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The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' issued a statement stressing the importance of congregational Salah (Prayer) and the gravity of neglecting it. The Committee warned against belittlement of this rite within the hearts of the Muslims, since this contradicts the Qur'anic and Sunnah injunctions. In its statement, the Committee referred to the fact that some newspapers publish articles for writers who make light of congregational Salah in Masjids (mosques), depending on some scholarly opinions that it is just supererogatory. The statement stressed that it is Wajib (obligatory) on men to perform congregational Salah in Masjids.
The following is the text of the statement:
All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions. To proceed:
Indeed, performing congregational Salah in Masjids is one of the ways of guidance, and a prominent rite of Islam. Illustrating the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace be upon him) and the practice of the Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them) in this regard, `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
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ýWhoever would like to meet Allah tomorrow as a Muslim, let him regularly perform these Salahs when the call for them is made, for they are among the ways of guidance. Allah has prescribed for your Prophet the ways of guidance, and if you pray in your homes, as this who stays away prays in his home, then you will have abandoned the way of your Prophet. And if you abandon the way of your Prophet, you will go astray. There is no man who purifies himself and does it well, and then goes to one of these Masjids, but for every step he takes, Allah will record for him one good deed and will raise him thereby one degree in status, and will erase for him one bad deed. I saw us (at the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him) when no one stayed behind from these Salahs except a hypocrite who was known for his hypocrisy. A man would come supported by two others so that he could stand in the row. ý [Related by Ahmad, rest of the section on The Narrators of More than 1000 Hadiths, no. 3926; Muslim, Book on Al-Masajid Wa Mawadi` Al-Salah (Mosques and the Places of Worship), no. 654; Abu Dawud, Book on Al-Salah (Prayer), no. 550; and Ibn Majah, Book on Al-Masajid Wal-Jama`at (Mosques and Congregations), no. 777.] (Related by Muslim in his Sahih [Authentic Hadith Book])
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Thus, Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) illustrated that congregational Salah is a practice of the Messenger (peace be upon him) by which we must abide; that the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) followed this practice, as they regularly performed congregational Salah in Masjids and denounced those who abandoned it; and that it was the custom of the hypocrites, in their time, to neglect congregational Salah in Masjids. Therefore, a Muslim should beware of resembling such people in their neglect of congregational Salah in Masjids. This is based on the Hadiths transmitting the sayings and practices of the Messenger (peace be upon him) regarding congregational Salah.
Among these Hadiths are the following:
1) Imam Muslim related that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
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A blind man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, I do not have anyone to lead me to the Masjid,' and he asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to grant him a concession allowing him to pray in his house. He (peace be upon him) granted him that concession, then when the man turned to leave he (peace be upon him) called him back, and said, 'Do you hear the call to Salah?' He said, 'Yes.' He (peace be upon him) said, 'Then answer it.' ý [Related by Muslim, Book on Al-Masajid Wa Mawadi` Al-Salah (Mosques and the Places of Worship), no. 653; and Al-Nasa'y, Book on Al-Imamah (Leadership in Prayer), no. 850.]
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2) It was also related on the authority of Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
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Anyone who hears the call to Salah and does not come (to the Masjid), there is no Salah for him, except for the one who has (a valid) excuse. ý [Related by Abu Dawud, Book on Al-Salah (Prayer), no. 551; and Ibn Majah, Book on Al-Masajid Wal-Jama`at (Mosques and Congregations), no. 793.]
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Al-Hafizh ibn Hajar said in his book Bulugh Al-Maram: "It (the preceding Hadith) was related by Ibn Majah, Al-Daraqutny, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim. Its Isnad (chain of narrators) meets the conditions set by Muslim. Yet, some of them consider it more likely to be a Hadith Mawquf (words or deeds narrated from a Companion of the Prophet that are not attributed to the Prophet)."
