2) When I enter the masjid, if the second jama’ah has already started, can i join it or should I pray seperately?
3) If the brothers (mostly Omanis) insist that I lead the second jama’ah as an imam, what should I do?
Answer:
1) In regards to performing second jama’ah, there are several cases and their rulings are different.
Cases in which performing a second jama’ah is permissible.
In the following four cases, it is not only permissible to perform the second jama’ah, but, in fact, better to do so:
- When the masjid is a masjid tareeq (lit. masjid of the way). In other words, the masjid is used by the travellers and it does not have an appointed imam and a known group of people who regularly perform their salaat therein.
- When the masjid does not have an appointed Imam and Mua’zzin.
- When in the masjid of a locality (‘Masjid of a locality’ means a masjid that has an appointed imam and a known group of people who perform their salat there), people other than the local people performed the first jama’ah.
- When in the masjid of a locality, the local people performed the first jama’ah without giving the azaan or without proclaiming the azaan.
Cases in which performing a second jama’ah is not permissible (makrooh tahreemi)
- When in the masjid of a locality, the local people performed the first jama’ah with azaan and the second jama’ah is also performed with azaan.
- When in the masjid of a locality, the local people performed the first jama’ah with azaan and the second jama’ah is performed without azaan but the imam (of the second jama’ah) stands in the centre of the row (saff) of the masjid or the courtyard of the masjid, whether in the first row, the last row or anywhere in between. In other words, standing in the centre of the row means to stand in line with the mihrab (as the mihrab is in the centre of the masjid).
Note that in case above, the same ruling applies whether the second jama’ah is performed inside the masjid or in the courtyard of the masjid. In other words, if the imam of the second jama’ah stands in the centre of the row (i.e. in line with the mihrab) whether inside the masjid or in the courtyard of the masjid, the ruling is that performing the second jama’ah will be makrooh tahreemi (not permissible).
Case about which there is difference of opinion
There is difference of opinon about performing second jama’ah in the following case:
- When in the masjid of a locality, the local people performed the first jama’ah with azaan and the second jama’ah is performed without azaan and the imam does NOT stand in the centre of the row of the masjid or the courtyard of the masjid i.e. the imam does not stand in line with the mihrab. In other words, the imam of the second jama’ah stands either towards the right side or the left side in the masjid or the courtyard of the masjid.
There is difference of opinion in regards to the above case. According to the weightier view, it is makrooh tanzeehi to perform the second jama’ah in the above case. The other view is that it is permissible (as opposed to sunnah, mustahab, recommended etc.). However, one thing is agreed upon according to both the views: that one does NOT get rewards for performing the second jama’ah. Once Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) went out to reconcile between some people. When he returned to the masjid, the people of the masjid had already offered the salaat. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) went to his house and gathered his family and offered his salaat with them. If there had been any reward in performing second jama’ah in the masjid, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) would not have left it — especially in his masjid where the reward is multiplied. Also, the ulama have enumerated many negative outcomes of allowing second jama’ah to be performed. Therefore, one should desist from performing second jama’ah in the abovementioned case.
(Ahsanul Fataawa vol. 3 pg. 322-328 Saeed)
(Imdaadul Fataawa vol. 1 pg. 295-302 Maktaba Darul Ulum Karachi – Jadeed taba’)
(Kifaayatul Mufti vol. 3 pg. 148 Ishaa’at)
ه
2, 3) If you missed the original jama’ah, then in the first four cases (i.e. in the cases when performing second jama’ah is permissible) mentioned above, do join the second jama’ah. You may become the imam. In the fifth, sixth and seventh cases (i.e. in the last three cases), do not join the second jama’ah. Instead, you may do one of the following:
- you may try to catch the jama’ah in another masjid if you can
- you may offer your salaat individually in the same masjid
- you may gather your family and offer your salaat in jama’ah with them
ه
Mufti Faizal Riza