Q. What is the minimum number of people
required to form a congregation?
Two is the minimum number. One of them
would be the head of the prayer (Imam) and the other his follower. But in that
case the follower shall stand to the right of the leader (in the same row). If
the number of followers is two or more, the head shall stand in front.
Q. How should people stand in a
congregation?
They should stand adjoining one another,
keeping the rows straight. No space should be left out in between. Children
should be made to stand behind. It is undesirable for children to join the row
of the grown-up people. Row for ladies should be behind that for the children.
Q. Will salat of the followers be affected
if that of the head of the prayer gets nullified for some reason?
Salat of the followers shall get
invalidated the moment that of the head of the prayer gets annulled. The
followers shall also have to revise it.
Q. Who deserves to be the head of a prayer?
The following persons deserve to be heads
of prayers in order of merit –
i. A scholar, i.e., a person conversant with
matters relating to Salat provided that he is also a person of upright conduct;
ii. A person who has more knowledge of the
Qur-an and recites it well;
iii. One who is more god-fearing;
iv. One who is senior in age;
v. One who is of a noble nature and of good
demeanour;
vi. One who is more handsome and commands
respect;
vii. One who is of nobler blood,
Q. Who deserves to be the head of a prayer –
the permanent Imam of a masjid or a person superior to him, if he happens to be
present at the moment in that masjid?
The permanent Imam is better than the
newly arrived person although he is otherwise superior to the permanent Imam.
Q. Saying Salat behind what sort of people
is undesirable (Makruh)?
It is undesirable to say Salat behind
people who are
i. Innovators (in religion);
ii. Transgressors;
iii. Illiterate slaves;
iv. Ignorant rustics;
v. An unscrupulous blind;
vi. Ignorant persons of illegitimate
parentage.
But Salat can be said without any scruples
behind
i. A slave or rustic if he is a man of
learning;
ii. A blind person if he is scrupulous and
educated or recites the Qur-an well;
iii. A person of illegitimate parentage if he
is learned and righteous, provided that there is no one else superior to those
mentioned above present in the masjid.
Q. Behind what sort of people is it totally
forbidden to say Salat?
i. Salat offered by a person will not be
valid behind a lunatic, a drunkard, a polytheist or an unbeliever.
ii. Salat of a major if led be a minor if led
by a minor and of men behind women will not be valid.
iii. Similarly, Salat of a person who has had
a formal ablution will not be valid behind a handicapped person (who has done
Tayammum).
iv. Salat of a person with covered Satr behind one with uncovered Satr will also not be valid.
v. Likewise, Salat of a person performing
the Ruku’ (bowing), Sijdah (prostration) will not be valid
behind one who is doing these acts by mere sign (because of some excuse or
compulsion).
vi. Nor that of a person performing the Fard Salat will be valid behind one who
is only saying the Nafl prayer.
vii. And finally, a person saying Salat for
one session (dhuhr, for example) will not be valid behind a person
saying Salat of another session (eg. ‘Asr).
Q. Is it permissible to offer Taravih prayer behind a minor?
Even Taravih
is not allowed to be offered behind a minor. Nevertheless, if a person has
attained to the age of fifteen can lead the prayers even if no other signs of
puberty are visible in him.
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