CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER

(JAMAAH SOLAH)

MAIN TOPICS
1. Catching up with imam or the congregation.
2. Who has the most right to be imam?
3. The positioning of the imam and the followers.
4. Strengthening the rows and the gaps.
5. Encouragement concerning being in the first row and one the right side.

LEARNING OUTCOME

By the end of the topic, the student will be able to:

1) Understand the superior of congregational prayer in reward.

2) Understand the way to perform congregational prayer and to catch up with imam or
the congregation.
3) Understand the positioning of the imam and the followers in congregational prayer.

MAIN IDEAS

Performing the prayers in congregation is sunnah muakkadah.

Prayer in congregation is superior to a prayer performed individually by twenty-seven
degrees.

Women and congregational prayers: It is better for women to pray in their houses than
to attend a congregational prayers. However, they may go to the mosque and attend
the congregation prayers if they avoid wearing or using any attractive or tempting
adornment or perfume.

One person with the imam would constitute a congregation even if the other person is
a child or woman.

1. Catching up with imam or the congregation.

Whoever joins a congregation, he should perform the opening takbir while standing
and then move directly to the act that the congregation may be for performing.

However, such a person is not considered as having performed the rak’ah unless he
performs the ruku’ (bowing).

It is called masbuq.

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 2. Who has the most right to be imam?

1) The one who should be imam is the one who is the most versed in the Qur’an.
2) Then it is the one who has the most knowledge of the sunnah.
3) Then it is the one who performed the migration first.
4) Then is should be the eldest.
5) No man should be the imam for another while with the other’s family or where the other is in
authority.
6) A person should not be an imam for another when the other is in authority except with his
permission.

3. The positioning of the imam and the followers.

• The position of the imam while leading the prayer: it is preferred for the imam to
stand in the center of the rows and the people closest him should be the people of intellect
and understanding.

• It is preferred for one person to stand to the right of the imam and for a group of two (or
more) to stand behind the imam.

imam
imam imam










• If a woman is present with the group, then she is to stand a row by herself behind the
men and she is not to join them in their rows.

imam



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• The positioning of the young and the women: the messenger of Allah placed the men
in front of the young boys and the women behind the young boys.

imam



• The prayer of an individual behind a row: if a person makes his opening takbir
behind a row and then he enter the row and performs the ruku’ (bowing) with the imam, his
salah will be valid.
• According to the majority, if the person prays behind the rows by himself, his salah will
be valid but disliked.
• “He is to repeat his salah” At-Tirmidhi called this hadith hasan and Ahmed’s chain is
good.
• If someone comes to the row and does not find sufficient space or a gap to stand in the
row, then, according some, he should stand by himself and it is disliked to pull anyone back
from the row. Others say that he should pull one, who is aware of the ruling, back from the
row after they have performed the opening takbir, and it is preferred for the one who is
pulled to join him.

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 4. Strengthening the rows and the gaps

It is preferred for the imam to order the followers to straightening of the rows and fill any
gaps before he starts the salah.
“Complete the front row then the ones after it, and if there is any incompletion, it should
be in the last row.”

5. Encouragement concerning being in the first row and one the right side.

Ahmad and at- Tabarani record, with a sahih chain, from Abu Umamah that the
prophet said: “Allah and the angels send down blessings upon the first row.” The
people inquired: “O messenger of Allah, and upon the second row?” The Prophet
again said: “Allah and the angels send down blessing upon the first row.” The people
ask again: “O messenger of Allah, and upon the second row?” Finally he said: “And
upon the second row.”

There is consensus among scholars that repeating aloud after the imam without there
being any real need for it is and abhorrent innovation.

The prayer of one who has no means of purifying himself: whoever cannot get water
or soil may pray in whatever state he is in and he will not have to repeat his prayer
later.