3) It was related on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
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By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, I had thought of ordering wood be gathered, then I would command the call to Salah be made, and I would appoint a man to lead the people in Salah, then I would go to the men who do not attend the congregational Salah and burn their houses down on them. ý [Related by Ahmad, rest of the section on The Narrators of More than 1000 Hadiths, no. 8673; Al-Bukhari, Book on Al-Adhan (Call to Start the Prayer), no. 644, and the wording is for him; Muslim, Book on Al-Salah (Prayer), no. 651; Abu Dawud, Book on Al-Salah (Prayer), no. 548; Al-Tirmidhy, Book on Al-Salah (Prayer), no. 217; Al-Nasa'y, Book on Al-Iqamah (Call to Start the Prayer), no. 848; Ibn Majah, Book on Al-Masajid (Mosques), no. 791; Malik, chapter on Call to Prayer, no. 292; and Al-Darimy, Book on Al-Salah (Prayer), no. 1212.] (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim; the wording is quoted from Al-Bukhari)
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4) It was also related on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
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ýThe most burdensome Salahs for the hypocrites are `Isha' (Night) and Fajr (Dawn) Salahs. If they knew what (reward) is in them, they would come to them even if they had to crawl. ý [Related by Ahmad, rest of the section on The Narrators of More than 1000 Hadiths, no. 9750; Al-Bukhari, Book on Al-Adhan (Call to Prayer), no. 657; and Muslim, Book Al-Masajid Wa Mawadi` Al-Salah (Mosques and the Places of Worship), no.651.] (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
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These Hadiths prove that it is Wajib to go to Masjids upon hearing Adhan (call to Prayer) to perform Salah in congregation.
Shaykh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyah stated: "Not attending (Salah in) Masjids is only allowed for a person who has an excuse, as is proven by the Sunnah and Athar (narrations from the Companions). Performing Salah in Masjids is one of the greatest rites and manifestations of Islam, while neglecting it, either completely or neglecting performance of it in Masjids, erases the effects of Salah (obedience, faith, piety, etc.), in the sense that it will ultimately lead to abandoning it. If it had been Wajib to perform congregational Salah without attending the Masjid, it would not have been permitted to combine Salahs due to rain and the like, where the (requisite) condition of performing Salah at prescribed due time would be disregarded in this case for the sake of a supererogatory act (praying in congregation in the Masjid). Anyone who contemplates the purified Shari`ah (Islamic law), will know that attending the Masjids to perform congregational Salah is an individual obligation, from which one is exempted only for an excuse."
In these days, some newspapers publish articles for writers who underestimate performance of congregational Salah in Masjids, where they depend on some scholarly opinions that it is supererogatory. Consequently, they denounce commanding people to abide by it and closing their shops during its time. There is no doubt that it is incumbent on us to follow the evidence given in the Qur'an and the Sunnah, which here indicates that it is Wajib to perform congregational Salah in Masjids. The Qur'an and the Sunnah are the proof against anyone who holds an opinion to the contrary in this or any other matter.
Accordingly, the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' opines that belittling this rite contradicts the injunctions introduced in the Qur'an and Sunnah. It is feared that the one who holds such claims be among those meant by the Saying of Allah (Exalted be He):
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It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed in a plain error. [Surah Al-Ahzab, 36] And: Let those who oppose the Messenger's (Muhammad, peace be upon him) commandment (i.e. his Sunnah legal ways, orders, acts of worship, statements, etc.) (among the sects) beware, lest some Fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions, earthquakes, killing, overpowered by a tyrant, etc.) befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them. [Surah Al-Nur, 63]
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Imam Ahmad (may Allah be merciful to him) said: "I am amazed at people who, after knowing the authenticity of a statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him), take instead the opinion of Sufyan Al-Thawry." Then Imam Ahmad recited the Saying of Allah (Exalted be He):
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Let those who oppose the Messenger's (Muhammad, peace be upon him) commandment (i.e. his Sunnah legal ways, orders, acts of worship, statements, etc.) (among the sects) bewareý [Surah Al-Nur, 63]
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Closing commercial stores for the purpose of performing Salah is done to perform congregational Salah. Allah (Exalted be He) says:
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O you who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And whosoever does that, then they are the losers. [Surah Al-Munafiqun, 9]
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Regarding Masjids, Allah (Exalted be He) says:
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In houses (mosques), which Allah has ordered to be raised (to be cleaned, and to be honored), in them His Name is glorified in the mornings and in the afternoons or the eveningsmen whom neither trade nor sale diverts them from the Remembrance of Allah (with heart and tongue), nor from performing AsýSalat (Iqamat-as-Salat), nor from giving the Zakat. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned (from the horror of the torment of the Day of Resurrection). [Surah Al-Nur, 36, 37]
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Ibn Kathir said in his Tafsir (exegesis of the meanings of the Qur'an): "Matar Al-Warraq said: They (the Sahabah) used to sell and buy, but once one of them heard the Adhan while weighing an article, he would put it down and come to Salah."
