4. That the prayer being prayed

for the sunan prayers, it is not obligatory congregation. This also applies to the Prayer any obligatory prayer that is being made u obligatory to make up the missed prayer one takes to the opinion that it is oblig missed prayers."! This is because the te simply state the making up of the prayer [ anything about the need for a congregation]. 1 ar. Rawd al-Marba' bi Sbarh Zaad al-Mustaqni' ibnQaasim an-Najdee. CtmgregatiunolPrag The Number Which Constitute The mmimum number congregational prayer is two: the Im with him.

As the number of attend becomes more beloved to Allah. This (peace be upon him) saying, "The prayer of a person with another prayer of a person prayed individuall prayed with two people is better th prayed with one. The larger the numb to Allah the Exalted." 1 It is possible for one of the woman. In this case, the prayer i congregational. Ibn Abbaas said, 0. r~A~ ~",," ~ 41J\ t, ~ .~ tX ~ J »» ~ ~ " !

" t" ,,, ~I:J. ~u O)t:..i::f ~ ~ "" "", ,. 0 ,. .... t . ~ •-Co • '" """..,... u- ~ "I spent the night at my aunt's an (peace be upon him) awoke to pray th pray with him, standing on his left sid head and stood me on his right side."2 Muslim reports from Anas Messenger of Allah (peace be upon h his mother or aunt. Anas said, I al-Mustadrak (3/269). 2 sahih al-Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 1/376 no. 66 eongregatimta!Prayer "He made me stand on his right side an stand behind us."! Al-Wazeer ibn Hubairah said, "T have unanimously agreed that the least nu congregation for an obligatory prayer, othe Jumu 'ah (Friday), is two: an Imaam and a fo his right side."2 Ibn Qudaamah, may Allah have mer The congregation is considered to b two people and we know of no concerning this. Abu Musaa repo Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ".

"""" ~~~~W08\ " "Two and more constitute a congreg The Prophet (peace be upon Hudhayfah on one occasion, ibn another and ibn Abbaas on another. were to lead his slave or wife, they w attained the excellence of the con prayer. If one were to lead a ch permissible for optional prayers b Prophet (peace be upon him) led ibn an optional prayer while he was a c were to lead a child in the obligat then Imaam Ahmad said that counted as a congregational praye is not correct that a child be an Im his deficient condition and the situation most closely resembles t 1 SaheehMuslim [Eng. Trans. 1/321 no. 1390]. 2al-Ifsaah 'an Ma'aanee as-Sihaah (1/155). 3 Ibn Maajah (no. 959). [This hadith has been decla scholars. see, for example, al-Albaani, Dhaeefal-]aami, Ctmgregatitma{Prag one whose prayer is not val al-Aamidee said, "There is that is voiced concerning thi it is not permissible for the Imaam but it is permissible follower in the obligatory pr way as this is permissible f reached the age of discernm the Prophet (peace be u concerning the man who congregational prayer, Who charity and pray with him? opinion declared to be the Hanafee and Shaafiee scho Maalikee scholars, in their prayed with only a child, b optional, is not consid congregational prayer.1 Summary The least number that would is two: an Imaam and an follower, according to the Hanafee scholars. H Hanbalee scholars, the child can only in the optional prayers because the him) led ibn Abbaas while he was prayer.2 I say: The opinion that is clos Imaamate of a child is valid in obliga due to the generality of the evidence these is what al-Bukhaaree reports fr the Prophet (peace be upon him) said 1 al-Mughnee ofibn Qudaamah (2/177-178). Z Refer toal-Badaa'; as-Sanaa' i (1/156), al-M Sagheer (1/427ft) ofad-Dardeer and al-Mughnee CongregationafPrayer II!.

