The Ruling on Combining Two Prayers Without an Excuse
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Question:
The first message in this episode is from listener Muhammad Idris Fadl al-Mawla from Sudan, residing in Najran. Our brother says: There is a place where we work, and a number of people there perform the congregational prayer, but I am not with them for the following reasons:
First: They always combine the Dhuhr and Asr prayers without a reason, and also the Maghrib and Isha prayers. Also, they do not hold their hands below the chest. So, is the prayer valid with them? Please guide us. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow his guidance.
As for what follows:
It is not permissible for a Muslim to combine two prayers while resident without a cause, such as illness or irregular bleeding for a woman. Rather, it is obligatory that each prayer be performed in its time: Dhuhr in its time, Asr in its time, Maghrib in its time, and Isha in its time. It is not permissible to combine two prayers without a legal cause.
What is reported from him (peace and blessings be upon him) is that he prayed eight rak'ahs together and seven rak'ahs together, meaning Dhuhr and Asr, and Maghrib and Isha. This, according to the scholars, was for a cause. Some said: There was an epidemic—illness—so it was difficult for the Muslims, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) combined the prayers for them. It is not recorded that he (peace and blessings be upon him) did this except once. It is not recorded that he did this on multiple occasions or habitually; rather, this occurred once, narrated by Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Others said: The combining was apparent, not actual. Rather, he prayed Dhuhr in its time, at the end of it, and Asr at the beginning of its time, and Maghrib at the end of its time and Isha at the beginning of its time. Al-Nasa'i narrated this with a sound chain from Ibn Abbas that he prayed Dhuhr at the end of its time and brought forward Asr, and prayed Maghrib at the end of its time and brought forward Isha, so it was called combining. The reality is that he prayed each prayer in its time. This is a combining mentioned in the sound narration from Ibn Abbas, so it is necessary to hold to this view and that it is an apparent combining. Therefore, no one should use this as an argument for combining without an excuse.
As for you, O questioner, you may pray Dhuhr and Maghrib with them in their times. As for Isha, do not combine it with Maghrib, and do not combine Asr. Do not pray Asr or Isha with them. This is if they are from the people of the Sunnah. But if they are not from the people of the Sunnah, do not pray with them until you know that they are not engaging in any of shirk (associating partners with Allah), such as calling upon al-Badawi or Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani or others among the people. This is considered major shirk. O my master! Help, help! Cure my sick one... Help me... Save me... Cure my sick one... This is major shirk. So, one does not pray behind them or with them. Rather, they are advised, guided, and taught.
So, the result is that it is obligatory for the Muslim to be careful in his prayer and not to pray behind one whom he suspects of shirk or of an innovation that entails disbelief. And he should seek out good imams known for uprightness and following the methodology of the people of the Sunnah and the community, from the people of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and faith, so that he is cautious with his religion and his prayer. And he should not pray behind the grave-worshippers who are known for exaggeration regarding graves and calling upon their inhabitants, such as those who exaggerate regarding al-Badawi or other than al-Badawi, or Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani or others among the people, and they seek help from them and seek rescue from them. This is major disbelief, and one does not pray behind its practitioner. We ask Allah for safety. But they are called to Allah, taught, advised, and guided to good; because religion is advice. And Allah the Exalted says: [Al-Nahl: 125], and He the Exalted says: [Fussilat: 33], and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith: Sahih Muslim 1893a, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) when he sent him to Khaybar: Sahih al-Bukhari 3701.
So, these people are called to Allah and taught, and one does not pray behind them until they repent to Allah from shirk, and until they abandon what they have of innovations that entail disbelief. We ask Allah for guidance for all of them. Yes.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good, Shaykh Abdul Aziz! Do sectarian differences lead to severance between Muslims, as our brother did when he severed ties with his congregation because some of them do not hold their hands below the chest?
The Shaykh: As for disagreement in the branches, no. Disagreement in the branches does not necessitate division and difference, nor does it necessitate enmity and hatred. So, if some of the worshippers let their hands hang down and do not place them on their chest or below their navel, but let them hang down as is known in the school of Malik among the Malikis, there is no harm in that. This does not necessitate enmity or hatred; because they followed other scholars and imitated them in that. And they have the excuse of taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence), so it is not befitting to sever ties in this. It is befitting to be lenient and tolerant and to teach with good words. The one who does that is guided to the fact that the best and the sunnah (recommended practice) is to place his right hand over his left hand on his chest. This is the best, and this is the sunnah, as established in the hadith of Wa'il ibn Hujr and the hadith of Qabisa ibn al-Hujj al-Tai from his father, and a sound mursal (a report missing the Companion link) from Tawus (may Allah have mercy on him).
The point is that this is the correct way: placing his right hand... his right palm over his left palm on his chest. This is the best. But if he lets his hands hang down or places them below the navel, it is not befitting that there be dispute or disagreement or severance or hatred in this. Rather, it is only calling in the best manner, and discussing these matters and similar ones.
And likewise, the one who does not raise his hands when bowing or when rising from it or when standing up from the first tashahhud (the testification recited while sitting in prayer). All of this, although it is contrary to the sunnah, does not necessitate severance or hatred or splitting. And likewise, other things such as the rest sitting and similar branch matters in which dispute and difference may occur among scholars. But the way of the scholars is that they do not hate each other, nor sever ties, nor boycott each other. Rather, they discuss, and each one intends good for his brother, advises, and seeks evidence. And Allah is the Helper. Yes.
The presenter: Allah is the Helper. May Allah reward you with good.
