Salaamun ‘alaykum,
Whats official position of Hanafi madhab in regards to praying in mosque, is it mandatory for the person who lives nearby or is it a recommended sunnah? Is someone sinful for not going to mosque but praying in congregation at home with family? Also whats Hanafi madhab position in regards to congregation in general, is it obligatory or a recommended sunnah? If someone prays at home but doesn’t include his family, hes sinning?
So, I am confused on this topic, I live in USA, so pretty much non of the mosques make the adan loud enough that even if you live a few minutes away from the mosque you can’t hear adan. I think they do this because they don’t want eyes because you don’t know who might come in the mosque with evil motives. I understand praying in mosque is obligatory if you can hear the adan and live nearby
What about if I can’t hear the adan eventhough I live like 7 minutes away from my nearby mosque? Every day I have to use my phone to estimate when the salah starts in my mosque because I can’t hear adan.
If someone can give me a fatwa in related to someone living close to mosque in America or non-muslim countries where adan is not called out loud, is it still obligation because you assume that if they called the adan you could probably hear it or is the hadith in regards to praying in mosque being obligation is only in regards to whether you can hear adan or not regardless of distance?!
Basically, is praying in mosque obligatory based on distance or is it based on hearing adan regardless of distance? From my understanding is that the adan it self makes the prayer obligatory, not only limited to the mosque, so if I am walking in a public park and hear adan being called I have to join, if my family calls the adan at home I have to join, correct?
Jazak Allah!
Answer
Wa’alaykum as Salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,
There are 3 separate matters:
- The response to the Athān.
- Ṣalāh performed in congregation.
- Ṣalāh performed in congregation in the Masjid.
The rulings pertaining to these 3 matters are mentioned below:
- When a person hears the Athān, there are two ways of responding to it:
1.1. Verbally – i.e., responding to the phrases of the Athān.
1.2. By action – i.e., putting aside all other duties, preparing oneself, and making one’s way for the performance of Ṣalāḥ.
Both of the above are Wājib (obligatory).
Notwithstanding the above rulings, it should also be noted that it is not only when a person is able to hear the Adhān that it becomes necessary for him to go to the Masjid. (Refer to no. 3 below)
- Ṣalāh performed in congregation is Sunnah Muakkadah (an emphasized Sunnah). This is irrespective of whether one performs Ṣalāḥ in congregation in the Masjid or at home.
Though it is an ‘emphasized Sunnah’, the Jurists have stated that its ruling is almost close to that of Wujūb (being obligatory).
- Ṣalāḥ in congregation in the Masjid is a separate Sunnah on its own. It is also Sunnah Muakkadah (an emphasized Sunnah).
Furthermore, a person who abandons congregational Ṣalāh and (specifically) in the Masjid, without a valid excuse, will be sinful. Similarly, a person who is persistent in abandoning this practice will be even more sinful.
A valid excuse to abandon the practice of congregational Ṣalāh would be any of the following, amongst others:
- Extreme rainfall
- Extreme coldness
- Fearing an oppressor
- General (legitimate) fear
- Sickness
The above-mentioned excuses would only apply in the event that they do not allow one to perform Ṣalāh in congregation.
