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 Brother Burhan,

A few simple questions on prayers:

1. Is it compulsory to recite Surah Al Fatiha when praying in a jamaat behind an Imam? In every rikaat? When should it be ideally recited during the rakaat?

2. During a journey while combining Maghrib and Ishaa, do the combined prayers have to be prayed at the time of Maghrib or can they be prayed at the time of Isha, if circumstances do not permit praying at the time of maghrib?

3. Is praying by "ishara" in a crowded train, etc., a a valid amal?

4. If I have missed more than two rakaats in a jamaat - three for example, when I am completing my prayers after the imam has said the "salam", in how many rikaats should I add a surah after Al Fatiha?

5. What are the cutoff timings of Asar prayers and of Tahajjud prayers? Should one leave the witr prayers to be prayed after Tahajjud or can Tahajjud be prayed even after witr prayers have been completed during the Isha prayers?

Now one question regarding my profession:

I work in an advertising agency. The work involves co-ordinating still and ad film shoots, contacting male and female models apart from a general marketing function of devising advertising strategies based on study of market. Do you think my field of work is not appropriate for a Muslim and should I think of leaving it, keeping in mind that I am qualified to work in Marketing and Product Management where I will have nothing to do with advertising?

Awaiting your replies. Wishing you and your team the very best in life. Keep up the good work. 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Prayer questions

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.

Q-1: Is it compulsory to recite Surah Al Fatiha when praying in a jamaat behind an Imam? In every rikaat? When should it be ideally recited during the rakaat?
One of the obligatory conditions of offering prayer is the recitation of the Surah Fatihah in each and every rakah of the salaah.

Sahih Al-Bukhari HadithHadith 1.723 Narrated by Ubada bin As Samit

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "Whoever does not recite Al-Fatiha in his prayer, his prayer is invalid."

The best and most accepted practice regarding the recitation of Surah Fatihah when one is praying in congregation is that when the ‘Imam’ recites the prayer aloud (as in Fajr, and the first two rakahs of Magrib and Isha) one should remain silent and listen to the recitation of the ‘Imam’; and when the ‘Imam’ recites the prayer silently (as in Dhuhr, Asr, and the last rakah/s of Magrib and Isha) one should recite the Surah Fatihah himself.

Q-2: During a journey while combining Maghrib and Ishaa, do the combined prayers have to be prayed at the time of Maghrib or can they be prayed at the time of Isha, if circumstances do not permit praying at the time of maghrib?
Mu'adh reports that while the Prophet (saws) was at Tabuk and the sun had passed the meridian, the Prophet (saws) combined the zuhr and 'asr prayers before he (saws) started his journey. If he (saws) started his journey before the sun passed its meridian, he (saws) would delay the zuhr prayer until the time when he stoppped for the 'asr prayer. He would do likewise for the maghrib prayer. If the sun set before he began his journey, he (saws) would combine the maghrib and 'isha prayers [at that time]. If he began a journey before the sun had set, he (saws) would then combine them at the time of 'isha.

Related by Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi.

There is evidence in the authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) that at times he (saws) would combine the Magrib and Isha prayers at the time of Magrib, and at times he (saws) would combine the Magrib and Isha prayers at the time of Isha; thus both are permissible for the believers and they may combine the prayers of Magrib and Isha whenever it is convenient and easy for them.

Q-3: Is praying by "ishara" in a crowded train, etc., a a valid amal?
Reported 'Amr ibn Rabi'ah, "I saw the Messenger of Allah (saws) pray while riding, and he faced the direction in which he was going."

Related by Muslim, at-Tirmidhi and al-Bukhari. The latter added that "he bent his head slighty."

If one is in a state of travel (mount, car, train, plane, etc.), and fears that one might miss the time for prayer if he waited to reach his destination, and one cannot find enough space to stand and offer the prayers, there is absolutely no harm if one prays by gestures in the position he is in; making sure one bows a little more for the prostrations than the ‘ruku’.

Q-4: If I have missed more than two rakaats in a jamaat - three for example, when I am completing my prayers after the imam has said the "salam", in how many rikaats should I add a surah after Al Fatiha?

Abu Hurairah reports that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "If you come to the salah and we are in sajdah, then make sajdah with us but do not count it [as a rak'ah]. And whoever 'catches' the ruku', he catches the salah."

Related by Abu Dawud, Ibn Khuzaimah, and by al-Hakim.

Firstly, it is a preferred Sunnah and not an ‘obligatory’ act of prayer to add a Surah to the recitation of Surah Fatihah in the first two rakahs of each of the five obligatory prayer. If one forgets to add a Surah to the recitation of Surah Fatihah in any of the first two rakahs of the obligatory prayers, his prayer will still be regarded as valid.

If one ‘catches’ only one rakah of the three rakah Magrib prayer in congregation, then that will be considered his first rakah. After the Imam has declared the ‘tasleem’, he should get up and offer his second rakah with the recitation of Surah Fatihah and add another Surah and then sit and pray the small ‘tashahud’; then he should stand up for the third rakah and recite only Surah Fatihah in that rakah and finish his prayer.

Q-5: What are the cutoff timings of Asar prayers and of Tahajjud prayers?

The final time for the offering of the Asr prayers is when the sun is setting; and the final time of offering the voluntary ‘tahajjud’ prayers is just before dawn when the fajr prayers become due.

Q-6: Should one leave the witr prayers to be prayed after Tahajjud or can Tahajjud be prayed even after witr prayers have been completed during the Isha prayers?
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.112 Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar

The Prophet (saws) said, "Make Witr as your last prayer at night."

It is reported that Hadrat Ali (r.a.) said: "The witr prayer is not required like your obligatory prayers, but the Prophet (saws) would perform the witr prayer and say: 'O you people [followers] of the Qur'an, perform the witr prayer, for Allah is one and He loves the witr.'"

It is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) that he always used to make the ‘witr’ prayers, the last prayer of the night.

But if one has already prayed the ‘witr’ prayers after the Isha prayers, and then after that makes intention to pray the ‘tahajjud’ or night prayers, there is no harm in praying the ‘tahajjud’ prayers after ‘witr’ has already been prayed. This ruling is applicable only in exceptional cases, and one should not make it a regular habit to pray the tahajjud prayers after witr has already been prayed..

In such cases, where one wants to pray ‘tahajjud’ prayers after the witr has already been prayed, one should not pray the ‘witr’ prayer again.

Your Question: I work in an advertising agency. The work involves co-ordinating still and ad film shoots, contacting male and female models apart from a general marketing function of devising advertising strategies based on study of market. Do you think my field of work is not appropriate for a Muslim and should I think of leaving it, keeping in mind that I am qualified to work in Marketing and Product Management where I will have nothing to do with advertising?
Dear and Beloved brother in Islam, advertising or marketing is considered a legal profession in Islam, provided one is not promoting a product which has been declared as forbidden in Islam (alcohol, gambling, indecency, etc.). If one is able to perform his duties within the boundaries of Islam, there is absolutely no harm in the advertising or marketing profession.

But if one fears that he would put himself in a trial through the free-mixing of the sexes, then it would be purer for the believer to apply his knowledge and talent in another sphere and protect his ‘emaan’ and faith. If you are uncomfortable with the present circumstances of the requirements of this job, it would be prudent of you to look for another opportunity where you would be able to better protect your ‘emaan’ and also earn a halaal earning for yourself and your family.

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