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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

What is the ruling on praying behind a disliked Imam?

 

 
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is mildly disliked (Makruh Tanzihan) for a man—other than the permanent designated Imam (Imam Ratib)—to lead people in prayer if the majority of them dislike him due to a religiously blameworthy reason (Amr Madhmum Shar‘an), such as associating with open sinners (Fussaq), for example. As for the followers who dislike him, the prayer behind him is not disliked for them. However, if less than the majority dislike him, or if the majority dislike him for a reason that is not religiously blameworthy, then his leading the prayer is not disliked. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is the ruling on swearing a false oath by the Holy Quran?

Swearing a false oath by the Holy Quran dips the oath-taker in Hellfire, and one who had done so should turn to Allah in repentance, seek His forgiveness, give back rights to whom they belong, and pay the oath expiation.

In the Sharia-compliant viewing  at a prospective bride (*al-naẓrah al-sharʿiyyah*), is it permissible for the man to see the woman without a veil (*ḥijāb*)?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is sunnah for the suitor to see the woman he is seeking to marry within the limits the Sharīʿah permits, namely looking at the face and the hands (palms and backs), based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Look at her, for it is more likely to bring about harmony between you.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhī.
The suitor may also ask one of the women to look at the woman he is seeking to marry. In that case, she is permitted to see of her what she is normally permitted to see, which is not limited to the face and hands, and she then describes these matters to the suitor. It is narrated on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Umm Sulaym to look at a girl, and said: “Smell her breath, and look at her heels.” Narrated by Aḥmad in his Musnad.
It is stated in Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj (Vol.7/p.192): “For one who cannot easily look, or does not wish to look himself, it is sunnah to send someone who is permitted to look at her, to observe her and describe her to him, even regarding what he himself is not permitted to look at. He thereby gains through the sending what he would not gain through looking. Because of the added need for this, it is excepted from the prohibition of a woman describing another woman to a man.”
The permissibility of looking is conditional upon his resolve to marry her once he is able to, his predominant assumption that his proposal will be accepted, and his assumption that the woman is free of marriage and of a waiting period (ʿiddah). Otherwise, looking is forbidden.
Accordingly, it is not permissible for the suitor to look at anything other than the face and hands. He may ask one of his maḥram women, such as his mother or sister, to see the woman unveiled, and the Sharia-compliant viewing (of a prospective bride) must take place in the presence of one of the woman’s maḥrams. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on discharging one's zakāh obligation through the provision of a specific benefit (manfa‘ah) — such as performing a surgical operation for a patient, or providing housing to a tenant, and counting the value of this service as zakāh?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is obligatory to pay zakāh from the actual asset (‘ayn al-māl) upon which zakāh is due, except in the case of zakāh on trade goods ('urūḍ at-tijārah), which is paid based on their monetary value. In all cases, zakāh must be given in the form of tamlīk (a full transfer of ownership), based on the words of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic (which mean): "Zakāh expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy, and for those employed to collect [zakāh], and for bringing hearts together [for Islam], and for freeing captives [or slaves], and for those in debt, and for the cause of Allah, and for the [stranded] traveler — an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise" [at-Tawbah/60]. The letter "lām" (لِ) in this verse — as in "lil-fuqarā'" ("for the poor") — indicates possession/ownership (lām al-milk).
It is not permissible to fulfill one's zakāh obligation by providing a benefit or service (manfa‘ah) — such as housing, education, or medical treatment — in place of the zakāh itself. This is because zakāh must be paid as wealth (māl) that is transferred into the ownership of the poor recipient, whereas such services are intangible benefits that are not, in themselves, capable of being formally transferred in ownership (ghayr qābilah lit-tamlīk). And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

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