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:

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ALL ANSWERS, MAY ALLAH BLESS YOU,

NOW A DAYS I AM NOT GETTING YOUR MAILS PLZ PUT ME IN YOUR GROUP, THANK YOU,

BROTHER I HAVE ONE QUESTION - CAN WE PRAY TWO TIMES FARZ SALAH,

AS A MATTER OF FACT AFTER MAIN JAMAT, THOSE WHO ARE COMMONG LATE THEY ARE PRAYING IN JAMAT, CAN WE JOIN THEM FOR FARZ SALAH,EVEN AFTER FINISHING WITH MAIN JAMAT.

PLZ ANSWER IN LIGHT OF QURAN AND SUNNAH

(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 prayer twice in congregation

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.

Abu Said al Khudri narrates that a man entered the Prophet’s Mosque, and the Prophet (saws) and his companions had already finished their obligatory prayer in congregation. The Prophet (saws) said: "Who will give charity to him by praying with him (in congregation)?" So, a man (Abi Shaibah reports that it was Hadrat Abu Bakr (r.a.)) from the people stood and prayed with him.

Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and at-Tirmidhi

Although it is preferred that one offer their obligatory prayers in congregation and a Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) to offer one’s voluntary (Nafl, Sunnah) prayers alone….. there is absolutely no harm if one who has already completed their obligatory prayer in congregation wishes to offer their voluntary (Nafl, Sunnah) prayers with the believers who arrived late, and are in the process of offering their obligatory prayer in (a second) congregation.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 9.393 (part) Narrated by Zaid bin Thabit

….The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘O people! Perform your (supererogatory) prayers at your homes, for the best (supererogatory) prayer of a person is what is performed at his home, except the obligatory (congregational) prayers."

Thus brother, although it is preferred that one offer their voluntary prayers alone and/or at home, if one who has already performed their obligatory prayer in congregation wishes to join the second congregation of late comers, there is absolutely no harm…..but his prayer with the second congregation will be deemed and considered a voluntary or ‘nafl’ prayer.

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