Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Alhassanain (p) Network for Islamic Heritage and Thought

Summary of the Rulings (Ahkam ) ofSalat al-Jama’at

According to the rulings of His EminenceAyatullah al-Uzma al-Haj as-Sayyid 'Ali al-Husaini as-Seestani

Author(s):Ayatullah Sayyid AliHussaini Sistani

Translator(s):Shaykh Saleem Bhimji

Publisher(s): Islamic Humanitarian Service (IHS)

www.alhassanain.org/english

[IN THE NAME OF ALLAH]

Table of Contents

Dedication 4

Foreword 5

Summary of the Rulings (Ahkam) of Salat al-Jama’at 6

The Meaning of Salat al-Jama'at 7

The Importance of Salat 8

The Importance of Salat al-Jama'at 9

The Arrangement of Salat al-Jama'at 10

The Disciplines of Salat al-Jama'at 11

For the Imam 11

For the Ma'mum 11

The Qualifications of the Imam of Salat al-Jama'at 12

How to Join Salat al-Jama'at 13

Listen to the Imam 14

Recite Everything Else in Jama'at 15

Follow the Imam 16

When Can You Join Salat al-Jama'at? 17

Some common Questions 18

Late Joiners 19

Connections in Salat al-Jama'at 20

Emergencies in Salat al-Jama'at 21

Salat al-Jama'at for the Muslim Sisters 22

A Few Narrations Concerning Salat al-Jama'at 23

Dedication

The printing of this booklet was made possible due to the help of caring donors. We request the reader to recite aSurah al-Fatiha in the memory of the following deceased brothers and sisters:

Foreword

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه واله وسلم :

أف لكل مسلم لا يجعل في كل جمعة يوما يتفقه فيه أمر دينه ويسأل عن دينه

The Prophet of Allah, peace be upon him and his family has said:

"Woe upon thatmuslim who does not allocate (at least) one day a week to the study of the details of his religion and to explore (the affairs) of his religion."

Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 1, Page. 176

Summary of the Rulings (Ahkam ) ofSalat al-Jama’at

This booklet is a simple guide for those who wish to have an elementary knowledge concerning the rules ofSalat al-Jama'at . The rulings compiled herein are by no means exhaustive, however, they are enough to enable a person to join and complete his or her prayers correctly.

The rulings are in accordance with the "Islamic Laws" according to the rulings ofAyatullah al-Uzma al-Haj as-Sayyid 'Ali al-Husaini as-Seestani , may Allah protect him.

We pray that this short work helps the believers in their attempts to understand and participate in theSalat al-Jama'at , and that they are able to benefit from the knowledge contained in this booklet.

We would also like to extend our thanks to the donors who made it possible to have this booklet printed - may Allah (SWT) reward them amply for their contribution to this noble project.

Islamic Humanitarian Service

2000 I 1421 A.H.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الحمد لله الذي لا يبلغ مدحته القائلون ولا يحصى نعمائه العادون ولا يؤدي حقه المجتهدون الذي ليس لصفثه حد محدود ولا نعت موجود والصلاة والسلام على مولانا ومقتدانا أبي القاسم محمد وعلى أهل بيتيه الطيبين الطاهرين لا سيما بقية الله في الأرضين ولعنة الله أعدائهم أجمعين إلى قيام يوم القيامة

The Meaning ofSalat al-Jama'at

Salat al-Jama'at means praying in congregation, with one person leading. The person who leads is called the Imam, while those who follow him are called theMa'mum orMa'mumin (plural). As for the daily prayers, the minimum amount of people needed is two – one Imam and oneMa'mum . For theSalat al-Jumu'ah (Friday) there must be a minimum of five people, including the Imam.

There is noSalat al-Jama'at for theMustahab salat with the exception ofsalat al-Istisqa ', or the invocation for rain; and for thesalat of 'Eid , which are offered on the day of 'Eid al-Fi!r and 'Eid al-Qurban , which aremustahab during the time of occultation of the 12th Imam (may our souls be sacrificed for him).

