Jam'ats before the Main Jam'at
By Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Posted: 8 Ramadan 1422, 24 November 2001
| Q.) Currently studying in university with a very diverse set of
people praying in our university mosque. People are from diverse schools of Fiqh. This is
the problem: Adhan for the Dhohr prayer is given at 1.00pm. Main jam'at is at 1.15pm.
But some people start praying their own jam'at before the main jam'at (1.15pm). Sometimes
it is quite a big jam'at(but not as big as the main one). This doesn't happen everyday but
quite often. I mean I can understand the fact that some people come out of a lecture at
12.55pm and then they have several lectures, one-after-another, therefore they HAVE to
pray and then leave for the lectures.
However this is what I would like to know:
I can understand some people have to pray early and then leave for their lectures,
otherwise their Salatudh-Dhohr would become Qadha. But then again seeing these people,
some other people (who have no lectures between 1-2 pm, and they have no other commitments
and therefore not in a hurry) also join in with this jam'at!
(a) Is that permissible in the Hanafi school of Fiqh? (please explain)
(b) Is that permissible for the other school of Fiqh?(please explain)
(c) If a Hanafi joins with such a jam'at, thinking that it was the main jam'at, but at
the end before he left the masjid, they realised that the jam'at they prayed with took
place before the main jam'at, then what should he do?
[Zubair Hossain, U.K] |
A.) In order for us to answer the queries, kindly explain what do you
mean by university mosque. Is it a musalla (prayer room)or a masjid? [Albalagh Note: A
Masjid is a dedicated building, waqf for Allah. A Musalla can be any temporary space being
used for offering salat.] It is possible that a musalla is called a mosque. The rules and
principles pertaining to a musalla and masjid are different. In a majsid, there is only
one official jamaat. That is not so in a musalla, in which many Salats with many
congregation may be performed.
In a masjid if there is a need for some people to perform Salat with congregation
before the official jamaah, they may do so provided it is out of the masjid proper or at
least (in the case of shortage of space) different from the official jamaah by the Imaam
and followers not standing in the official place for the Imaam and followers.
In any case, whether it is a musjid or musalla, it is advisable for those students who
are not in a hurry to join in the main jamaah at 1:15 pm.
If any student did not do so, the Salat performed before or after the official jammah
time will be valid.
And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best.
Q & A