| Second congregation for latecomers  Q: Is it permissible to offer Salah (Prayer) in a second congregation? What is the evidence on that? If one comes while the Imam (the one who leads congregational Prayer) is in the last Tashahhud (a recitation in the sitting position in the last unit of Prayer), should he sit and join the congregation or wait for another congregation? If one joins the Imam in the last Tashahhud, does he obtain the reward of the congregation? A: The second congregation is permissible. It may even be obligatory according to the general proofs concerning the one who misses the first congregation. Therefore, if a person comes to the Masjid (mosque) | | (Part No. 12; Page No. 166) | |
and people have finished Salah and finds another congregation, it is recommended for him to offer Salah in congregation and not to offer it alone. This may be obligatory for him in the existence of congregation due to the generality of evidence. One evidence is the following Hadith: A man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) after he had said Taslim (salutation of peace ending the Prayer). He (peace be upon him) said:  Who will do good to this (man) and offer Salah along with him? Generality of evidence indicates that congregational Salah is twenty-seven times more superior in reward than offering Salah alone. As for those who held that this superiority is confined to the first congregation, they are asked for proof from a specific Hadith, for mere opinion does not stand as evidence.The following Hadith affirms the same meaning. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The Salah offered in congregation is twenty-five times more superior (in reward) than Salah offered alone in one's home or place of business. If a person misses the first congregation and Allah helps him find another congregation in another Masjid or in the same Masjid, it is recommended to offer Salah with the congregation. As for what is reported that some of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) would return and offer Salah alone if they missed the congregation, this is Ijtihad (juristic effort to infer expert legal rulings) from them and it should not take precedence over Shari`ah (Islamic law).It was authentically reported on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) as related in the Sahih (authentic) Book of Hadith of Imam Al-Bukhari that he once came and found that people had finished Salah. Thereupon, he gathered his companions and led them in congregational Salah. Anas is one of the best Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and one of the best to be followed. Therefore, | | (Part No. 12; Page No. 167) | |
the basic rule is the validity of congregation. This is the basis and it is not to be abandoned except with evidence.Moreover, it is reported that the Salaf used to offer a second congregation when they missed the first congregation and the Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged those who were present to offer Salah with the one who missed the congregation, saying: Who will do good to this (man) and offer Salah along with him? The aim of this is to get the merits of congregational Salah. This Hadith is clear evidence regarding the issue in question. However, if one comes while the Imam is in the last Tashahhud, it is better for him to join the congregation with the Imam because of the general meaning of the following Hadith in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: When you come to Salah, walk calmly and do not come hurriedly, and then pray what you catch and complete what you miss. The statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him): Pray what you catch applies to the last Rak`ah (unit of Prayer), Tashahhud, and even more. Accordingly, one should join the Imam and complete what is missed individually. The reward of congregation is granted by catching one Rak`ah, for the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Whoever attends one Rak`ah (in congregation) is considered to have attended the Salah (in congregation). (Related by Muslim in his Sahih) However, if one has a legal excuse, he will not be deprived of the reward of | | (Part No. 12; Page No. 168) | |
congregation even if the entire Salah is missed; such as a person who goes out intending to offer Salah in congregation but experiences something which nullifies Wudu' (ablution) and, thus, has to go to perform Wudu', or a person who is unwillingly detained. Both are excused and have the reward of offering Salah in congregation owing to the legal excuse. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said in an authentic Hadith: If a servant (of Allah) is ill or on a journey, Allah records for them the (good) acts that they used to do when they were healthy or at home. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said during the battle of Tabuk: Indeed, there are some people in Al-Madinah never did you walk for a time or pass through a valley, except that they accompanied you (in reward). They were held back for a legal excuse. In another narration, he (peace be upon him) said: ...but they shared the reward with you.They (the companions with the Prophet) said, "O Messenger of Allah, even though they are in Al-Madinah?" He (peace be upon him) said, "Even though they are in Al-Madinah as they were prevented by illness. This Hadith indicates that those who are excused receive the reward of the participant and actual doer. This is a bounty from Allah and a favor He offers to His Servants. |
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