WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
IN THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS
English Translation
Book by Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(part 8)
If there is a congregation praying, and during their prayer they are informed that the qiblah is in a direction other than that which they were facing, they should all turn towards the correct direction. The same is also true for someone praying individually. Whatever part of their prayer has been performed (before changing direction) will be correct.
The evidence for this is a narration reported by Imaam Muslim from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him): "While the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was praying towards Bayt-al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), the aayah was revealed to him (interpretation of the meaning): Verily! We have seen the turning of your face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a qiblah that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of al-Masjid al-Haram.[Al-Baqarah 2:144].
A man from Bani Salamah was passing by and found them (i.e., the people of Bani Salamah) in the state of rukoo in the second rakah of the Fajr prayer. He called out to them: The qiblah has been changed, so they changed direction while they were still in rukoo." (Saheeh Muslim, No. 527)
If someone does not know the direction of the qiblah, he must ask someone if he can, or else he should make ijtihaad (make a judgment to the best of his ability based on the information available) if he is able to, otherwise he must follow someone who is reliable. If he cannot find such a person, then he should fear Allaah, do his best and pray, and his prayer is valid.
Falling behind when praying in congregation
If a person is praying in a congregation and the loudspeaker stops working or he becomes drowsy and he lags behind the imaam by one or more obligatory acts (arkaan) of prayer (i.e., the imaam performed it and he did not because of not hearing the imaams voice), then when he wakes up again or the sound of the speaker comes back, he should complete the obligatory acts that he has missed, then continue following the imaam.
This problem may arise in many cases. For example: the imaam recites a verse that contains the word of prostration (sajdah) and some of the people misunderstand it to be a verse of prostration while in reality it is not, so when the imaam says takbeer for rukoo at the end of the verse and performs rukoo, some of the followers (especially those towards the rear of the congregation) take it to be the takbeer for the prostration of recital, so they prostrate. When the imaam stands up from the rukoo saying "sami-Allaahu li man hamidah", they stand up from their prostration, thus having missed the act of rukoo and standing up from it. So it is incumbent on them to complete what they missed and then catch up with the imaam. This is because they did not do it intentionally. However, in the case of one who intentionally lags behind the imaam (e.g., someone who prolongs his prostration to make a long supplication such that he misses the obligatory act which comes after the prostration), the majority of scholars say that the prayer of someone who misses two consecutive obligatory acts of prayer without a valid excuse, is void and he is a sinner. (Kashshaaf al-Qinaa, 1/467; al-Mawsooah al-Fiqhiyyah, 6/29).
However, the principle is that the imaam must be followed, as the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The imaam is there to be followed, so do not differ from him. When he goes into rukoo, make rukoo. When he says "Sami-Allaahu li man hamidah" (Allaah hears the one who praises Him), say "Rabbanaa lakal-hamd" (O our Lord! To You belongs the Praise). When he goes into sajdah, make sajdah. If he prays sitting, then all should pray sitting." (Saheeh al-Bukhaari, no. 689)
When the imaam nullifies his wudoo
If the Imaam nullifies his wudoo whilst he is praying, or remembers during the prayer that he did not perform ablution, then he should come out from prayer and appoint someone to finish leading the prayer, as was narrated from Umar, Ali, Alqamah and Ataa. If he does not appoint anyone, and the people pray individually, this is also acceptable, and this is the opinion taken by Imaam Al-Shaafii .If he brings someone forward to lead them, that is also permitted.
The evidence for this is what has been narrated regarding Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) when he was stabbed: he took the hand of Abd al-Rahmaan bin Awf and made him step forward, and he led the prayer to completion. (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath, 7/60).
The reason for this deduction is that Umar did this in the presence of a number of Companions and others and no one opposed this act, so it became a consensus (ijmaa). (Ahkaam al-Imaamah, al-Muneef, p. 234).
If the imaam remembers that he is not in a state of purity, he should indicate to the people to remain as they are and go and purify himself, then come back, say "Allaahu akbar" and lead them in prayer. This is valid. The evidence for this is the report narrated byAbu Dawood from Abu Bakrah: "The Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) started to lead the fajr prayer, then he indicated to the people that they should stay in their places. Then he came back and water was dripping from his head." (Sunan Abi Dawood, no. 233; Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, 1/45.
Abu Dawood included a chapter entitled Fil-Junub yusalli bil-qawmi wa huwa naasin (One who inadvertently leads the people in prayer when in a state of janaabah)).
Commenting on this hadeeth, Imaam Al-Khattaabi said: "In this hadeeth there is evidence that if one is leading the people in prayer while in a state of janaabah and the people do not know of it, then their prayer is unaffected and there is no need for them to repeat it. But the Imaam has to repeat his prayer." (Sunan Abi Dawood wa maahu Maaalim al-Sunan by al-Khattaabi, edited by al-Daaas, 1/159.)
When the imaams awrah becomes uncovered
If someone is praying in congregation behind the imaam and sees his awrah (those parts of the body that must be covered) uncovered due to an opening in his clothes or due to his clothes being thin and transparent, then if it is possible he should go ahead and cover it with something, otherwise he should come out of his prayer and inform the imaam by saying "cover your awrah" (in Arabic "ghattil-awrah"), or "protect what has been uncovered".
He should not stay quiet and continue to pray because it is known that the imaams prayer (in this condition) is incorrect and following him is incorrect as well. (From the oral fataawa of Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz).
to be continued.... Inshaallaah..
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Aish - The Fairy Princess
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