Q&A: Can I Merge My Own Salah when the Congregation Had Done Theirs?

Thursday 17-Jan-2019, 11:20PM / 1097


Translation: Abul' Aamaal Misbaah Olagunju (@Bn_Uthmaan)

Twentieth Question:

Is it permissible for someone who misses the first salah of jam'u (combination between two salahs) to observe his salah combined solely by himself, some have spoken in favour of its permissibility, evidencing by his statement —Allah raise his rank and grant him peace—: (And whatever you miss (of salah) repay it, or complete it). He said: therefore combining two salah (in such scenario) demands permissibility?

Response:

Someone enters the masjid to observe Zhuhr Prayer, he enters and finds out that the Imam is observing the Asr Prayer, he finishes the Zhuhr and wants to combine (with Asr), (for instance) the Imam is observing al-asr and I entered, what will I do in such situation?

I will observe the Zhuhr Prayer. 

What's correct for whoever observes Zhuhr; he who enters after the prayer has commenced and catches Asr from its inception, the Imam intends Asr while he intends Zhuhr, can he then combine between two Salah? 

The brother asked and said that the Prophet —Allah raise his rank and grant him peace— said: "whatever you meet of salah (with the congregation) observe it and whatever you miss of it, complete it" an hadeeth, but he stated the version with (fa'aqduu: repay it). The report version with (fa'aqduu) is a singular report which has in its chain (of narration) Sufyaan bin Uyaynah reporting from Az-Zuhree who in turn reported from Sa'eed bin Al-Musayyab who reported from Abu Hurayrah, but what is correct is (fa'atimuu: complete it), and not fa'aqduu, this statement is what Imam Muslim said in his book (Al-Tamyeez).

Whatever you meet observe it and whatever you miss complete it, so is it permissible for me to combine (between two salah)? 

Ok: we shall leave off this evidencing and bring forth some elucidation, we will expound for you and me, and you all will be benefitted by it. 

(Al-Juw, juw, or jam'u as you normally say), is our combination regarded as a single salah or two salahs? When we combine two salahs, between Maghrib and Ishaa on one side and between Zhuhr and Asr on another side, will it be regarded as a single salah or two?

A single salah, and two salahs, sometimes our combination is one salah, then when we do tasbeeh (subhanallaah) after combining between two salah do we say 33 tasbeehat or 66? We will say 33, for tasbeeh of two salah combined is like that of a single salah, not two. 

OK, when we combine between two salah what do you do during combination, how many times do we call to salah (adhan)?

We call to salah only once according to the most popular opinion, but in the madhhab of Maalik the adhan is said twice, the madhhab of Maalik says the first adhan is to be said loudly on the minaret in a high place, and after finishing from the first salah, another adhan is to be said inside the masjid; this is the madhhab of Maalikiyah, they make the adhan inside the masjid and then the iqamah for salah. 

I ask you, where do we deduce whether we are to make a single adhan or two adhans when combining between two salah?

We deduce it from the jam'u (combination) of the Prophet —Allah raise his rank and grant him peace— in Arafah and Muzdalifah; in Arafah and Muzdalifah we make adhan only once, and make iqamah twice. And due to that, in the legislation of jam'u between two salahs in this present time, benefits is drawn from the jam'u of the Prophet —Allah raise his rank and grant him peace— during Hajj in Arafah and Muzdalifah.

OK now (for instance) I am observing salah, and I have observed salah with the first congregation - and congregation is a condition for the soundness of combining between two Salah - hence I have observed the first salah with the congregation, is it permissible for me to combine the second (salah) with it (solely by myself).

Response is: It is not permissible for me to combine between two salahs singularly, meaning that: I observed Zhuhr with the Imam of a congregation, and I wasn't able to catch any rakah from Asr with the Imam (while the Imam combined between Zhuhr and Asr, and he was in Asr (when I met him), and since congregation is a condition for the correctness of combination between two salahs then it's not permissible for me to combine.

OK, I caught the Ishaa Prayer from its beginning, and Ishaa is four (4) rak'ahs so I came while the Imam was standing to combine (Ishaa with Maghrib) after having finished with Maghrib, whereas I wanted to observe three (3) rak'ahs of Maghrib, then when I finished observing Maghrib of 3 rak'ahs, I stood and made intention to combine between two salahs; because I was able to catch a rak'ah of the second congregation, as for between Zhuhr and Asr the situation is different.

OK, let me ask you a question: someone observed salah in his masjid and they didn't combine, then he left and found a masjid making jam'u in the place he left for, that is: someone observed salah with us for instance and we didn't feel any necessity for jam'u so we did not combine between two salahs, then he moved to another masjid —masjid At-taqwah for instance— and he met them already observing salah and the Imam is combining, is it permissible for him to observe jam'u with them? 

Response: it is permissible for him to combine the salah with them. 

OK someone observed the first salah in his house, and then walked to the masjid and finds them combining Ishaa, is it permissible for him to combine?

Response: No harm in combining in such case if Allah —the exalted— wills.

OK, the intention to combine between two salahs, when does it occur? 

During combination of two salahs, make intention at the time of the Opening Takbeer (takbeeratul ihram) of the second salah (in the jam'u).

The complete knowledge of all affairs is with Allah the exalted. 

Friday's sitting of verdicts
27 Rabi'ul Aakhir 1440
04-01-2019

As-Shaykh Mashhoor bin Hasan Aale-Salmaan —hafidhahullaah. 

Similar Piece: