Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Is it allowed according to the Hanafi madhab to do Jamat with only two people? Imam Abu Hanifa was of the opinion that jamat can only be with three according to Mukhtasar al Khudri. However, before I came across this I was told that you can do Jamat with 2 people. Is this correct?
In the Name of Allah, Most Compassionate and Merciful,
Assalamu alaikum,
The minimum congregation for prayer is two. The opinion of that the minimum congregation is three persons applies to the Friday prayer only, and not the general congregation, as is clear from the text of Mukhtasar al-Quduri itself.
It says:
“And if there are two, the imam will stand in front of them.” [Mukhtasar al-Quduri ma`a al-Jawhara al-Nayyira]
This is confirmed by the other works of the school, includingMultaqa al-Abhur and Tanwir al-Absar, the two most definitive basic texts (mutun) of the school, and the main reference works, including al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya and Ibn Abidin’s Radd al-Muhtar.
This is based on clear hadiths of the Chosen One (peace and blessings be upon him, his family, companions, and followers):
It is reported on the authority of Abu Sa`id (Allah be pleased with him that, “A man entered the mosque and the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) had already prayed with his companions. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) asked, ‘Who will give charity to him and pray with him?’ A man stood up from the people and prayed with him.” [Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, & Ahmad]
And success is from Allah alone.
– Ilyas Patel & Faraz Rabbani.