`Aly ibn Abu Talhah reported that the Saying of Allah (Exalted be He):
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Men whom neither trade nor sale diverts them from the Remembrance of Allah... [Surah Al-Nur, 36]
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was interpreted by Ibn `Abbas to mean: The Five Prescribed Salahs. The same exegesis was adopted by Al-Rabi` ibn Anas and Muqatil ibn Hayyan. Al-Suddy said: "This refers to performing congregational Salah."
With regard to men who are assigned the task of commanding lazy or unwilling people to go to the Masjids to perform congregational Salah, this follows the example of the Salaf (righteous predecessors); being an essential means to fulfill this obligation. It was part of the guidance of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to alert the people he met in his way to perform congregational Salah When he (peace be upon him) passed by a sleeping man (in his way to perform Fajr Prayer), he would call him for Salah or nudge him with his foot.(Related by Abu Dawud, who introduced it as a proof without commenting on it; which indicated his approval). Both `Umar and `Aly (may Allah be pleased with them both) would wake people to perform Fajr Prayer, as is authentically recorded in their biographies; the practice that is followed in these countries.
Shaykh `Abdul-Rahman ibn Hasan (may Allah be merciful to him) stated, as is recorded in "Al-Durar Al-Sunniyyah" (4/418): "It is obligatory on the ruler to make it the duty of some (employees) to observe people in the Masjids to know those who take lightly the duty of Salah and neglect congregational Salah in Masjids. The rulers should also appoint deputies in all countries who undertake gathering the people to perform congregational Salah, since this is one of the matters enacted and enjoined by Allah (Exalted be He) and His Messenger (peace be upon him), as is indicated in the Qur'an and Sunnah."
There are many Hadiths that deter and warn those who hear Adhan but neglect congregational Salah in Masjids. It is well-known that congregational Salah can only be performed through gathering for it and that taking this matter lightly leads to the neglect of it, which incurs punishment in both worldly life and the Hereafter. Allah (Exalted be He) says:
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Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up As-Salat (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salah (prayers) to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their proper fixed times, etc.] and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell. [Surah Maryam, 59]
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On the other hand, performing congregational Salah in Masjids entails great benefits, which include the following:
- Performance of a great rite of Islam.
- Clearance from hypocrisy; Allah (Exalted be He) says:
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The Masjids of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day; perform As-Salah (Iqamat-as-Salah), and give Zakah... [Surah Al-Tawbah, 18]
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i.e. maintained through frequenting them and praying in them.
- Protection from Satan as he stays away from those who pray in congregation. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
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ýThere are no three men in a village among whom Salah is not offered (in congregation), but Satan takes control of them, so you must adhere to congregational Salah, for the wolf only eats the straying sheep. ý [Related by Ahmad, section on the Companions, no. 21203; Al-Nasa'y, Book on Al-Imamah (Leadership in Prayer), no. 847; and Abu Dawud, Book on Al-Salah (Prayer), no. 547.] (Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Al-Nasa'y; Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Hibban in their Sahih, and by Al-Hakim) Razin reported it in his Jami` (Hadith Compilation) with the addition: ýSatan is a wolf to man. If he finds him alone, he will eat him.
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- Friendship, unity and cooperation are developed among Muslims through congregational Salahs. It also entails other great benefits, which is why Allah (Exalted be He) prescribed building Masjids and preparing them for the worshippers to gather there.
May Allah grant us all success to gain beneficial knowledge and do righteous deeds. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.
Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta'
http://alifta.org/BayanNew.aspx?NewsID=2
Faizal ibn Muhammad Al Ussen
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SalafiMoz
24-06-2010 @ 4:30 PM