The first message in this episode is from listener Muhammad Idris Fadl al-Mawla from Sudan, residing in Najran. Our brother says: There is a place where we work, and a number of people there perform the congregational prayer, but I am not with them for the following reasons:
First: They always combine the Dhuhr and Asr prayers without a reason, and also the Maghrib and Isha prayers. Also, they do not hold their hands below the chest. So, is the prayer valid with them? Please guide us. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow his guidance.
As for what follows:
It is not permissible for a Muslim to combine two prayers while resident without a cause, such as illness or irregular bleeding for a woman. Rather, it is obligatory that each prayer be performed in its time: Dhuhr in its time, Asr in its time, Maghrib in its time, and Isha in its time. It is not permissible to combine two prayers without a legal cause.
What is reported from him (peace and blessings be upon him) is that he prayed eight rak'ahs together and seven rak'ahs together, meaning Dhuhr and Asr, and Maghrib and Isha. This, according to the scholars, was for a cause. Some said: There was an epidemic—illness—so it was difficult for the Muslims, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) combined the prayers for them. It is not recorded that he (peace and blessings be upon him) did this except once. It is not recorded that he did this on multiple occasions or habitually; rather, this occurred once, narrated by Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Others said: The combining was apparent, not actual. Rather, he prayed Dhuhr in its time, at the end of it, and Asr at the beginning of its time, and Maghrib at the end of its time and Isha at the beginning of its time. Al-Nasa'i narrated this with a sound chain from Ibn Abbas that he prayed Dhuhr at the end of its time and brought forward Asr, and prayed Maghrib at the end of its time and brought forward Isha, so it was called combining. The reality is that he prayed each prayer in its time. This is a combining mentioned in the sound narration from Ibn Abbas, so it is necessary to hold to this view and that it is an apparent combining. Therefore, no one should use this as an argument for combining without an excuse.
As for you, O questioner, you may pray Dhuhr and Maghrib with them in their times. As for Isha, do not combine it with Maghrib, and do not combine Asr. Do not pray Asr or Isha with them. This is if they are from the people of the Sunnah. But if they are not from the people of the Sunnah, do not pray with them until you know that they are not engaging in any of shirk (associating partners with Allah), such as calling upon al-Badawi or Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani or others among the people. This is considered major shirk. O my master! Help, help! Cure my sick one... Help me... Save me... Cure my sick one... This is major shirk. So, one does not pray behind them or with them. Rather, they are advised, guided, and taught.
So, the result is that it is obligatory for the Muslim to be careful in his prayer and not to pray behind one whom he suspects of shirk or of an innovation that entails disbelief. And he should seek out good imams known for uprightness and following the methodology of the people of the Sunnah and the community, from the people of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and faith, so that he is cautious with his religion and his prayer. And he should not pray behind the grave-worshippers who are known for exaggeration regarding graves and calling upon their inhabitants, such as those who exaggerate regarding al-Badawi or other than al-Badawi, or Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani or others among the people, and they seek help from them and seek rescue from them. This is major disbelief, and one does not pray behind its practitioner. We ask Allah for safety. But they are called to Allah, taught, advised, and guided to good; because religion is advice. And Allah the Exalted says:
Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best
ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُAnd who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, "Indeed, I am of the Muslims."
وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِمَّنْ دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَOne who guides to something good has a reward similar to that of its doer.
من دل على خير فله مثل أجر فاعلهfor by Allah, if one man is guided on the right path (i.e. converted to Islam) through you, it would be better for you than (a great number of) red camels.
فوالله لأن يهدي الله بك رجلًا واحداً خير لك من حمر النعمSo, these people are called to Allah and taught, and one does not pray behind them until they repent to Allah from shirk, and until they abandon what they have of innovations that entail disbelief. We ask Allah for guidance for all of them. Yes.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good, Shaykh Abdul Aziz! Do sectarian differences lead to severance between Muslims, as our brother did when he severed ties with his congregation because some of them do not hold their hands below the chest?
The Shaykh: As for disagreement in the branches, no. Disagreement in the branches does not necessitate division and difference, nor does it necessitate enmity and hatred. So, if some of the worshippers let their hands hang down and do not place them on their chest or below their navel, but let them hang down as is known in the school of Malik among the Malikis, there is no harm in that. This does not necessitate enmity or hatred; because they followed other scholars and imitated them in that. And they have the excuse of taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence), so it is not befitting to sever ties in this. It is befitting to be lenient and tolerant and to teach with good words. The one who does that is guided to the fact that the best and the sunnah (recommended practice) is to place his right hand over his left hand on his chest. This is the best, and this is the sunnah, as established in the hadith of Wa'il ibn Hujr and the hadith of Qabisa ibn al-Hujj al-Tai from his father, and a sound mursal (a report missing the Companion link) from Tawus (may Allah have mercy on him).
The point is that this is the correct way: placing his right hand... his right palm over his left palm on his chest. This is the best. But if he lets his hands hang down or places them below the navel, it is not befitting that there be dispute or disagreement or severance or hatred in this. Rather, it is only calling in the best manner, and discussing these matters and similar ones.
And likewise, the one who does not raise his hands when bowing or when rising from it or when standing up from the first tashahhud (the testification recited while sitting in prayer). All of this, although it is contrary to the sunnah, does not necessitate severance or hatred or splitting. And likewise, other things such as the rest sitting and similar branch matters in which dispute and difference may occur among scholars. But the way of the scholars is that they do not hate each other, nor sever ties, nor boycott each other. Rather, they discuss, and each one intends good for his brother, advises, and seeks evidence. And Allah is the Helper. Yes.
The presenter: Allah is the Helper. May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.