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Offering Fardh Behind a Person Offering Sunnah
By Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Posted: 9 Jamad-u-Thani 1422, 28 August 2001
Q.) I was of the understanding that in the view of the Ahnaaf, if the
"imaam" is performing sunnah/nafil Salat, and someone joins him in jamaat with
the intention of performing fardh, then the latter's Salat will be invalid. Someone
informed me, "That is not what I have heard from (Hanafi) scholars" and he
quoted a hadith where Muaadh ibn Jabal, Radi-Allahu anhu, would perform Salat behind
Rasoolullah  and then go to his clan and lead them in Salat as he was the
most knowledgeable amongst them. Please clarify the matter and explain what is understood
by the above mentioned hadith, if there is such evidence. Also, what if I join the
jamaat as masbooq and while completing my remaining rakaats, others who missed the jamaat
make me imaam and start following me. Living in the US, at times I am making sunnah or,
having missed a few rakaats of jamaat, I am completing my fardh as a "masbooq",
and followers of Shafi'i fiqh, as well as non-muqallideen come and join me to perform
their fardh. I feel extremely uneasy during my Salat, but don't have the courage to tell
them to not follow me and to repeat their Salat, as I am afraid of "jidaal" and
fitnah. Please advise me. [Hashir M. Zuberi] |
A.) Your understanding is correct.
Regarding the Hadith you have quoted, Mullah Ali Qari (RA) comments in Mirqaat (vol.3
pg.104; Imdaadiyyah) that the Salat of Mu'aadh, Radi-Allahu anhu, behind Nabi
was most likely with the intention of Nafl. Since there was no way to ascertain the
intention of Mu'aadh, Radi-Allahu anhu, during that Salat, it is not correct to claim that
Salat was Fardh and the one performed with his people was actually Nafl. If that is
proven, even then it is possible that that was in the beginning stages of Islam when it
was permissible to perform Fardh Salat twice --- a permission that was later discontinued.
Nabi said to Mu'aadh, Radi-Allahu anhu, 'Either perform your Salat with me or
lighten upon your people (by not lengthening the Salat you lead them in). (Ibid)
You should endeavour to perform your Salat in such a place, e.g. corner or close to the
wall, that makes following you difficult. Also, try to be early for Salat so that this
situation may not arise. You may perform your Sunnat Salat at home. And Allah Ta'ala Knows
Best
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