QUESTION:
Why is the joining of Salaah permissible in some Madhaa’ib and not in the others?
ANSWER:
The Imaams of Fiqh deduced the Masaa’il of Shariah with complete trustworthiness and religiousness considering the proofs of Shariah. Those Masaa’il that were proven considering the proofs of Shariah were regarded as the preferred view in the Madhab. Now, we as followers of the Madhab should follow the Imaam of the Madhab and not our desires, otherwise Deen will not remain as Deen; it will be a matter of following one’s desires.
Considering the proofs of Shariah, the Hanafi jurists have afforded preference to the view that combining of two Salaah in one time is not permitted. In the narrations that discuss combining of two Salaah, the outward appearance of combining of two Salaah is meant and not combining of two Salaah in reality. This means that the first Salaah is delayed to the final or last time of the Salaah, and the next Salaah is performed as soon as the next Salaah time enters.
There are many proofs that prevent us from combining two Salaah in reality. The Quraan Sharif states:
حَـٰفِظُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلصَّلَوَٰتِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ٱلْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا۟ لِلَّهِ قَـٰنِتِينَ
Strictly guard your Salaahs (by performing them at their correct times) especially the middle one (the Asr Salaah) and stand humbly before Allah. [Verse 238, Surah 2]
Another verse states:
إن الصلاة كانت على المؤمنين كتابا موقوتا
Indeed, Salaah has been made obligatory for the Mu’mineen at fixed hours [Verse 103, Surah 4]
The following Hadith of Bukhari Sharif proves that performing Salaah on its fixed time is beloved to Allah Ta’ala:
وعن ابن مسعود قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا رسولَ الله، أيُّ العَمَلِ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللهِ تَعَالَى؟ قَالَ: «الصَّلاَةُ عَلَى وَقْتِهَا» قُلْتُ: ثُمَّ أيُّ؟ قَالَ: «بِرُّ الوَالِدَيْنِ» قلتُ: ثُمَّ أيُّ؟ قَالَ: «الجِهَادُ في سَبيلِ اللهِ». (متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ)
In another narration of Bukhari Sharif, Abdullah Bin Masood Radiallahu Anhu narrates, “I didn’t see Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam performing any Salaah before its appointed time except two Salaah, combining of Maghrib and Esha in Muzdalifah and he performed the Salaah of Fajr on that day before its time.”
The proofs for outwardly combining between two Salaah is as follows:
وَمِمَّا يَدُلّ عَلَى تَعْيِين حَمْل حَدِيثِ الْبَابِ عَلَى الْجَمْع الصُّورِيّ مَا أَخْرَجَهُ النَّسَائِيّ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ بِلَفْظِ: «صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – الظُّهْرَ وَالْعَصْرَ جَمِيعًا، وَالْمَغْرِبَ وَالْعِشَاءَ جَمِيعًا، أَخَّرَ الظُّهْر وَعَجَّلَ الْعَصْر، وَأَخَّرَ الْمَغْرِبَ وَعَجَّلَ الْعِشَاءَ» فَهَذَا ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ رَاوِي حَدِيثِ الْبَابِ قَدْ صَرَّحَ بِأَنَّ مَا رَوَاهُ مِنْ الْجَمْع الْمَذْكُور هُوَ الْجَمْع الصُّورِيّ.
وَمِمَّا يُؤَيِّدُ ذَلِكَ مَا رَوَاهُ الشَّيْخَانِ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: يَا أَبَا الشَّعْثَاءِ أَظُنّهُ أَخَّرَ الظُّهْرَ وَعَجَّلَ الْعَصْرَ، وَأَخَّرَ الْمَغْرِبَ وَعَجَّلَ الْعِشَاءَ؟ قَالَ: وَأَنَا أَظُنّهُ. وَأَبُو الشَّعْثَاءِ هُوَ رَاوِي الْحَدِيثِ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ كَمَا تَقَدَّمَ. (نيل الاوطار ص230 ج3)
[Re: Fataawa Darul Uloom Zakariyya Vol:2 Pg:674]
In conclusion, the narrations which state that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam combined Zuhr and Asr, and Maghrib and Esha, mean that he delayed Zuhr and hastened Asr, and delayed Maghrib and hastened Esha. Ibn Abbas Radiallahu Anhu who is the narrator of the Hadith states that the combining of Salaah referred to in the narration is Jamaa Suri (apparent combining of Salaah and not actual combining of two Salaah in one time). The Imaams of the other Madhaahib have understood the combining of two Salaah as combining two Salaah in one time, hence the difference between the Imaams of the Madhaahib.
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Maulana Ahmed Saeed
Date: 09 Safar 1446 / 13 August 2024
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
