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).
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