Congregational Praver

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Dr. Saalih ibn Ghaanim al-Sadlaan

Translated by Abu Rumaysah

2000

CongregationalPrayer By Dr. Saalih al-Sadlaan Translated by Abu Rumaysah

Published by:
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Omgregationa{Prayer

Table of Contents

PUBLISHER'S INTRODUCTION 1
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 3
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE 5
Recommended Books to be Read Alongside This One 6
Some Translation Conventions Used in This Book: 6
English References Used in the Footnotes 7
AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION 9
THE MEANING OF "SALAAH" IN THE
LANGUAGE AND IN THE TERMINOLOGY
OF THE SHAREEAH 15
The Meaning of "Salaah " in the Language 15
The Meaning ofSalaah in the Terminology ofthe
The Meaning ofal-Jamaa 'ah in the Terminology ofthe
THE EVIDENCE FOR THE LEGITIMACY AND LEGAL
THE POSITION OF THE PRAYER AMONG THE OTHER
Sharee 'ah 15
The Meaning ofal-Jamaa 'ah in the Language 15
Sharee 'ah 16
The Meaning ofSalaatul Jamaa 'ah 16
STANDING OF THE PRAYER 17
THE POSITION OF THE PRAYER IN ISLAM 18
ACTS OF WORSHIP 22
THE WISDOM BEHIND THE LEGISLATION OF
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER 25
THE HISTORY OF THE LEGISLAnON OF
CONGREGATIONAL PRAyER 26
ENCOURAGEMENT TO PERFORM THE PRAYER IN
INTIMIDAnON CONCERNING MISSING THE
CONGREGATION 30
CONGREGATIONAL PRAyER 34
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THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF EXCELLENCE AND REWARD

FOR THE CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER 37
The Proofs for the First Opinion 37
The Proofs for the Second Opinion 38
Discussion ofthe Evidence ofthe First Opinion .40
The Strongest Opinion 40
Summary 42
The Fruits ofthe Difference ofOpinion 43
MANNERS OF WALKING TO THE CONGREGATIONAL
PRAYER AND OF LEAVING IT .44
WHOM THE CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER IS
SANCTIONED 51
THE NUMBER WHICH CONSTITUTES A CONGREGATION 52
Summary 54
THE PORTION OF THE PRAYER THAT MUST BE CAUGHT
TO BE CONSIDERED PART OF THE CONGREGATION 55
The First Opinion 55
The Proofs for the First Opinion 56
The Second Opinion 57
The Strongest Opinion 58
THE PLACE FOR PERFORMING THE
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER AND THE
VIRTUE OF MAINTAINING THE
MOSQUES AND WALKING TO THEM FOR
PRAYER 59
MAINTAINING THE MOSQUES AND WALKING TO THEM
FOR PRAYER 59
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER IN OTHER THAN A MOSQUE 63
The First Opinion 63
The Second Opinion 65
The Third Opinion 66
THE RULING OF A CONGREGATION FOR THE
OBLIGATORY PRAYERS 68
The First Opinion 68
The Second Opinion 71
The Third Opinion 73
The Fourth Opinion 75
The Strongest Opinion 82

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THERULINGOFA CONGREGATIONAL FORTHE
OPTIONALPRAyERS , 83
TheTypes ofNawaafilPrayerswithRespecttoPraying
The Type That is SanctionedtobePerformed With a
Salaatut Taraaweeh (The Night Prayer during
TheMeaningofNawaafilin theLanguage 83
TheMeaningofNawaafilin theSharee'ah 83
ThePosition oftheNawaafilAmongtheOtherPrayers 84
Them in Congregation 84
Congregation: 84
SalaatulKusoof (ThePrayer ofthe Solar Eclipse) 84
SalaatulIstisqaa (ThePrayerfor SeekingRain) 85
Salaatul Eidayn (The Two Eid Prayers) 85
Ramadaan) '" 85
TheNawaafil ThatArePrayedIndividually: 85
QIYAAM RAMADAAN OR SALAATUT
TARAAWEEH IN CONGREGATION 89
TheReasonBehindItsBeing CalledSalaatut
Taraaweeh 89
TheReasontheProphet(peacebe uponhim)DidNot
Innovations andEvilActionsDoneDuring Taraaweeh
RecitingtheQur'aan With aMusical VoiceandToBe
Mimicking the Voices ofand Blindly Following Some
ArtificialCrying andExcessiveDisplaysofHumility
Saying the Supplication for Completing the Qur'aan
TheRulingofSalaatut Taraaweeh 89
How Should Taraaweeh be Performed? 91
TheStrongestOpinion 92
TheProphet's Endorsing ofthe Congregation 92
His EstablishingIt Himself 93
His ExplainingIts Excellence 95
Continue toPerformthePrayerin Congregation 96
Performing Salaatut Taraaweeh Improperly 98
Prayer 98
Enrapturedby It 99
Reciters 100
When theQur'aanIs Recited 100
Goingfrom MosquetoMosqueDuring Ramadaan 100
Within the Prayer 104

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WAITING FOR A CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER IS BETTER THAN PRAYING INDIVIDUALLY AT THE ONSET OF THE TI1'm FOR THAT PRAYER I05
The Texts That Occur with Respect to This Issue What is Exempted From the Virtue ofthe Beginning Time 106 108
THE TIME WHEN THE PEOPLE STAND FOR

THE CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER•••.•.•..•••.....•....... 111

The Time When the Followers Standfor

Congregational Prayer 111 The Strongest Opinion 112 The Allowed Gap Between the Adhaan and the

