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:

Respected Brother in Islam,

 
Asalamo alikom wa rahmatu Allah Most of the people here in arab countries are praying Salat at their convenient time. which means that thay are praying several jama every two persons coming one become Imam and pray jama thay are praying jama more than one time even if thay are the residents of same area.

My question is if jama is allowed more than one time then what is the importance of first jama and appointed times. Even these people are pray second and third jama for Fajer and maghreb when the times for jama are too short. thay are also giving jama in westren dresses and wearing ties not having beard . if all these things are ok then very soon we will lose the real teachings, idenity and culture of Islam.

Please tell me in detail  answer for all these questions.

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Answer:

Make second 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.

Your Statement: ….Most of the people here in arab countries are praying Salat at their convenient time.

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.

Allah Subhanah and His Messenger (saws) have prescribed the time bands between which the obligatory prayers must be offered; although we are not in agreement with your statement that ‘most’ people in Arab countries pray their obligatory prayers at their convenient times….but if indeed they are doing so, then they are obviously in transgression of the Laws and the Guidance of Allah and His Messenger (saws)!

The obligatory prayers are a prescribed duty which should be performed by the believers at their respective appointed and prescribed time-bands.

Your Question: ….my question is if jama is allowed more than one time then what is the importance of first jama and appointed times. Even these people are pray second and third jama for Fajer and maghreb when the times for jama are too short.

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 a new 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

If one perchance reaches the masjid late and finds that the believers have already offered their prayer in congregation, there is allowance in Shariah for the brother who reached late to form a new congregation.

Your Question: …..thay are also giving jama in westren dresses and wearing ties not having beard .
Allah and His Messenger (saws) have neither specified nor limited the believers to a particular Islamic dress, but rather gave some conditions which the dress one adorns himself/herself with must be fulfilled:

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verse 26:

26 O ye children of Adam! We have bestowed clothing upon you to cover your shame as well as to be an adornment to you; but the clothing of ‘taqwa’ (piety, righteousness, etc.) that is the best. Such are among the Signs of Allah that they may receive admonition!

Provided that the below five conditions of apparel are not violated, there is absolutely no restriction on the type or color of clothing the believers are allowed to wear in Islam:

1. Clothes worn should not announce arrogance.
2. The ‘satr’ of the person (man or woman) must be covered.
3. The clothes worn must not be tight so as to display ones figure and curves, and should not be transparent.
4. The clothes worn must not be an imitation of the pagans or disbelievers.
5. Men should not imitate women in their clothing; nor should women imitate men in their clothing.

Thus if the culture or tradition of the people where one resides is shirts and pants, or whatever else; there is absolutely no harm if a believer adorns themselves with the prevalent clothes, as long as none of the above conditions of Islam on apparel are violated.

Regardless of what type of dress the believers chose to adorn themselves with, as long as none of the above listed criteria are violated, their prayers will be considered as valid. As much as having a beard for a believing male is an extremely preferred Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws), the growing of a beard is not amongst the obligatory pre-conditions of a prayer in Shariah. If a believer chooses not to adorn himself with a beard, he would be leaving an extremely preferred Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws); but that by itself would not invalidate his prayers.

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