Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Burhan. Idd Mubarak to you, your family and your associates/scholars. 2.Praying 3-times a day .... innovation! the Prophet (saws) prayed 5-times a day when he was in Medina and not travelling I have noticed that you have mentioned quite a few times that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) prayed five times a day when he was in Medina (see your quote above). Why do you specifically mention Medina and not other places? I am sure that the Holy Prophet(S.A.W) resided in other places for a period of time when he did not have to pray qasr prayers. Did he not pray five times there? I have also asked about this issue quite a bit and have been told that the whole of the Shia Islamic world recite their 5 prayers three times a day. Can the whole of the Shia Islamic world be wrong? They also have their scholars and their wise old men who must have studied the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet(S.A.W). I am sure they have a reason and evidence to support their praying of three times a day. Salaam Aleikum

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Answer:

Why Shias pray 3 times in a day?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: Why do you specifically mention Medina and not other places? I am sure that the Holy Prophet(S.A.W) resided in other places for a period of time when he did not have to pray qasr prayers. Did he not pray five times there?

Dear Brother, the only reason we mentioned Medina was because that was where the Prophet (saws) lived; had his mosque, and led thousands of believers in prayers on a regular basis five times a day. There are also many instances where the Prophet (saws) prayed ‘qasr’ (shortened) prayers, and there too he prayed five times a day! And there are also instances that he prayed ‘qasr and jamaa’ (shortened and combined) prayers when he was traveling, whereby he combined his zohr/asr and magrib/isha prayers!

But the issue here is what did the Prophet (saws) do on a regular basis, when he was living in Medina and not traveling, because traveling is an exception and there are separate commands in the Quran for the prayers of one who is travelling. Without an iota of a doubt, he led the believers five times a day in their prayers when he (saws) was in Medina!

Your Question: I have also asked about this issue quite a bit and have been told that the whole of the Shia Islamic world recite their 5 prayers three times a day. Can the whole of the Shia Islamic world be wrong?

No one understood the commands of Allah in the Quran better than the person of the Messenger of Allah (saws); and he prayed the five prayers at the five different appointed times of the day. Even if you ask the Shia scholars how many times did the Prophet (saws) lead the prayers when he was not traveling, they would confirm with you that he (saws) did indeed lead the believers in prayers at five separate times of the day. This changing of praying the five prayers three times a day was a later innovation by some religious leaders and their argument was that since the Prophet (saws) did pray three times a day (when he was traveling, or in extreme rain, etc.), it is an established Sunnah and therefore permissible!

It would obviously be wrong to take the exception and consider it the law for regular times!

Your Statement: They also have their scholars and their wise old men who must have studied the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet(S.A.W). I am sure they have a reason and evidence to support their praying of three times a day.

We are sure they have their scholars and wise old men who must have studied the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws), but they have never produced reason or evidence to support their claims. In fact, most of the Shia scholars we have spoken to on this matter confirm that indeed the Prophet (saws) prayed five times a day when he was not traveling! The change to three times a day was done many years after the death of the Prophet (saws) by some of their scholars, and accepted by their followers.

But if one studies the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws), his noble ‘ahle-bayt’, and his noble companions… it is clearly evident that all the believers prayed their obligatory five prayers at the five different times of the day!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 103:Indeed the Salaat is a prescribed duty that should be performed by the believers at their appointed times.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan