Summary of Fiqh #28: The Latecomer to the Congregational Prayer

Saturday 18 March 2017

Chapter: The Latecomer to the Congregational Prayer

  • You can only be considered to have caught the congregational Prayer if you have caught at least one Raka’ah (e.g. the last)
    • What happens if you catch less than the last raka’ah
  • Whoever catches the Rukuu’ (bowing), catches the raka’ah
    • Hadith of Abu Bakrah
      • Evidence that catching the rukuu’ catches the raka’ah
      • Importance of not running to the mosque
    • What happens if you arrive and you fear you may not catch the rukuu’,
      • You can make just one takbiiratul Ihram and immediately join rukuu’
      • If you have time, you can make one takbir to join the prayer (takbiiratul Ihram) and then Make another to join the rukuu’
    • If the Imam is concluding the prayer with tasleem, but you missed some raka’ah, at what point do you get up?
      • When he says the first salaam?
      • Or when he says the second (completely finishes)?
    • When you join the prayer, that raka’ah is considered as your first
      • What about the number of tashahuds? (e.g. 3)
    • What to do when you join late onto a loud prayer (e.g. maghrib)?
      • Do you recite fatiha if you missed hearing it?
        • Difference of opinion among the scholars
      • What about joining late onto the quiet prayers?
  • The IMPORTANCE in congregational prayers that the one behind the imam follows the Imam and does not go ahead of him

  • The hadith warning those who go ahead of the Imam
  • Four possible scenarios regarding following the Imam:
    • To go ahead of the Imam [Incorrect]
    • To go equal with the Imam [Incorrect]
    • To follow the Imam [Correct]
    • To lag behind the Imam and being too slow [Incorrect]
  • Hadith of Umar when he saw a man going ahead of the Imam
  • Many people are heedless and lax about this issue and it threatens their prayer
  • The statement of Ibn Taymiyah regarding the one who goes ahead of the Imam
  • Going ahead of the Imam is Haraam (agreement of all scholars)
    • Q&A
      • When you join the prayer late, do you read the opening dua?
      • If you come late and miss a raka’ah for a loud prayer, should you read out loud by yourself when you get up to make up your lost raka’ah?
      • Praying the Janaza (funeral) prayer without the body of the deceased
      • What about if you miss the Janaza prayer for someone, can you make up for it?
      • Lining up the Rows via the ankles
      • What Gap should there be when a person stands to pray? Wide stance vs narrow?
        • What about the statement of some people that there should be 4 finger gap between the feet?
      • Bad smells such as Smoking and Garlic, can a person attend the prayer?

Next week the Chapter on Women’s attendance in the mosques