Q: One person said: “as praying in congregation is a strong sunnah, and although its intentionally abandoning is makruh tahrimi , the ulama said its repeating is sunnah.” Does this mean if some does pray at home intentionally then it is sunnah for him to repeat the same salaah after he has prayed?
A: Salaah should be performed in the musjid. If one, without a valid reason, omits performing salaah in the musjid, he will be sinful and guilty of leaving out the emphasized Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).
عن عبد الله بن مسعود قال حافظوا على هؤلاء الصلوات الخمس حيث ينادى بهن فإنهن من سنن الهدى وإن الله شرع لنبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم سنن الهدى ولقد رأيتنا وما يتخلف عنها إلا منافق بين النفاق ولقد رأيتنا وإن الرجل ليهادى بين الرجلين حتى يقام فى الصف وما منكم من أحد إلا وله مسجد فى بيته ولو صليتم فى بيوتكم وتركتم مساجدكم تركتم سنة نبيكم صلى الله عليه وسلم ولو تركتم سنة نبيكم صلى الله عليه وسلم لكفرتم (سنن أبي داود رقم 550)
It is reported by Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (Radiyallahu Anhu) that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Guard your five daily salaah through performing it at a place where the azaan is called out viz. the musjid. Verily performing these salaah in the musjid are from the Sunan-e-Huda (i.e. the prescribed actions of Deen). Allah Ta’ala has prescribed for His Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) such practices which are guidance for you through and through. During the lifetime of Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) no one would omit the jamaat except an open munaafiq, to such an extent that a sick person would be taken to the musjid being supported on the shoulders of two men. Each one of you has a specified place in his home reserved for performing nafl salaah. However, if you begin performing your fardh salaah at home and leave attending the congregational prayer in the musjid then you will be discarding the emphasized Sunnah of Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and no sooner do you forsake his Sunnah, you will certainly go astray.”
However if one performs salaah at home, he will not have to repeat the salaah.
عن ابن عباس قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من سمع المنادى فلم يمنعه من اتباعه عذر قالوا وما العذر قال خوف أو مرض لم تقبل منه الصلاة التى صلى (سنن أبي داود رقم 551)
عن ابن أم مكتوم أنه سأل النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال يا رسول الله إنى رجل ضرير البصر شاسع الدار ولى قائد لا يلائمنى فهل لى رخصة أن أصلى فى بيتى قال هل تسمع النداء قال نعم قال لا أجد لك رخصة (سنن أبي داود رقم 552)
Answered by:
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & Approved:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)