Question:
In our place, it is a common practice that the people join the prayer in congregation along with a person who is already praying individually. Is there a proof in the Sunnah for this and what should the person do?
Answer :
Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih Al Uthaymeen rahimahumallah answered a similar question which can be found in Nur ‘ala Ad-Darb 12/164 5th Question Tape 86 :
Question :
في كثير من الأحيان أكون في أي صلاة من أي فرض من الفروض وأصلي منفردا، ويأتي بجانبي مصل آخر وينوي الصلاة جماعة، وإذا أتى مصل آخر أتقدم للأمام خطوة ويتابعونني في صلاتي، في حين أنني نويت في الأول أن أصلي هذا الفرض منفردا، فما حكم صلاتي أنا؟ وما حكم صلاة المأمومين الذين ائتموا بي؟ أفيدوني بارك الله فيكم
Many a times I be in prayer from the obligatory prayers and i pray individually and another person comes by my side and makes the intention of congregational prayer and if a third person comes I step forward as the imam and they follow my prayer while I had begun the prayer with the intention of praying this obligatory prayer individually, so what is the ruling on my prayer and the ruling on the prayer of those who followed me? Benefit me, May Allah bless you.
Answer:
الواجب على المؤمن أن يسارع حتى يحضر الجماعة، وحتى يشارك في الجماعة في بيوت الله عز وجل، ولا يجوز له التأخير من غير عذر شرعي، بل تجب المبادرة حتى يشارك مع إخوانه المسلمين، ويحضر الجماعة مع إمام المسجد؛ لقول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم:
«من سمع النداء فلم يأته فلا صلاة له إلا من عذر» وقوله صلى الله عليه وسلم لما سأله رجل أعمى، قال: «يا رسول الله، إنه ليس لي قائد يلائمني للمسجد، فهل لي من رخصة أن أصلي في بيتي؟ فقال له عليه الصلاة والسلام: ” هل تسمع النداء للصلاة؟ “، قال: نعم، قال: ” فأجب»خرجه مسلم في صحيحه؛
It is obligatory upon the believer that he hastens until he meets the congregation and until he joins the congregational prayer in the houses of Allah غز و جل and delaying it is not permissible for him without any legislative excuse. Rather, it is obligatory upon him to hasten until he joins the prayer along with his muslim brothers and along with the imam of the mosque due to the saying of the Prophet ﷺ : “Whoever hears the call to prayer and does not come, his prayer is invalid except for the one having an excuse.” (Ibn Majah 793) and his ﷺ saying when a blind man asked him : “Oh Messenger of Allah ﷺ I have no one to lead me to the masjid, is there a concession for me that I pray in my home?”
So he ﷺ said to him : “Do you hear the call to prayer? ” He said,”Yes”. He said : “Then answer the call (attend the congregation)”. Recorded by Muslim (653)
ولأن الجماعة فضلها عظيم فلا ينبغي لمسلم أن يحرم نفسه هذا الخير العظيم؛ لقول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: «صلاة الجماعة تفضل صلاة الفذ بسبع وعشرين درجة» متفق على صحته، لكن لو قدر أن الإنسان تأخر وفاتته الجماعة وصلى وحده، فجاء بعض الناس فصلى عن يمينه وصارا جماعة فلا بأس، ولو كان عند الإحرام وحده لم ينو الإمامة، فإنه إذا جاء معه ثان فإنه ينوي الإمامة، فإن جاء معه ثالث أخرهما وتقدم كما فعلت، وقد ثبت «أن الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يصلي وحده في الليل، فجاء ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما، فصف عن يساره، فأخذه بيمينه وجعله عن يمينه وصلى به عليه الصلاة والسلام» وهو لم ينو الإمامة أولا، كان يصلي وحده. متفق على صحته، وهكذا وقع في قصة أخرى لأنس «لما زار النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بيت جدته، فصلى عندهم الضحى قام أنس عن يمينه، وصلى به عليه الصلاة والسلام وهو عن يمينه والمرأة خلفهما» وثبت عنه صلى الله عليه وسلم «أنه كان يصلي وحده، فجاء جابر وجبار فصفا عن يمينه وشماله، فأخرهما خلفه فصلى بهما» رواه مسلم في صحيحه، هذا هو الأمر المشروع، والله أعلم.
Due to the great virtue in offering prayer in congregation it is not suitable for the muslim that he deprives himself from this great goodness. Due to the saying of the Prophet ﷺ : “Prayer in congregation is twenty seven times more virtous than praying individually “. Agreed upon (Bukhari 645, Muslim 650)
But if it so happens that a person delayed praying it and missed the congregation and prayed indivually then some people came and prayed on his right side and the congregation was established then there is no issue. Even if he didn’t make the intention of being an imam while starting the prayer, if a second person joins him then he makes the intention of being the imam and if a third person comes he makes them move back and he should move forward like you did and it is established that “the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was praying the night prayer individually then Ibn Abbas radhiallahu anhuma came and joined him on his left so he took him by his right hand and made him stand on his right side and lead the prayer, may peace and blessings be upon him” (Agreed upon. Bukhari 138, Muslim 763). So he didn’t make the intention of leading the prayer first and he was praying individually and similarly in another event with Anas radhiallahu anhu “When the Prophet ﷺ visited his grand mother’s house, he prayed Dhuha. Anas joined him on his right side and the woman joined and stood behind them” (Muslim 660). It is also established that “He was praying individually and Jabir and Jabbar came and joined him on his right and left so he made them move back and lead them in the prayer ” (Muslim 3014) and this is a legislated affair and Allah knows best.
Translated by
Abu Muhammad Nezam Al-Hindi
May Allah forgive him and his parents