The Importance ofSalat

Thesalat is the most important act of worship in Islam, and if it is accepted by Allah (SWT), then all other acts of worship are accepted as well. However, if thesalat is not accepted, then all other actions also will not be accepted. It has been narrated from the 6th Imam,Ja'far ibn Muhammad as-Sadiq , peace be upon him, quoting his forefathers up to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his family, that he said:

لو كان على باب أحدكم نهر فاغتسل منه كل يوم خمس مرات، هل كان يبقى على جسده من الدرن شئ؟ انما مثل الصلاة مثل النهر الذي ينقى الدرن، كلما صلى صلاة كان كفارة لذنوبه الا ذنب أخرجه من الايمان مقيم عليه

"If there was a stream at the house of any one of you in which he washes himself five times a day, will there remain any dirt on your body? Verily, the likeness of theSalat is the same as the stream. The person who establishes the ritual prayers clears out his sins thereby, except for the sin that takes him out from the faith that he believes in." (Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 82, Pg. 236)

The Importance ofSalat al-Jama'at

In Islam, perhaps there is no otherMustahab act that carries such benefits and results asSalat al-Jama'at . As for the importance of it, we quote one narration in which it has been mentioned that:

• If two people form aJama'at , the reward for oneRak'at will be equal to one hundred and fifty prayers.

• If there are three people, the reward for oneRak'at will be equal to six hundred prayers.

• If there are four people, the reward for oneRak'at will be equal to one thousand two hundred prayers.

• If there are five people, the reward for oneRak'at will be equal to two thousand four hundred prayers, and such does the reward multiply, that if there are more than ten people in theJama'at , then if all the skies were paper, all the seas were ink, all the trees were pen s, and all the men, Jinn, and Angels got together as scribes to record the reward of oneRak'at , they would not be able to do it.

In the same narration, it is mentioned that theTakbir (Allahu Akbar) that the believers say after the leader of thesalat is better and more beloved to Allah that sixty thousand I:Ijj and 'Umrah , and better than this world and all that is in it - sixty times over! EachRak'at that the believer performs inJama'at is better than offering one hundred thousand dinars in charity to the poor, and hissajdah is better than if he was to free one hundred slaves.

It has been emphatically recommended that all obligatorysalat , with special emphasis onsalat al-Fajr ,Maghrib and 'Isha be offered in congregation. More stress has been laid upon those who live in the neighborhood of aMasjid , and upon those who can normally hear theAdhan from their homes.

It is therefore, reprehensible to underestimate or ignoresalat al-Jama'at , and according to the Islamic rulings, it is not permitted to keep away oneself from thesalat al-Jama'at unduly, nor is it proper to abandon it without a justifiable excuse.

It is furtherMustahab to wait for some time until thesalat al-Jama'at begins with the intention to participate in thesalat , since a short congregationalsalat is better than a prolongedsalat offered alone. It is also better to wait for thesalat al-Jama'at to be established, even if it is offered after the prime time rather than to pray alone. In fact, if a person realizes that thesalat al -Jama'at has been established but he has already read hissalat , it isMustahab to repeat the prayers again inJama'at .

The Arrangement ofSalat al-Jama'at

The Imam of theJama'at stands in front of those who are following him. The followers are behind him, forming straight lines - each standing close to the other one's shoulders. As for the distance between the rows, according toIhtiyat Mustahab , it should be just enough to allow the person to performSajdah .

When there are only two people insalat al-Jama'at , the Imam and theMa'mum , then it isMustahab that theMa'mum position himself just behind the Imam on his right side, although, he can also stand in line with the Imam. When there are many followers, according toIhtiyat Wajib , the followers must not stand beside the Imam , rather they must be behind him.

The standing place of the Imam compared to that of theMa'mum should not be higher than the span of four closed fingers. But the place where the followers stand could be higher than that of the Imam. Of course, the height must be reasonable enough to maintain the appearance ofSalat al-Jama'at .

There must not be a large distance or obstruction between the Imam and theMa'mum . If theMa'mum is standing exactly behind the Imam, then his forehead inSajdah should fall just behind the feet of the Imam. Similarly, there must not be any gap or obstruction between the lines.

