Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(135): “Conditions for Combining two Prayers because of the Rain”

Date Added : 27-10-2015

  

Resolution No. (135), (15/2009): “Conditions for Combining two Prayers because of the Rain”

                         Date: 30/12/1430 AH, corresponding to 17/12/2009 AD.

 

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

During its fifth session held on the above date, the Board reviewed the question pertaining to combining two prayers because of the rain.

After thorough studying and deliberating, the Board decided what follows:

Performing Zuhr and Asir prayers together, and Maghrib and Isha prayers together in advance because of the rain is a concession in our Islamic Sharia. This is indicated by the Hadith of Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) who said: “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) observed the noon and afternoon prayers together, and the sunset and Isha' prayers together without being in a state of fear or in a state of journey.” {Muslim}.

Combining two prayers because of the rain has been verified on the authority of Ibn Abbas and Ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with all of them), and this opinion is agreed upon by the majority of the scholars of the people of Sunnah: The Malikites, The Shafites and The Hanbalites.

In their books, these scholars have mentioned the conditions for combining two prayers, and they boil down to four:

1- Making the intention to combine the two prayers during the first prayer, and at the beginning of the second one. If the person forgot to do so, then he is allowed to make the intention at the beginning of the second prayer.

2- Rain fell at the beginning of the two prayers.

3- The rain wets the praying person`s clothes i.e. he faces hardship in going to the mosque because of it.

4- The two prayers are combined in congregation at the mosque.

Moreover, it is permissible to combine the Maghrib and Isha prayers because of darkness and mud, and because of snow, frost and violent cold wind.

However, if the aforementioned conditions or one of them was missing, then combining two prayers isn`t permissible, because when the reason behind the concession is missing or there is doubt about it, it is obligatory that each prayer is offered at its due time. Allah, The Almighty Says (what means): “When ye pass (Congregational) prayers, celebrate God’s praises, standing, sitting down, or lying down on your sides; but when ye are free from danger, set up Regular Prayers: For such prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times.” {An-Nisaa`/103}.

In addition, the Imam of the mosque is the one who enjoys the authority to rule that the conditions for combining the two prayers were met or not, and none of the prayer performers may make any objection. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "The Imam is to be followed.” {Agreed upon}. However, in case one of the prayer performers has an objection, then he should discuss it with the Imam in a polite and brotherly manner.

We hope that Imams of mosques seek the pleasure of Allah, not which of the prayer performers' desires as far as combining or not combining prayers is concerned. This is because they will be called to account for that on the Day of Judgment. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “The Imam is responsible.” {Abu Dawood and At-Tirmizi}. They should combine prayers once all the aforementioned conditions are met, if not, then each prayer should be performed on its specific time to be on the safe side. And Allah Knows Best.

 

                                      Chairperson of the Iftaa` Board, Grand Mufti of Jordan/Dr. Nooh al-Qhodat

                                               Vice Chairman of the Iftaa` Board/Dr. Ahmad Hilayel

                                                               Sheikh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh/ Member

                                                               Sheikh Sa`eid Hijjawi/ Member

                                                               Dr. Mohammad Khair al-Eesa/ Member

                                                               Judge Sari al-Ass`ad/ Member

                                                               Dr. Abdurahamn Ibbdah/ Member

                                                               Dr. Mohammad Okla/ Member

                                                               Dr. Abdunnasir Abulbasal/ Member

                                                               Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalayleh/Executive Secretary of the Board


 

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Summarized Fatawaa

Is the father a Mahram (Non-marriageable) to his son`s mother-in-law?

The father is a non-Mahram (Marriageable) to his son`s mother-in-law, so it is impermissible for them to look at each other, or to have a seclusion (Khalwah).

Is it permissible to make ablution without answering the call of nature after waking up?

Washing front and back openings (Istinjaa`) is not a condition for the validity of ablution because it is done to remove Najaasah (impurity), thus if there is no Najaasah, there is no need for that, and then it is permissible to make ablution without answering the call of nature. However, prayer is invalidated if there is Najaasah on the anus ,or the front opening, so it (Najaasah) must be removed for the prayer to become valid, and not the ablution.

What are the categories of the livestock permissible for Udhiyah?

In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
An Udhiyah (sacrificial offering) is only valid if it is selected from Al-An'am (livestock), which includes: camels, cattle, and sheep or goats—whether male or female, and even if castrated. Allah Almighty says {what means}: "And for all religion We have appointed a rite [of sacrifice] that they may mention the name of Allah over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] livestock." (Al-Hajj/ 34)
 
In terms of preference, camels are considered the best choice, followed by cattle, then sheep, and finally goats.
A single sheep or goat is valid as a sacrifice on behalf of one person. However, a single camel or cow can be shared by up to seven people. This is based on the narration of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: "In the year of Al-Hudaybiyah, we sacrificed along with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) a camel on behalf of seven people, and a cow on behalf of seven people." (Narrated by Muslim)
 
(Note: The term "Badanah" used in the original Arabic text specifically refers to a camel in this context). And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law regarding one who purchases a sacrificial animal (uḍḥiyah) and it then develops a defect before slaughter?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
If a defect that invalidates the sacrifice (uḍḥiyah) arises after its purchase — for example, if one purchased a sound, defect-free animal, and it then developed a limp, blindness in one eye, or a similar defect before slaughter — it does not fulfill the requirement of a valid uḍḥiyah, according to the Shāfi'ī school.
It is stated in Asnā al-Maṭālib fī Sharḥ Rawḍ al-Ṭālib (Vol.1/P.535): "Even if the limp develops [in the animal] while the knife is upon it, it still does not fulfill the requirement, because it is lame at the moment of slaughter — this is analogous to a case where a sheep's leg breaks and one hastens to slaughter it [in that condition]."
The Ḥanbalī school, however, held that if the one offering the sacrifice purchased the animal while it was sound and defect-free, and a defect then befell it afterward, the sacrifice remains valid and there is no obligation to replace it.
It is stated in Masā'il al-Imām Aḥmad, one of the Ḥanbalī reference works (Vol.8/P.4021): "I said: If a person purchases the sacrificial animal while it is sound, and it is then afflicted with illness, blindness in one eye, or a broken limb [before slaughter]? He [Imam Aḥmad] said: It is said that it still fulfills the requirement. Isḥāq said likewise, because he purchased it while sound, and the defect befell it only afterward, so it remains sufficient on his behalf." [End of quote]
Accordingly, a sheep afflicted with a defect that invalidates the sacrifice does not fulfill the requirement of a valid uḍḥiyah — whether the defect arose after purchase or during the slaughter itself — according to the Shāfi'ī school. However, there is no objection to following the Ḥanbalī position on this matter [as a valid alternative]. And Allah, the Most High, knows best.