";O.t' .t''' ",,,, ",,,, " ~ Lfi) pi :l.;..i ~ (...L; \J~ Lfi) -t'"" L ...: ",,,, 0)1 ~ 0\ Lfi ° ~i ". 0" • --:w 0CS"'" II 0, ~ J~" ~ ~ t../"Y ,,' J' ~ ° " .. ", 0..... r'" ~ t;::' J ~ 'Let one ofyou lead you who knows the mo people looked and they did not find anyo Qur'aan than I because I used to learn from group. So they put me forward (to lead them was a child of six or seven years."1 So the Companions appointing of while he was a small child lends proof to the who has reached the age of discernment le this were not permissible, a revelation revealed rejecting this action. Also, there is made between the regulations of optio prayers unless there occurs a text that n example of such a distinction is the permi optional prayers while riding a beast (w allowed for obligatory prayers). Allah know The Portion of the Prayer that Must B Considered Part of the Congr The scholars fall into two opinions c The First Opinion One is considered to have prayed one catches a rak'ah (with the congreg opinion of the Maalikee scholars, al-G Shaafi'ee scholars, a reported opinion from clear sense derived from the words of ib chosen opinion of Shaykh al-Islam ibn T 1 sahih al-Bukhaaree [Eng.

Trans. 5/413 no. 595]. CongregatwrwlPra Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhaab, an bin Sa' dee, may Allah have mercy upo The Proofs for the First Opinion Abu Hurayrah reported tha upon him) said, / /. / / D t // /. ~~\ .:}J~\ :w ~~\ ~ " "Whoever catches one rak'ah has cau Ibn Umar reported that the M be upon him) said, ~~\ ~~~f:ill ~~ ~f ~::;j\ ~ " " "Whoever catches a rak'ah of the Ju any other prayer, he has caught the pra The hadith clearly proves rak'ah of the Jumu'ah prayer or succeeded in catching the prayer. Con under the heading of any other pray attained by catching one rak'ah Taymiyyah gave two reasons for this, 1 Refer tOJawaahir al-Ikleel Sharh Mukhtasar 55), al-Insaaf (21222), Majmoo' Pataauaa Mukhtaaraat al-jaliyyah fee al-Masaa' it al-F and Kitaab Aadaab al-Mashee ilaa as-Salaah (p 2 sahih al-Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 1/322 no Trans. 1/298 no. 1260]. [It should be noted that the rak'ah if he performs the ruku' (bow) o one joins the congregation atany time after the to have caught that rak'ab. Abu Daawood rep Messenger ofAllah (peace be upon him) said, ' are in prostration, then make the prostration Whoever catches the ruku' catches the prayer." 3 Ibn Maajah (no.l l lu), an-Nasaa' ee (3/112), Haakim (1/291) who declared itsabeeb upon c adh-Dhahabee agreed.

COTlilT't;!JationafPra!fer First, the Legislator has made no r of the prayer dependent upon the len takbeer, neither with regards to ca prayer in its time or atta congregational prayer.! Hence it description in the eyes of the L indeed the Legislator has on regulations dependent upon wh attains a rak 'ah of the prayer or no anything which is less than one ra considered to be anything in the therefore a person is not consider caught anything (if he catches le rak 'ah, meaning anything past t Therefore, he has not prayed anythi be taken into consideration alo Imaam and hence all of his praye now prays after the tasleem of the to be considered an individual praye The Second Opinion One is considered to have prayed one says the opening takbeer before the salaam. This is the opinion of the Shaa scholars and the reported opinion that is fa and it is the chosen opinion of the majority o These scholars depended upon the from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace 1 [Meaning that if one were tosay theopening takbeer that prayer had expired, orsaid it just before the Imaam isnot considered to have caught the prayer in either ofth 2 Majmoo' Fataawaa (23/332-333). 3 Refer to:Haasbiyab ibnAabideen (2159), al-Majmoo (2/221). cvngregationa{Pr "When the iqaamah has been calle corne to it running, rather corne to it part of the prayer which you catch missed."1 Therefore, the one who catc or sitting in the last tashahhud can prayer and he makes up what he m says his opening takbeer before the considered to have caught the congre Ibn Qudaamah gave two whoever catches a portion of the p similar to his having caught a rak'a one catches a portion of the praye the opening takbeer, he must have follower and therefore it is desired t the congregation.2 The Strongest Opinion After considering the eviden the reasons given by each of their pro that the first opinion is the strongest is supported by an authentic hadee hand and therefore "the evidences take precedence over the evidences a correlation to the issue" as est theory) 1 sahih Muslim [Eng. Trans. 1/2%no. 12491. 2 al-Mughnee (2/177-178). s Refer to Athar al-Ikhtilaajfee al-Qawaa' FUlJuhaa' by Mustafaa Sa'eed al-Khann (pg. 14 Congrezptiona[Prayer The Place lor Perl Congregational Pra Virtue 01 Maintaining th and Walking to Them The congregational prayer is eith mosque or outside of a mosque. Maintaining the Mosques and Walkin Prayer The mosques are the houses of Al Magnificent.

