- Title : What Prevent You from Prayer in Congregation?
- Author : Abu Muslih Ari Wahyudi
- Published by : A Learning Page
“If you were to abandon the practice of your Prophet, you would go astray.”
Know, O brothers, may Allah increase my faith and yours – there is no Moslem man who leave congregational praying intentionally except the weak people and hypocrites. Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be please with him, narrated: “He who likes to meet Allah tomorrow as Muslim, he should persevere in observing these prayers, when a call is announced for them, for Allah has laid down for your Prophet the paths of right guidance, and these (prayers) are among the paths of right guidance. If you were to pray in your houses as this man who stays away (from the mosque) prays in his house, you would abandon the practice of your Prophet, and if you were to abandon the practice of your Prophet, you would go astray. No man purifies himself, doing it well, then makes for one of those mosques without Allah recording a blessing for him for every step he takes raising him a degree for it, and effacing a sin from him for it. I have seen the time when no one stayed away from it, except a hypocrite, who was well known for his hypocrisy, whereas a man would be brought swaying (due to weakness) between two men till he was set up in a row.” (Reported by Muslim [564])
Why the hypocrites would not like to perform prayer in congregation? Syaikh Ibnu Uthaimin, may Allah have mercy on him, explained, that it is because they do not wish for reward nor do they believe in reckoning of the deeds. Thus, they abandon it. For this reason the Messenger of Allah, may peace be upon him, said: “The most burdensome prayers for the hypocrites are the evening (Isya) prayer and dawn (fajar) prayer.” (Reported by al-Bukhari [657] and Muslim [651] from Abu Hurairah, may Allah please with him, by the wording of Muslim). It is because when congregational for evening and dawn prayers is performed, those who did not attend the prayer were not visible, for in the time of the Prophet, may peace be upon him, there was no electricity nor lamp (as in our time), so it was possible for a person not to observe the congregational prayer while others did not aware of it. Besides, the evening prayer and dawn prayer is performed in times of rest and sleep, thus it is most burdensome to the hypocrites, so the do not attend it. If they only knew the virtue of them both (evening prayer and dawn prayer in congregational), they would have come even if they had to crawl. (Explanation of Riyadh Ash-Shalihin, Daar Al-Bahirah, 3/254).
Al-Hafidz Ibn Hajar said: “Evening prayer and dawn prayer (in congregation) are the most burdensome for them – the hypocrites – compare to other prayers (although in general they are lazy to perform other prayers as well) because the strong driven to leave both prayers. Because the time for evening prayer is convenient to rest while the dawn prayer is a pleasent time to sleep.” (Fath al-Bari, Dar Al-Hadits, 2/166).
Prayer Congregation is Far More Excellent
O My beloved brothers for Allah, prayer in congregation is an act of worship which is more excellent, far more prominent than individual prayer. Ibnu Umar – may Allah please with him – narrated that the Prophet – peace be upon him – said: “Prayer in a congregation is twenty-seven degrees more excellent than prayer by a single person.” (Reported by al-Bukhari [645] and Muslim [650], the wording is by Muslim).
Al-Bukhari – may Allah have mercy on him – narrated, al-Aswad ibn Yazid an-Nakha’i – one of tabi’in, if he left behind a congregational prayer then he would go to other mosque (to find prayer in congregation). While Anas ibn Malik – may Allah please with him – if he reached the mosque while prayer in congregation has finished, so he would call for adhan and iqamah and performed prayer in congregation. (Reported on Shahih al-Bukhari, Maktabah Al-Iman, pg. 143). Al-Hafizh Ibn Hajar said: “What appears to me, by bringing the narration of al-Aswad and Anas, al-Bukhari wanted to indicate that the virtue which are mention in ahaadits in this chapter are only for those who pray in congregation in mosque, not for those who pray in congregation in their houses.” (Fath al-Bari, Dar Al-Hadits, 2/154).
