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:

JazakAllah brother, but this reply does not answer all my

entirely, being a woman can i get off the car and pray Fardh namaaz in the open ground, for all men to see????

Wud that not be disregarding the hadeeth where it is mentioned that it is preferable for women to pray in the confinement of their rooms/homes.

Maa Salama

(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:

Offer prayers in car

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.393 Narrated by Jabir

Allah's Messenger (saws) used to pray (optional, non-obligatory prayer) while riding on his mount (Rahila) wherever it turned, and whenever he wanted to pray the obligatory prayer, he (saws) dismounted and prayed facing the Qibla.

Dear and beloved brother, it is permissible in Islam to offer one’s voluntary (Sunnah or Nafl) prayers whilst moving on a mount or in a vehicle, but when one wishes to offer one’s obligatory prayers and has the physical ability to do so, one must dismount from their vehicle and offer their prayers.

If one is traveling in a vehicle or car and one fears one would not reach their destination before the prayer time elapses, one should stop their vehicle, get down, and offer their prayers facing the Qibla.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.67

Allah the Exalted has conferred a special blessing upon this Muslim Ummah - that is, the whole earth has been declared a mosque for it. Therefore, when the time for prayer comes, a Muslim may pray wherever he may be. Abu Dharr al-Ghaffari reports that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Wherever you may be, at the time of salah, you may pray for it [the earth] is all a mosque."

Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

Your Statement: being a woman can i get off the car and pray Fardh namaaz in the open ground, for all men to see????

Dear and beloved sister in Islam, we sincerely apologize if our statement gave rise to any misunderstanding, for under no circumstances did we mean or imply that a sister should pray in a place for all men to see.

Because the time period of ‘magrib’ is short, as much as possible, the sister should take precaution and depart on her voyage either after the prayer time is due, or depart well in advance so that she may reach her destination before the prayer is due.

The ‘ada’ time for ‘magrib’ prayers is after the sun has completely set until the time of ‘Isha’ prayers is due…thus if the sister is absolutely confident she will make it to her destination before ‘Isha’ starts, she may opt to offer her ‘magrib’ prayers at her destination.

In the case where ‘magrib’ prayer is due, and the sister is not confident she will make it to her destination before ‘Isha’ is due, it would be best to try to the best of their ability to park the car in such a place which is far away from the public eye, and get down and offer her prayers rather than missing an obligatory prayer.

In light of the authentic and established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws), if one has the option of standing and offering their obligatory prayers, it would not be permissible for them to sit and offer them; but one may offer their voluntary or supererogatory prayers standing, sitting, or while moving in a vehicle, etc.; whichever is easy and convenient for them.

Your Question: Wud that not be disregarding the hadeeth where it is mentioned that it is preferable for women to pray in the confinement of their rooms/homes.

Umm Humaid as-Sa'diyah came to the Messenger of Allah(saws) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I love to pray with you." The Prophet(saws) said: "I am aware of that, but your salah in your residence is better for you than your salah in your people's mosque. And your salah in your people's mosque is better than your salah in the [larger] congregational Mosque."

Related by Ahmad and at-Tabarani

Without an iota of a doubt, under normal and general conditions, it would be preferable and more meritorious for a believing sister to offer her prayers in the confinement of her house.

But beloved sister, the condition that you enquired was the prayer of the believing woman when she is traveling in a vehicle; thus the option of praying in the confinement of her house would not have been available in such a situation.

For a believing woman who is traveling in a vehicle and fears she will not reach her destination until after the prayer time has elapsed, has only two options:

1. Stop the vehicle and offer her prayers on time, striving to the best of their ability to be as far away from the public eye as possible.
2. Miss or delay her prayers beyond its appointed time.

Intentionally missing or delaying an obligatory prayer is not even an option for one who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day and are mindful of their prayers; thus the only lawful and legal option which would remain is to stop the vehicle and offer their prayers, trying to the best of their ability to be away from public view.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan