً وَاحِدَةًIn the two Sahihs, it is narrated from Salih ibn Khatam, from one who prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) the Prayer of Fear on the Day of Dhat al-Riqa' that a group of his Companions (peace and blessings be upon him) formed a row with him, and another group faced the enemy. So he prayed with those with him one rak'ah, then he remained standing and they completed the prayer for themselves. Then they withdrew and formed a row facing the enemy, and the other group came and he prayed with them the remaining rak'ah. Then he remained sitting and they completed the prayer for themselves, and then he said the taslim with them... This is the wording of Muslim.
Also in the two Sahihs, it is narrated from Ibn 'Umar who said: "I went on a campaign with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) before Najd, and we encountered the enemy, so we formed ranks facing them. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and prayed with us. A group stood with him, and a group turned toward the enemy. He bowed with those with him and prostrated two prostrations, then they withdrew to the place of the group that had not prayed. They came, and he bowed with them one rak'ah and prostrated two prostrations, then he said the taslim. Then each of them stood up and bowed for himself one rak'ah and prostrated two prostrations..." This is the wording of al-Bukhari.
And from Jabir, who said: "I witnessed the Prayer of Fear with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). We formed two rows, one row behind the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and the enemy was between us and the qiblah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said the takbir and we all said it, then he bowed and we all bowed, then he raised his head from the bowing and we all raised our heads, then he descended into prostration with the row next to him, and the rear row stood facing the enemy. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) finished prostrating, and the row next to him stood up, the rear row descended into prostration and they stood up. Then the rear row moved forward and the front row moved back, then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) bowed and we all bowed, then he raised his head from the bowing and we all raised our heads, then he descended into prostration with the row next to him, which had been the rear row in the first rak'ah, and the rear row stood facing the enemy. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) finished prostrating and the row next to him, the rear row descended into prostration and they prostrated, then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said the taslim and we all said it." Muslim narrated it in his Sahih, and success is from Allah.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.