To conclude, please read and contemplate on the following prophetic traditions which highlight the great reward for praying in congregation:
“Ṣalāh with Jamaat is 27 times superior to Ṣalāh performed individually” [Bukhārī and Muslim]
“Ṣalāh with Jamaat is 27 times superior to Ṣalāh which is performed in a house or a shop. It is so because when a person performs Wuḍū in right earnest and walks on to the Masjid, with the sole intention of performing Ṣalāḥ, then each step he takes adds one blessing to his account and wipes out one sin therefrom. Again, if he keeps sitting in the Masjid with Wuḍū, after the Ṣalāḥ is over, the angels continue seeking Allāh’s forgiveness for him. As long as he keeps sitting in the Masjid whilst waiting for Ṣalāh, he goes on earning rewards as if he is engaged in Ṣalāḥ” [Bukhārī]
“A person who performs Wuḍū properly and then goes to the Masjid but finds that the Ṣalāḥ with Jamaat is over, he will receive the rewards equal to that of having performed Ṣalāḥ with Jamaat. This would not be anything less in reward than those who actually performed their Ṣalāh with Jamaat. [Al-Nasaī]
“Give glad tidings to those who go to the Masjid frequently during the hours of darkness, for they will have perfect light on the Day of Judgment. [Abū Dawūd and Tirmidhī]
And Allaah Ta’aala knows best
Wassalaam,
Ismail Moosa (Mufti)
References
يجب على السامعين عند الأذان الإجابة (الفتاوى الهندية 1/57 رشيدية)
و الواجب الإجابة بالقدم (تنوير الأبصار مع حاشية ابن عابدين 2/80 رشيدية)
قال الرافعي: لكن في القهستاني الجماعة سنة مؤكدة قريبة من الواجب ، فلو أن أهل مصر تركوها قوتلوا ، و إذا ترك واحد ضرب و حبس كما في الخلاصة ، فلا تكون واجبة لقوله عليه السلام: الجماعة من سنن الهدى ، فتكون سنة مؤكدة ، كما في الكرماني (رد المحتار 2/340 رشيدية)
قال في النهر: إلا أن هذا يقتضي الاتفاق على أن تركها مرة بلا عذر يوجب إثماً مع أنه قول العراقيين. و الخرسانيون على أنه يأثم إذا اعتاد الترك كما في القنية (رد المحتار 2/341 رشيدية)
«من سره أن يلقى الله غدا مسلما فليحافظ على هؤلاء الصلوات حيث ينادى بهن، فإن الله شرع لنبيكم سنن الهدى، وإنهن من سنن الهدى، ولو أنكم صليتم في بيوتكم كما يصلي هذا المتخلف في بيته لتركتم سنة نبيكم، ولو تركتم سنة نبيكم لضللتم، ولقد رأيتنا وما تخلف عنها إلا منافق معلوم النفاق، ولقد كان الرجل يؤتى به يهادى بين الرجلين حتى يقام في الصف» فدل هذا الأثر أن الجماعة سنة مؤكدة؛ لأن إلحاق الوعيد إنما يكون بترك الواجب أو بترك السنة، ودل على أن الجماعة ليست بواجبة؛ لقوله: وإن في سنن الهدى الصلاة في المسجد الذي يؤذن فيه، فتكون سنة مؤكدة (البناية 2/325)
عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: صَلَاةُ الْجَمَاعَةِ تَفْضُلُ صَلَاة الْفَذ بِسبع وَعشْرين دَرَجَة (مُتَّفق عَلَيْهِ)
عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : “صلاة الرجل في جماعة تُضعَّف على صلاته في بيته وفي سوقه خمسًا وعشرين ضعفًا، وذلك أنه إذا توضأ فأحسن الوضوء، ثم خرج إلى المسجد، لا يخرجه إلا الصلاة، لم يخطُ خطوة إلا رفعت له بها درجة، وحطت عنه بها خطيئة، فإذا صلى لم تزل الملائكة تصلي عليه ما دام في مصلاه، ما لم يحدث، تقول اللهم صلِّ عليه، اللهم ارحمه. ولا يزال في صلاة ما انتظر الصلاة” (متفق عليه. وهذا لفظ البخاري)
أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ طَحْلاَءَ، عَنْ مُحْصِنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْفِهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ مَنْ تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ عَامِدًا إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ فَوَجَدَ النَّاسَ قَدْ صَلَّوْا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ مِثْلَ أَجْرِ مَنْ حَضَرَهَا وَلاَ يَنْقُصُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْئًا (سنن النسائي)
عن بريدة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم : “بشروا المشائين في الظلم إلى المساجد بالنور التام يوم القيامة” ((رواه أبو داود والترمذي))