Syaikh Ibn Uthaimin – may Allah have mercy on him – said: “The scholars said that prayer in congregation (in mosques) is from the most excellent act of worship and the most excellent obedience. (Syarh Riyadh Ash-Shalihin, Dar Al-Bahirah, 3/249)
An-Nawawi – may Allah have mercy on him – said: “Our companions – scholars of Syafi’i’s school of thoughts – argued that these ahaadits were to show that (prayer in) congregation is not a legitimate condition of prayer, this matter is opposed with (the view of) Abu Dawud [Azh-Zhahiri]…” (Syarh Muslim, published by Dar Ibn Al-Haitsam, 3/456). The same view – that congregation is not a condition of the validity of prayer – is said by Syaikh Abdullah al-Bassam (see Taisir al-‘Allam, published by Dar Al-’Aqidah, 1/108).
Syaikh Ibn Uthaimin – may Allah have mercy on him – said, some scholar view that prayer (i.e. the five time prayers) in congregation is legitimate condition of prayer. They deem that if a person – who is ordered to pray in congregation, i.e. men – do not observe the prayers in congregation, then they prayers would be meaningless and would not be accepted. This opinion is held by Syaikhul Islam Ibn Taimiyah – may Allah have mercy on him – and an opinion which is narrated by Imam Ahmad (see Syarh Riyadh ash-Shalihin, published by Dar al-Bashirah, 3/249). However, this view is a weak opinion. Because the Prophet – may peace be upon him – said, “Prayer in a congregation is twenty-seven degrees more excellent than prayer by a single person.” As for this virtue (i.e. prayer in congregation) shows that what considered less excellent still have virtue in it. And the consequence of having less virtue that the deed (i.e. a single person prayer) is still valid. Because the un-legitimate deed would have no virtue at all, rather it would be a sinful act to do. So this hadith is a very clear proof which indicates that the rule of a single person prayer is valid. That is said by Syaikh Ibn Uthaimin – may Allah have mercy on him – (Syarh Shlat al-Jama’ah, published by Dar al-Kutub al-Imliyah, pg. 24(.
Even blind people are ordered to pray in congregation.
My brothers, obligatory prayer in congregation – for men – is from the command of the Messenger of Allah – may peace be upon him – not only for normal people, like us, rather for blid people as well. Abu Hurairah – may Allah please with him –reported: “There came to the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) a blind man and said: “ O Messenger of Allah, I have no one to guide me to the mosque.” He, therefore, asked. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) permission to observer prayer in his house. He – may peace be upon him - granted him permission. Then when the man turned away he called him and said: “Do you hear the call to prayer?” He said: “Yes.” He – may peace be upon him said: “Respond to it!”” (Reported by Muslim [653]).
An-Nawawi – may Allah have mercy on him – commented to the above narration: “In this hadith there is an indicated proof for (scholars) who view that prayer in congregation is obligatory (for men)....” (Syarh Muslim, Published by Dar Ibn Haitham, 3/459). An-Nawawi himself held the opinion that prayer in congregation is a collective obligation, and there were some scholars who said that it is supererogatory. (See Syarh Msulim, published by Published by Dar Ibn Haitham, 3/456). Among the scholars who viewed that prayer in congregation is excellent supererogatory (sunnah mu’akkad) was al-Qadhiy Abu Syuja’ –may Allah have mercy on him – the author of Al-Ghayah wa at-Taqrib fiy Fiqhi Syafi;i, however the verifier of the book – Majid al-Hamawi - said that this is consider in-appropriate, he said that the most favored opinion is that prayer in congregation is collective obligation (Fardhu kifaayah). He based (his argument) on the hadith of the Prophet – may peace be upon him – “If there are three man in a village or in the desert among whom prayer is not offered (in congregation), the devil has got the mastery over them. So observe (prayer) in congregation, for the wolf eats only the straggling animal.” (Reported by Abu Dawud, an-Nasa’i and al-Hakim and he – al-Hakim – said it is aunthentic. See Al-Ghayah wa at-Taqrib published by Dar Ibn Haitham, pg. 801). As for Imam Syafi’i – may Allah have mercy on him – so what is written on his indicates that he viewed that prayer in congregation is collective obligation. This opinion was also supported by previous scholars form his school of thought, and was popular among scholar of Hanafiyah and Malikiyah (See Fath al-Bari, published by Dar al-hadith, 2/148)