If during the course of theSalat al-Jama'at , a person finds that he is distanced from the preceding line by a foot or more, then since he is isolated from theJama'at , he should change his intention fromSalat al-Jama'at toFurada ' (single prayer) and continue his prayers as such.

The Disciplines ofSalat al-Jama'at

For the Imam

The Imam must consider the fact that some of the participants in theJama'at may be weak or aged, and as such, he should avoid lengthySurahs ,Qunut ,Ruku ', andSujud . His pace must be moderate so as to suit followers of all ages.

In thoseSalat in which theSurahs are to be read aloud (Salat al-Fajr ,Maghrib and 'Isha ), the Imam is expected to raise his voice so as to become reasonably audible (heard by the followers).

When the Imam inRuku ' learns, that a newcomer wishes to join thesalat al-Jama'at , it isMustahab for him to prolong hisRuku ' to twice his usual duration, and then get up without waiting for another one who might want to join in.

For theMa'mum

The lines should be straight, with each person standing close to another - shoulder to shoulder. As long as there is a gap in any one line, that spot should be filled before making a new line, and it isMakruh for a person to stand alone. It isMustahab that after the line:

قد قامت الصلاة

is read, the followers rise and get ready to start theSalat . It isMakruh for the followers to recite any of the supplications,TasbIh orTakbIr , in such a way that the Imam can hear them. When aMa'mum wishes to join the Imam inRuku '; but fears that the Imam may rise before he can join, he can make a polite appeal by saying:

يا الله or إن الله مع الصابرين

signaling to the Imam that he wishes to join. After the signal, he should not waste any time and join otherwise it might inconvenience the other participants. He should then pronounce theTakbiratul Ihram loudly so the Imam becomes aware that the appellant has joined.

The Qualifications of the Imam ofSalat al-Jama'at

One who leads the prayers is called the Imam, and he must be:

1.Baligh (Adult) meaning that he has attained the age of responsibility and puberty; and for Men, it is one who has completed 15 lunar years, or has seen in himself the signs of puberty or adulthood.

2. Sane ('Aqil )

3.Shi'a Ithna 'Asherl (believes in the mastership of the 12 Imams)

4. 'Adil (Just) meaning that he does not commit the major or minor sins.

5. Legitimate birth.

6. Able to recite correctly.

A woman can lead theSalat only if all the followers are women; however, if all of the followers are men or there is a congregation of men and women, then the Imam must be a man.

How to JoinSalat al-Jama'at

Make theniyyat (intention) that you are praying behind and following the Imam who is leading theSalat . It is not necessary to know his name, however, you should know that you are following that particular Imam. YourSalat will not be counted asSalat al-Jama'at if you do not make the intention of following the Imam - this is important.

The follower must say theTakbiratul Ihram (الله أكبر ) after the Imam, so as to maintain hisSalat al-Jama'at .

Listen to the Imam

In the first twoRak'at ,th e Imam will readSurah al-Fatiha and one more completeSurah of the Holy Qur'an. If you are praying thesalat ofFajr ,Maghrib and 'Isha , then the Imam will be reciting theseSurahs out loud, thus, you should keep silent, and listen to his recitation. In thesalat ofZuhr and 'Asr , the Imam will be reciting in a quiet whisper and you will not recite anything out loud, however, it isMustahab that you recite anydhikr of Allah such as:

) ١ ( أستغفر الله (٢) الحمد لله (٣) سبحان الله (٤) الله أكبر (٥) اللهم صل على محمد وآل محمد

Recite Everything Else inJama'at

Apart from the twoSurahs which the Imam alone will recite, you must independently recite all the other things in thesalat . You must pray thedhikr ofRuku ,Sujud ,Tashahhud , Salam, and all theTakbirs , etc.

So remember, that aMa'mum is exempted from reading only the twoSurahs in the first twoRak'at .

Follow the Imam

As was previously mentioned, theMa'mum must say theTakbiratatul Ihram (the first (الله أكبر ) after the Imam has said it. If you say it simultaneously with the Imam or before, then there will be noJama'at for you.