In them, He is worshipped an mentioned. They are the signposts of gui the religion. Allah has ennobled them an mentioning them alongside His Name, sayin "" l:ll "" ell \~f ~\ to \}:u ~ ~ ~W "And indeed the mosques are for Allah, so any other alongside Allah" [al-Jinn (72):18 The mosques have been built for the performing the dhikr of Allah, the Migh reciting the Qur'aan, seeking to draw humbling oneself before Him hoping for Hi Indeed, maintaining the mosques is means of getting closer to Allah. Mainta through building them, cleaning them, providing lights for them and other such maintaining them is done through p (seclusion for the purpose of worship) in t them, frequently visiting them to b congregational prayer and to learn benefic to recite, learn and teach the Qur'aan Congrf!tJationafPrag encouraged one to maintain the mosqu reward that lies in store for the one wh Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim re 'Affaan that he heard the Messenger him) say, ....: ;" ~ Ii ;" QI '~4J ill! -:" illI ~ ~ " ~., ~" ), "Whoever builds a mosque desiring t Allah will build a house in Paradise fo he does so sincerely for Allah alon without showing off or seeking the fulfillment of some personal objective Just as their occurs encourage mosques, there also occurs encourag and preparing them for prayer. Imaa Abu Hurayrah that "A black woman, or a youth, used t Messenger of Allah (peace be upon h one occasion and asked about her '[She or] he has died.' The Prophe inform me?' It turned out that the pe or his, affair.

He said, 'Lead me to he 1 sahih al-Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 1/263 no Trans. 1/269 no. 1084]. the grave and he said the prayer over her a 'Indeed these graves are full of darkness fo indeed Allah, the Mighty and Magnific graves for their inhabitants due to my praye There are many explicit and authe mentioning the excellence of walking to t to pray, perform dhikr or recite the Noble one who visits the mosque is under the c Mercy for as long as he observes the mann heart is attentive to Allah, the Magnificent The texts also prove that the pr congregation is twenty-five or twenty-sev the prayer he prays individually at home or The texts also prove that for wh mosque in darkness, Allah completes and him on the Day of Judgement. The texts also prove that for wh forth from the mosque (for the prayers), A for him in Paradise for each of his journ excellence that none would miss out o negligent or one who is lazy and does good. So, my dear brother in Islam, h ahaadeeth that prove what I have state upon sure knowledge and guidance to att and that you may encourage your brother M great pillar in the mosques in congregat attain the reward of Allah in this life and th Abu Hurayrah reported that the upon him) said, 1 SaheehMuslim [Eng. Trans. 2/453 no. 2088]. 2 [Abu Hurayrah reported that theMessenger ofAllah "If anyone goes back andforth to themosque (toatte prepare for him a feast in Paradise asoften ashegoes by al-Bukhaaree andMuslim. - Trans.] CongregationalPraye "The prayer of a person in congregat better than the prayer of a person pray market.

This is because when one ofyo excellent manner and then goes to th the prayer, he will not walk a footste raised a rank and a sin will be expi mosque... "1 Abu Hurayrah also reported Allah (peace be upon him) said, '" .... ... '" '" a lSI ~~ JJI 4.J ' •• "lSl.,b;:Jl 4.J ~\ , ) ,,' C:.fl. J " ,,' ~ """ "" D... , '" '" o ~I I~ '·'1\' CI Ju~ ) .W • ),.,. ... ... " " ......

" .bt:")\ ~lj .bt:")1 ~ "Shall I not direct you to that by whi and raise the ranks?" They replied, " of Allah!" He said, "Performing the manner despite it being difficult, tak the mosques and waiting for the ne prayed the current prayer. That is mindfulness!"2 Allah said, 1 sahih al-Bukhaaree [Eng, Trans. 1/352 no. 6 Trans. 1/322 no. 1394]. 2 sahih Muslim [Eng. Trans. 1/157 no. 485].