In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful…
Shaykh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Naasir as-Sa’dee (d.1376), may Allaah have Mercy on him, was asked about the proper application of the authentic hadeeth that means, “Once the prayer is established there is no prayer other than the obligatory one.”
He replied:
The scholars have mentioned that it is applied to initiating a new optional prayer (that has not been started yet) by someone intending to pray with the imaam, that it is not allowed in this case. However, they excluded someone finishing a prayer (already started before the iqaamah was called) from this ruling, to combine between it (this hadeeth) and the Statement of Allaah:
ولا تبطلوا أعمالكم
“And do not render your deeds invalid.”
[Soorah Muhammad:33]
There is a difference between initiating (a new prayer) and finishing (a prayer already started), the latter having an easier ruling.
Know that there are four or five situations related to this issue (involving people when they hear the iqaamah):
1) If the iqaamah is called while someone has not started praying an optional prayer, he must not pray an optional prayer in this case. This is the clearest violation of the hadeeth.
2) If the iqaamah is called while someone has already initiated an optional prayer, and finishing the optional prayer would cause him to miss the congregational prayer, or a rak’ah of it according to the better of the two positions of the scholars, such a person is absolutely required to discontinue his optional prayer, since there is no (acceptable) clash between an obligation and a recommendation. And the generality of the obligation of the congregational prayer includes this scenario as well. Having started an optional prayer does not excuse a person from the obligation (of joining the congregational prayer).
3) If (the iqaamah is called while) someone is praying, and he can finish his prayer (all the way) to the salaams, it is best that he finishes the prayer. This is the clearest scenario that is referred to in the words of our fellow (Hanbalee) scholars who said, “If he has already begun it, he finishes it concisely.”
4) If (the iqaamah is called while) someone is praying, and he is not sure if he can finish it in time to catch the first rak’ah or not, the generality of the statements of the (Hanbalee) scholars indicates that it is better to complete it concisely, even if he actually misses the rak’ah. Some others in the (Hanbalee) school of Fiqh have said that it is better to discontinue in this case, and this is what I believe to be correct, due to the generality of the hadeeth and the permissibility of discontinuing an optional deed. Furthermore, obligations and their benefits are not comparable to optional deeds. A single obligation is better than many optional deeds.
And If this is the case regarding just one rak’ah (of obligatory prayer being missed), then missing more would be even more important to avoid.
Source: Al-Fataawee as-Sa’diyyah (pp.168-169)
Translated by: Moosaa Richardson
Asalamulikum wa rahamtuallhi wa barakthuhu..
If anyone wants to stop his optional prayer is there are proof that he should wait for hearing “Qadqamathu Salah, Qadqamathu Salah” of the Iqaamah?
Jazakallahu khyr wa baarakallahu feek..
Is the prayer that make upon entering the masjid considered an “optional” prayer?
According to the majority of the scholars, tahiyyat al-masjid is highly recommended, but not an obligation. (This is quite challengable, but that’s another topic.) Based on this, most scholars refer to it as a naafilah or tatawwu’ (optional), like the author above.
Also, generally the scholars who hold it to be an obligation may still refer to it as tatawwu’ or naafilah, intending that every prayer other than the five daily prayers can be referred to as tatawwu’, even if it is an obligation. Refer to the excellent book Bughyat al-Mutatawwi’ ( بغية المتطوع ), p.13, by Shaykh Muhammad Baazmool.
As salaamu alaykum,
When ending the optional salaah due to the obligatory one having started, do you end with the tasleems as we do the obligatory ones or just stop praying and join the obligatory salaah without saying tasleems? Jaazaakallahu khayran
I have the same question. In ending the optional prayer without completing it, does one simply drop his salaah or does he turn his head with the tasleem? Is their Ikhtilaaf in this issue?
Wa ‘alaykis-salaamu wa rahmatullaah. The scholars differ over this issue. Here is the position of Shaykh Ibn Baaz and the Permanent Council of Scholars in Saudi Arabia.
As salaam alaykium.. is it permissible to start a fresh dars after the adhaan to thurh has been called or any other prayer?
Wa ‘alaykas-salaamu wa rahmatullaah. I do not know of anything to prevent that, however, I do not know of it being from the way of the scholars either. And Allaah knows best.
Assalaamu ‘Alaikum Moosaa,
May Allaah bless you.
If I may ask: I live alone with my wife. Is it better for me to pray the obligatory prayers with her at home, or for me to pray at the Masjid?
Also, during Dhuhr and ‘Asr prayer, I find much of the time that I am the only one at the Masjid. Perhaps because people are at work. Should I still pray at the Masjid for these prayers?
Jazaak Allaahu Khayrun.
Wa ‘alaykum as-Salaamu wa rahmatullaah wa barakaatuh. For the five daily prayers, the man’s prayers are better in the masjid of course.
في بيوت أذن الله أن ترفع ويذكر فيها اسمه يسبح له فيها بالغدو والآصال (36) رجال لا تلهيهم تجارة ولا بيع عن ذكر الله وإقام الصلاة وإيتاء الزكاة يخافون يوما تتقلب فيه القلوب والأبصار
“In Houses which Allah has given permission to be raised and His Name mentioned therein, exalting Him by morning and evening are men, not distracted from the remembrance of Allah by commerce or trade, nor from establishing the prayer nor paying zakaat; they fear a day when the hearts and eyesights are overturned…” [24:36-37]
And being that you are the only one praying Thuhr and ‘Asr in the masjid sometimes means that it is even more important for you to pray at the masjid than you think. Without you at those prayers when you prayed alone, the prayer is NOT ESTABLISHED in that masjid! And prayer in the masjid is one of the symbols of Islam! So be patient! And when just one person joins you, you would have left him to pray alone had you not come. So pray in the masjid, and do not be discouraged if you are the only one. If you wish to pray in Jamaa’ah with your wife, then pray Sunnahs and lead her in prayer when you come home, like how Mu’aath used to pray behind the Prophet (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) and then go to his village and lead the people there in prayer, as an optional prayer for him, but as the obligatory prayer for them. (Bukhari & Muslim) And Allah knows best.