Then, in every act, follow the Imam. When the Imam goes intoRuku 'Sujud , or rises, do it either with him or after him; but do not precede him. This is important as far as the acts are concerned.

However, in the case of the recitations like thedhikr inRuku ',Sujud ,Qunut , etc., you may precede the Imam, even the Salam to complete thesalat .

If you forgetfully rise fromRuku ' orSujud before the Imam, you must return to theRuku ' orSajdah position (as the case may be) provided that the Imam is still in that position.

When Can You JoinSalat al-Jama'at ?

You can join thesalat at any stage before the Imam rises fromRuku '. After the Imam has risen fromRuku ', you will not be able to join him until he stands for the nextRak'at .

You can not join the Imam while he is inSajdah , nor can you join when the Imam stands up after completing theRuku '.

Some common Questions

Q. Can I join when the Imam is reciting the secondSurah ?

A. Yes.

Q. Can I join when he is inQunut ?

A. Yes, you can join, and perform theQunut as well.

Q. How do I join when the Imam is inRuku '?

A. Make your intention, say theTakbiratul Ihram and go straight intoRuku '. This will be counted as your firstRak'at .

Q. How can I join when the Imam is in the third or fourthRak'at ?

A. In the third or fourthRak'at , the Imam does not usually readSurah al-Fatiha nor is there a secondSurah , he will usually reciteTasblhatul 'Arbah . Therefore, if you join him while he is standing, you must read at leastSurah al-Fatiha - you cannot simply keep silent. Therefore, if you believe that you will be able to read at leastSurah al-Fatiha before the Imam goes intoRuku ' and rises, you may join while he is standing. However if you believe that al-Fatiha may take a longer time to read and that you may miss theRuku ' with the Imam, then do not join while the Imam is standing. In this case, join him when he goes intoRuku '. It is always advisable to join thesalat al-Jama'at inRuku ' if the Imam is in the third of fourthRak'at .

Q. If I joinedsalat al-Jama'at in the thirdRak'at of the Imam, then what do I read in the nextRak'at which will be my second, but the Imam's fourth?

A. You will treat it as your second and readSurah al-Fatiha and anotherSurah , and do your best to reach the Imam while inRuku '. If you find that there would not be enough time for the secondSurah andQunut , thenSurah al-Fatiha alone will suffice.

Q. Should mySalat be the same as the Imam's?

A. No, you can praySalat al-Maghrib , for example, behind an Imam who is leadingsalat al-'Isha , and vice versa.

Q. What happens if a young child is standing in one of the rows? Does ourSalat become void?

A. No, as long as the child is aMummayiz , meaning he can distinguish between good and bad, and as long as the people around him do not have knowledge if hissalat has become void, theirsalat al-Jama'at is correct.

Late Joiners

It isMustahab to be present insalat al-Jama'at from its very start. If fact, there is a great reward in being able to say theTakbiratul Ihram immediately after the Imam has said it, and before he commences the recitation ofSurah al-Fatiha .

However, if due to some unavoidable circumstance, you reach late, then you will read as manyRak'at ofJama'at as available, and complete the balance on your own.

For example, if you reachsalat al-'Asr when the Imam is in his secondRak'at , then you will join, and when the Imam is in his lastRak'at , you will change yoursalat toFuradah (single), and complete the remaining oneRak'at alone.

When it is your firstRak'at and the Imam's second, then according toIhtiya !, after the twoSajdah , you must sit in a position, flexing your legs, keeping fingers and feet on the ground, and listen to theTashahhud being recited by the Imam (this position is referred to asTajafi ).

Similarly, when it is the lastRak'at of the Imam but you still have the balance to complete, it isMustahab that you flex your legs with your fingers and feet still on the ground and wait until the Imam has finished reciting the Salam and then stand up to complete thesalat alone.

When a person arrives so late that he finds the Imam is in his lastTashahhud , he would still be able to obtain the reward ofJama'at . He should make the intention, say theTakbiratul Ihram and sit to join theTashahhud . Then when the Imam has completed hissalat with the Salam, he should rise to begin the firstRak'at and he does not have to make the intention or say theTakbir again.

