If somebody arrives at the masjid while the jamat for fajr prayer is going on, what should he do? Suppose he gets enough time to pray the sunnat prayer and can catch the jamat, what should he do? As far as I know, in this case, he should perform the sunnat prayer then join the jamat. But somebody told me that we should not pray any other prayer while the fardh salat is going on. Please clarify this with some reference. And if somebody missed the sunnat prayer of fajr salah, is he required to pray the sunnat prayer after the jamat? What is the best time to pray that missed sunnat prayer. Jazakallah khair for your effort.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
1) If such a person expects to catch even the tashahhud (i.e. the last sitting) with the imam after performing the sunnat of Fajr, he should offer his sunnat then join the imam. If he does not expect to catch even the tashahhud with the imam after performing the sunnat of Fajr, he should leave the sunnat and join the imam. (Ahsanul Fatawa: 3/460; Raddul Muhtaar: 2/616, Darul Ma’rifa)
When offering the sunnat of Fajr while the jama’ah (congregation) is going on, one should offer the sunnat prayer outside the masjid if possible. Otherwise, he should offer it inside the masjid but behind a pillar or a wall. When the jama’ah is going on, it is makrooh tahreemi (prohibited) to offer the sunnat prayer behind the saffs (rows) of the jama’ah without a barrier in between.
2) If someone missed both the sunnat and fardh of fajr, if he does qada on the same day before zawaal (time of Zuhr), he should do qada of both the sunnat and fardh; otherwise he should do qada of only the fardh.
If someone only missed the sunnat of fajr — not the fardh — it is not permissible to offer the sunnat after the fardh and before sunrise. If he wants to offer the missed sunnat, he may do so after sunrise and before zawal (time of Zuhr) on the same day. Doing this (i.e. offering the missed sunnat) is better, not compulsory. (Ahsanul Fatawa: 3/477)
When offering the sunnat of Fajr while the jama’ah (congregation) is going on, one should offer the sunnat prayer outside the masjid if possible. Otherwise, he should offer it inside the masjid but behind a pillar or a wall. When the jama’ah is going on, it is makrooh tahreemi (prohibited) to offer the sunnat prayer behind the saffs (rows) of the jama’ah without a barrier in between.
2) If someone missed both the sunnat and fardh of fajr, if he does qada on the same day before zawaal (time of Zuhr), he should do qada of both the sunnat and fardh; otherwise he should do qada of only the fardh.
If someone only missed the sunnat of fajr — not the fardh — it is not permissible to offer the sunnat after the fardh and before sunrise. If he wants to offer the missed sunnat, he may do so after sunrise and before zawal (time of Zuhr) on the same day. Doing this (i.e. offering the missed sunnat) is better, not compulsory. (Ahsanul Fatawa: 3/477)
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Faizal Riza
24/11/2011