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 Zakah (obligatory charity) due on leased property, and how is it calculated?

Zakah isn`t due on the leased property itself, but on the saved income from that property if it reached Nissab (minimum amount liable for Zakah), and a whole lunar year had lapsed over saving it.

Is washing the private part after urinating (Istinjaa`) a condition, and is it done with water and soap, or with water only?

Istinjaa` is obligatory for removing impurity, and it can be done with toilet paper, or a stone, or water. It is preferable to do Istinjaa` first with paper, or stone, or the like, then to wash the private part with water until making sure that the impurity has been removed. Using soap is not a condition, but there is no harm in doing so provided that it is washed off with water. It is also permissible to use either water, or paper if impurity is removed by any.

Is it permissible for household members to pool money for the Udhiyah and gift it to one of them?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is permissible for members of a household to pool their money together and gift the total amount to one individual among them so that he may offer the sacrifice (Udhiyah). In this case, the family members receive the reward for giving charity (Sadaqah), and the one performing the sacrifice includes them in the spiritual reward (Thawab).
 
Furthermore, slaughtering a single sheep (on one's own) is considered religously better than participating as one of seven people in the sacrifice of a cow or a camel. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on leaving the Sunnah prayer of Dhuhr due to fatigue?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
According to the general rule, a Muslim should strive to maintain the Sunnah prayers before and after the obligatory prayers (al-sunan al-qabliyyah wa al-ba'diyyah). One is permitted to pray them sitting from the outset, but if one leaves them due to severe fatigue, there is no objection to doing so. It is recommended (mustahabb) to make up (qadā') a time-bound supererogatory prayer (nafl mu'aqqat) at any time if it was missed.
Al-Shirbīnī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "If a time-bound supererogatory prayer is missed, it is recommended to make it up according to the more authoritative view (al-azhar), based on the hadith recorded in the two Ṣaḥīḥs: 'Whoever sleeps through a prayer or forgets it should pray it when he remembers it.' This is also supported by the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made up the two rak'ahs of Fajr when he and his companions overslept in the valley and missed the dawn prayer until the sun had risen [narrated by Abū Dāwūd with an authentic chain]." And Allah, the Most High, knows best.