CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER AND LEADING IT

Q.   What do we mean by Imamah (leading the prayers)?

  A person who leads the prayer so that all others follow him is the Imam (leader or head) of the prayer.

Q.   What do we mean by Jama’ah (congregational prayer)?

  Jama’ah means offering prayer in a congregation with one as the head and the others following him.

Q.   Is congregational prayer an emphasized Sun-nah?

  There is much stress on it. Some of the scholars even hold it to be Fard or Wajib. There are doubtless many virtues in it.

Q.   What are the virtues in offering prayers in congregation?

  Some of the virtues are:

             i.     Al-lah awards twenty seven fold reward for every Salat;

           ii.     It affords an occasion of get-together for Muslims and generates love and harmony among the worshippers;

         iii.     It results in evoking interest among the Muslims for prayers;

          iv.     Al-lah will accept the worship of even sinners offered along with those offered by the pious and the devout in the congregation;

            v.     It is an occasion for the ignorant to benefit by the knowledge of the scholars in matters of religion;

          vi.     It provides Muslims with an occasion to get to know the problems of the poor and the needy;

        vii.     It is the display of the grandeur of a special mode of worship, that is Salat.

Q.   Which people are excused from joining the congregation?

  Women, minor children, the sick, those who have to attend on the sick, the lame, the maimed and the handicapped (e.g. footless people), very old people and the blind are exempted from joining congregational prayers.

Q.   Under what circumstances and compulsions does it become permissible for a well and able-bodied person to miss the congregational prayer?

  Obligation to offer the prayer in congregation is waived in the following circumstances:

             i.     There being heavy rain;

           ii.     The path to the mosque being slushy;

         iii.     It being chilly cold;

          iv.     It being night and the wind blowing in gales;

            v.     Time for departure on journey by train, ship or aeroplane etc., being very near;

          vi.     One’s feeling the call of nature;

        vii.     Meals having being served before one while he is very hungry. In the presence of anyone of the above compulsions, obligation to offer the prayer in congregation shall go.

Q.   In which Salats congregational prayer is an emphasized precept of the Prophet?

  Offering Salats in congregation is an emphasized precept of the Prophet (Peace be on him) in all commanded Salats as well as in Salat for the two ‘Ids. Congregational prayer for Taravih is a sufficing Sun-nah. (i.e. a Sun-nah which, if performed by a certain number of people in a locality, ceases to be binding on others).