Connections inSalat al-Jama'at

The first person standing directly behind the Imam insalat al-Jama'at is connected to the Imam and so are the people next to him. However, as the first line extend s, people standing further away from the Imam are connected sideways.

Connections must always be maintained insalat al-Jama'at , for if it breaks, then there will be nosalat al-Jama'at . For example, if a person standing in the second, third or any subsequent line loses all connection with no one in front of him or by his sides, hissalat al-Jama'at ceases to exist, and he must continue hissalat by means ofFuradah . However, if he has someone by his either side who is in turn properly connected with someone else in front, then hissalat al-Jama'at will be valid.

If anyone is prayingsalat al-Qasr , he should try to avoid standing in the first line, since if he chooses to remain seated after twoRak'at , he will become an obstruction to the people connected to him, rendering theirsalat al-Jama'at invalid and void. However, if he immediately rises again to joinsalat al-Jama'at , then the connection will be resumed and no harm is done to the other believers around him.

If a traveler prays in the second or any subsequent line, no harm will be done to the believers standing next to him even if he remains seated after the completion of twoRak'at . This is because people in the subsequent lines normally have more than one source of contact and connection.

Emergencies inSalat al-Jama'at

A. If the Imam'ssalat becomes void due to any reason, theMa'mum behind him may steadily step forward to lead, provided that he fulfills the qualifications for leading thesalat . Other followers will change their intention to follow the new Imam.

If no one goes forward to continue thesalat al-Jama'at , then the followers will convert theirsalat toFuradah and complete thesalat on their own.

B. If someone faints or collapses during thesalat al-Jama'at , then the people standing next to him may break theirsalat to attend to him, provided that there is no one else to help him from amongst those who have not joined thesalat .

C. If theSalat of anyone in the first line becomes void, he must get out of the line immediately. He must neither continue nor sit down, since it will be a distraction, and may render theSalat al-Jama'at of the others following him in the same line as void. When he moves out, there will be a gap, and thus the other people next to him must gradually move sideways to reduce or fill in the gap.

D. If for any reason, thesalat al-Jama'at ceases to exist, theMa'mum must not break theirsalat , they must simply change the intention fromJama'at toFuradah and continue until completion.

E. If due to some reason, theMa'mu m has to abandon thesalat al-Jama'at , then he can do so and change toFuradah . However, one cannot join theJama'at with an intention of later breaking it.

Salat al-Jama'at for the Muslim Sisters

Muslim women may joinsalat al-Jama'at , but they will keep their position behind the men. Although insalat al-Jama'at , no obstruction between the Imam andMa'mum is permitted, the women are permitted to stand behind barriers such as a partition, wall, curtain, etc. and be part of thesalat al-Jama'at . The women are also permitted to have their ownsalat al-Jama'at in which a lady Imam can lead - as long as there are only women in theJama'at . However, she will not stand in front, but will position herself in the center of the first line, and those following her will form the first line by standing by her sides.

A Few Narrations ConcerningSalat al-Jama'at

The Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, said: "Verily, when one of Allah's servants establishes thesalat in congregation and asks Him something which He does not grant him, Allah will be ashamed until He fulfills it."

Imam 'Aliibn Musa al-Ritja , peace be upon him, said: "The excellence of the congregationsalat compared to a solitarysalat , is oneRak'at to two thousandRak'at ."

The Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, said: "One prayer of a man in congregation is worthier than his forty years of prayers at home (alone)."

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir , peace be upon him, said: "The person who abandons the congregation (salat ) without having an excuse, and only for unwillingness or in order to avoid attending the gathering of Muslims, has nosalat (hissalat will not be accepted)."

Once a blind man came to the Prophet of Allah, peace be upon him and his family, and said that there was not anyone to take him to theMasjid to attend the congregationalsalat with him (the Prophet), when he heard the call to prayer. The Holy Prophet, peace be upon him said, "Stretch a rope from your house up to theMasjid and attend the congregationalsalat ."

والحمد لله رب العالمين

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