Iqaamah 112 Errors That Must Be Pointed Out 113

REPEATING THE CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER IN THE SAME MOSQUE 115

REPEATING A PRAYER IN CONGREGATION ...•..•.......119

The Linguistic Meaning ofal-Taadah 119 The Sharee 'ah Meaning ofal-Faadah 119 The Reason for Repeating a Congregational Prayer 120 The Different Scenarios for Repeating the

Congregational Prayer 120

1. THEPERSONWHO HAsPRAYEDALONEFINDINGA CONGREGAnON AND PRAYING AGAIN 120 A) A PERSON PRAYS ALONE AND mEN FINDS A CONGREGAnON 121

B)A PERSONPRAYS IN CONGREGAnON AND THEN FINDS ANOTHER CONGREGATION 125

2. THE FOLLOWERREPEATSTHEPRAYERBECAUSE HE WAS STANDING IN THE WRONG PLACE 128

B) THE PERSONREPEATING THE PRAYER BECAUSE HE STOOD ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE IMAAM 131

4. THE PERSONREPEATING HIS PRAYERBECAUSE HE HAsPRAYED BEHIND A SINNING IMAAM 136

The Imaam Who is a Sinner With Respect to his Actions 137

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b. Repeating the Prayer Due to Praying Behind an Imaam Who is Evil With Respect to His Beliefs 5.THE RECITER REPEATING HIS PRAYER BECAUSE HE 141
HAs PRAYED BEHIND ONE WHO CANNOT RECITE CORRECTLY 6. THE ONE WHO HAs INTENDED AN OBLIGATORY PRAYER REPEATING HIS PRAYER BECAUSE HE PRAYED BEHIND ONE WHO HAD INTENDED AN OPTIONAL PRAYER 144 147
PRAYER IN CONGREGATION AFTER THE TIl\-IE HAS EXPIRED 151
THE OBLIGAnON TO MAKE UP MISSED PRAYERS THE MANNER IN WmCH PRAYERS ARE MADE Up 1) It Is Recommended to Pray in Congregation 2) The Ruling ofPraying Aloud or Silently in Congregation for the Made Up Prayers 3) The Ruling ofPraying the Missed Prayers in Their Proper Order When There Is a Fear ofMissing the Congregational Prayer (ofthe Present Prayer) 4) The Ruling ofMaking the Adhaan and Iqaamah for the Missed Prayers 151 152 152 157 158 163
WAITING FOR THE APPOINTED IMAAM AND THE FORBIDDANCE OF ESTABLISHING THE CONGREGATION BEFORE mM WITHOUT AUTHORITY 165
CLOSELY FOLLOWING THE 1MAAM I71
The Maalikee Opinion The Shaafi 'ee Opinion The Hanbalee Opinion The Hanafee Opinion The Correct Opinion 172 173 174 175 177
CONVEYING (THE TAKBEERS) BEHIND THE IMAAM IN CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER 179
THE OPINIONS OF THE JuRISTS CONCERNING THE TABLEEGH 181
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CONVEYING BEHIND THE IMAAM IN THE Two HOLY MOSQUES 182
THE RULING OF RECITING BEHIND THE IMAAM IN CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER 185
THE PRAYER IN WHICH THE RECITAnON IS SILENT THE PRAYERIN WHICH THE RECITATION IS ALOUD 185 186
The First Opinion: Reciting Behind the Imaam is Obligatory in Both the Aloud and Silent Prayers The Second Opinion: The Follower Does Not Recite in Either the Prayers Said Silently or Aloud The Third Opinion: The Follower Recites in the Prayers That Are Performed Silently but Not in Those Performed Aloud The Strongest Opinion 187 189 190 191
THE STATES OF THE FOLLOWER WITH IDS IMAAM IN CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER 195
THE FIRST STATE: PRECEDING THE IMAAM The Strongest Opinion The Second State: Agreement with the Imaam The Third State: Delaying in Following the Imaam The Fourth State: Following 195 197 198 200 200
THE PRINCIPLE OF THE BREVITY OR ELONGATION OF THE

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER ..............•..••••..•..•.••.••. 205

The Amount that the Prophet (peace be upon him) Used to Recite in the Prayer 210

THE RULING OF PRAYING IN CONGREGATION BEHIND RADIO OR TELEVISION BROADCASTS 213

RULING FOR THE CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER ON A SIDP 215

PRAYERS WHILE UPON A BOAT 215 THE RULING OF PRAYING IN CONGREGATION ON A SHIP 216

THE RULING OF CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER IN A CAR, TRAIN OR PLANE 219

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THE RULING FOR WOMEN PRAYING IN A CONGREGATION 221
WOMEN ATTENDING THE MOSQUES AND PRAYING IN CONGREGATION WITH THE MEN WOMEN PRAYING IN CONGREGATION BY THEMSELVES Wrrn ONE OF THEM LEADING 221 223
EXCUSES FOR NOT ATTENDING THE CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER 227
THE UNDESIRABILITY AND SIN Is LIFTED DUE TO THESE EXCUSES AND THE PERSON ATTAINS THE REWARD OF CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER 232
INNOVATIONS, ERRORS AND EVIL ACTIONS THAT ARE DONE IN CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER 235
CONCLUSION 247
APPENDIX 1 249
WHEN THE lMAAM PRAYS SITTING, DOES THE FOLLOWER PRAY SITTING? 249
APPENDIX 2 255
THE INNOVATIONS RELATED TO GREETING AFTER THE PRAyER BmLIOGRAPHY 255 261
INDEX OF VERSES CITED 269
INDEX OF HADEETH QUOTED 271