Ruling on interrupting prayer to avoid danger or save a life
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Question:
Sometimes an urgent report comes in about a fire, drowning, or similar incident that requires the civil defense team to move out. If the personnel are praying in congregation when the report comes in, what is the ruling? Should the prayer be interrupted, or should they continue it and then make it up after the mission is over?
Answer:
It is obligatory to prioritize the danger. If there is a danger of drowning or fire, there is no harm in interrupting the prayer; in fact, it may become obligatory to interrupt it if the danger is confirmed. The prayer is interrupted and then made up afterward; this is the correct position. When the war with the Confederates intensified on the Day of the Confederates, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) delayed the midday and afternoon prayers until he prayed them after the sunset prayer, due to the intensity of the war. And the Companions, when the siege of al-Tustar was underway in the fight against the Persians, delayed the dawn prayer when the war intensified for them. Some of them were at the gates of the city and some on the walls; they delayed the dawn prayer and prayed it in the late morning.
The harm from a fire is great, and so is the harm from drowning. If the news comes that a fire has occurred or that someone is drowning, they should rush to respond, even if it means interrupting the prayer. However, if there is only a fear that someone might drown, or if nothing has actually happened yet, they should complete the prayer. But if the news confirms that the incident has occurred, it is obligatory to rush and hasten to save the person affected, even if it means delaying the prayer. Praise be to Allah, the prayer is delayed.
It is permissible to delay the prayer for a dire necessity. A dire necessity means: for the benefit of the Muslims, not for his own benefit. No, he must pray within its time. But delaying it for the general necessity of the Muslims—such as a fire, fighting, or drowning—the general benefit must be prioritized, and there is no harm in delaying it past its time. As for his own benefit, no, he must pray within its time and not delay it for the sake of his trade, his business accounts, or any of his worldly affairs.
Sometimes an urgent report comes in about a fire, drowning, or similar incident that requires the civil defense team to move out. If the personnel are praying in congregation when the report comes in, what is the ruling? Should the prayer be interrupted, or should they continue it and then make it up after the mission is over?
Answer:
It is obligatory to prioritize the danger. If there is a danger of drowning or fire, there is no harm in interrupting the prayer; in fact, it may become obligatory to interrupt it if the danger is confirmed. The prayer is interrupted and then made up afterward; this is the correct position. When the war with the Confederates intensified on the Day of the Confederates, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) delayed the midday and afternoon prayers until he prayed them after the sunset prayer, due to the intensity of the war. And the Companions, when the siege of al-Tustar was underway in the fight against the Persians, delayed the dawn prayer when the war intensified for them. Some of them were at the gates of the city and some on the walls; they delayed the dawn prayer and prayed it in the late morning.
The harm from a fire is great, and so is the harm from drowning. If the news comes that a fire has occurred or that someone is drowning, they should rush to respond, even if it means interrupting the prayer. However, if there is only a fear that someone might drown, or if nothing has actually happened yet, they should complete the prayer. But if the news confirms that the incident has occurred, it is obligatory to rush and hasten to save the person affected, even if it means delaying the prayer. Praise be to Allah, the prayer is delayed.
It is permissible to delay the prayer for a dire necessity. A dire necessity means: for the benefit of the Muslims, not for his own benefit. No, he must pray within its time. But delaying it for the general necessity of the Muslims—such as a fire, fighting, or drowning—the general benefit must be prioritized, and there is no harm in delaying it past its time. As for his own benefit, no, he must pray within its time and not delay it for the sake of his trade, his business accounts, or any of his worldly affairs.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.