When explaining the above hadith, Syaikh Ibn Uthaimin – may Allah have mercy on him – said: “This – the command of the Prophet to the blind man to attend prayer in congregation – shows the obligation of prayer in congregation for blind people, and that blindness is not a reason not to attend prayer in congregation. This hadith also indicates that prayer in congregation is obligatory to be observed in the mosque, not a mere in congregation – even if it is not in the mosque...” (Syarh Riyadh ash-Shalihin, published by Dar al-Bashirah 3/250). Prayer in congregation is obligatory to be performed in the mosque.. If it is performed not in the mosque, so it does not weep away the sin – rather they are sinned (i.e. for not performing prayer in congregation in the mosque –translator) – although their prayer is still valid, according to the strongest opinion. That is Syaikh Ibn Uthaimin’s comment on other place (see Syarh Shalat al-Jama’ah, published by Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyah, pg. 26). Therefore the Syaikh – may Allah have mercy on him – said that it is not permissible for a person or a group of people to perform prayer in congregation in a house while a mosque is near to their houses. As for the mosque is far and they could not hear the call for prayer – adhan – (what is meant here is adhan without microphone, according to the Syaikh in Syarh Riyadh ash-Shalihin, 3/252), then it is permissible to perform prayer in congregation at home, so long as their places is far from the mosque and difficult for them to attend the prayer in congregation. (See Fatawa Arkan al-Islam, Published by Dar Ath-Thurayya pg. 367-368).
The Prophet – may peace be upon him – threaten to burn their houses...
My brothers - may Allah arouse your awareness to be obedient to Him – prayer in congregation is not a matter to be taken lightly. Abu Hurairah – may Allah please with him – reported that the Messenger of Allah – may peace be upon him – said: “"By Him in Whose Hand my soul is I was about to order for collecting fire-wood (fuel) and then order Someone to pronounce the Adhan for the prayer and then order someone to lead the prayer then I would go from behind and burn the houses of men who did not present themselves for the (compulsory congregational) prayer.” (Reported by al-Bukhari [644] and Muslim [651]).
Imam Bukhari – may Allah have mercy on him – entered the above hadith in the title: ‘Chapter The Compulsory Congregational Prayer’. And he quoted the saying of al-Hasan, “If his mother were to prohibit him from evening prayer in congregation due to her concern over his son, then the son should not comply to his mother.” (See Shahih Bukhari, published by Maktabah al-Iman, pg. 142).
An-Nawawi – may Allah have mercy on him – said: “This hadith is one of proofs that is used to stated that prayer in congregation is compulsory (fardhu ‘ain). This was the view of Atha’, al-Auza’i, Ahmad, Abu Tsaur, Ibn Mudzir, Ibn Khuzaimah, and Dawud (Azh-Zhahiri)...” (Syarh Muslim, published by Dar Ibn al-Haitham, 3/458). Ibn Hajar – may Allah have mercy on him – added, among the scholars who held the view of the rulling on prayer in congregation is compulsory is Ibn Hibban (see Fath-al-Bari, published by Dar al-hadith, 2/148).
Syaikh Ibn Uthaimin – may Allah have mercy on him – said: “This (hadith) shows that prayer in congregation is compulsory, for the Prophet – may peace be upon him – would not have such intention – burning their houses – if not for (them) have abandoned an obligation...” (Syarh Riyadh ash-Shalihin, published by Dar al-Bashirah, 3/252).
Syaikh Ibn Uthaimin – may Allah have mercy on him – concluded, “The correct view shows that it is compulsory – prayer in congregation - because indeed the Moslem ummah is one. And the unity (of this ummah) would not be achieved except they gather around in the act of worship. Meanwhile, (one of) the most excellent worship, the most principle, and the most emphasized is prayer. Therefore it is a must for this ummah to congregate in performing this prayer. The Syaikh added, “However the condition is, it is obligation for every grown up Moslem man with sense (akil baligh) to observer the compulsory prayer in congregation, whether he is on a travelling or not.” (Fatawa Arkan al-Islam, published by Dar ats-Tsurayya, pg. 366 and 367).
May Allah return the virtue and the unity of Moslem ummah on the way of the Messenger of Allah – peace be upon him. All the praise is for Allah, Lord of the universe.
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