Etiquettes of the congregational prayer for men and women

22-6-2011 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalaamu alaikum, Many times at family gathering when time for salah approaches, no one says adhan, the men usually just go off and pray by themselves, there is no unity in salah, no congregation, no one calls the adhan to remind others nor do the implement praying salah together. I want to know is this okay in Islam or should there be some unity and ettiquettes in praying salah when you are amongst other muslims. What are the Islamic ettiquettes for praying salah when you are amongst a group of people who are Muslim. Should you encourage everyone to pray together? Should someone call the adhan or should you just go off on your own? Sometimes some people need to hear the adhan to know it is Salah to remind them in busy times. Once again what are the ettiquettes of praying salah at a gathering, is there any hadiths and ayats that support it, it will help very much in conveying th message. Also what are the ettiquettes for the women? Second question that kind bothers me, when salah comes I go to remind my husband and I wait for him to finish up whatever he is doing and make wudu, someone told me you should not wait for anyone you should just go and pray, you need to watch out for yourself. I feel like you should help other remember it is time for salah and if everyone is getting ready to pray together I do not see the harm in waiting 10 minutes, but of course if the person you are reminding is not coming or getting ready for salah you go and pray. It seems like everyone is having the, worry about yourself attitude, just go and pray, this is the same problem happening at gathering they only think for themselves. I know we are accountable for our own deeds, but should we not remind others, should we not wait a few minutes for others. The same ideology is with everything even if it is your husband do not wait for him to eat, do not wait for anyone to pray just pray, take care of yourself. Is this mentality proper. Jazak Allah khair
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

A group of scholars may Allaah have mercy upon them are of the view that the congregational prayer is an obligation for men and whoever abandons it is sinful as we clarified in Fatwa 82538.

Even according to the view that it is only highly recommended, then abandoning it without a sound reason prevents the praying person from getting his reward multiplied. Therefore, the men whom you mentioned in the question should not abandon the congregational prayer.

Also, the Athaan and Iqaamah (call for the actual standing for the prayer) is a Sunnah for them, so they should not miss them. However, they are not obligated to call the Athaan and the Iqaamah as long as these are called at the mosques of the town; for more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 84886 and 156041.

As regards the etiquettes of the congregational prayer, they are as follows:

- It should be performed in the mosque as, in principle, the congregation should be performed in the mosque.

- Straightening the rows and filling the gaps between people standing in prayer.

- The first row should first be completed before starting a second row, and so on.

- The people led in prayer should be keen on following the Imaam and not to precede him or to delay in following him.

- The one who leads the prayer should be the one who best memorizes the Quran.

- The Imaam should be in front of the praying people [at the front of the first row] and parallel to the middle of the row.

As regards the congregation of women, it is also desirable and its etiquettes are the same as those for men except that the woman who leads the prayer should not stand in front of the first row of women like the congregation of men; rather, she should stand in the middle of the same row with women.

With regard to your question whether or not a person is obligated to urge others to perform the congregational prayer, then this act is either obligatory or desirable and it is among enjoining good and cooperating in righteousness and piety which we are Islamically ordered to do. However, you should not do that yourself if the men whom you mentioned are non-Mahram to you. Al-Qurtubi may Allaah have mercy upon him said about a woman who enjoins good and forbids evil while addressing men: “A woman should not appear in gatherings, and she should not mix with men, and she should not debate with them face to face, because if she is a young woman, it is forbidden to look at her or to talk to her. Even if she is an old woman who used to appear to men, it is not befitting for her to be in one gathering with men where she mixes with them and debates with them.”

As regards your statement that it is obligatory on you to take the initiative to perform the prayer at the beginning of its time and not wait for your husband, then this is not correct. That is because performing the prayer at the beginning of its time is desirable and not obligatory in the same manner your waiting for your husband to pray with him is not obligatory, but waiting for your husband for a while so that you may pray with him in congregation is better than performing the prayer individually.

Indeed, many of these mistakes which you mentioned about some people are due to their ignorance of religion and their lack of seeking religious knowledge and this is the case of the majority of the Muslims, and this is a great disaster [there no might nor power but by Allaah]. The only solution for this situation is to seek religious knowledge.

Allaah Knows best.

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