Question:-
I recently noticed that three brothers who missed their Salaah with Jamaat, were individually performing their Salaah in the Sahn. Is it acceptable for them to have done so or, is it better for the three of them to have made their own Jamaat?
Answer:-
The Fuqaha have written that it is Makrooh-e-Tahrimi to hold a second Jamaat within the boundaries of the Masjid, in the same pattern as the first Jamaat where an Imaam and Muazzin are appointed for the five daily Salaah. If the sequence and pattern is slightly changed whereby the Adhaan is not called out for the second Jamaat, nor does the Imaam (of the second Jamaat) stand next to the Mehraab (as the appointed Imaam usually does for the five daily salaah), then such a second Jamaat is Makrooh-e-Tanzeehi. Be that as it may, one should abstain from having a second Jamaat within the boundary of the actual Masjid area.
If there are late-comers (who are seldom late for Salaah) and wish to perform their Salaah in Jamaat to attain the rewards of Jamaat (as they are always regular and never miss the Jamaat), then they may perform their Salaah in congregation in some alternative venue such as the Madrasah classrooms that are generally attached to the Masaajid (and not the Sahn which is attached to the Masjid).
However, this should not be a regular practice; rather people should be regular with the first Jamaat on its appointed time and should not form a habit of holding a second Jamaat. The convenience of having a second or third Jamaat results in people undermining the importance (of being punctual) for the first Jamaat.
[Re:- Fataawa Darul Uloom Zakariyya pg. 261 vol.2]
ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai
Date: 20 Dhul Hijjah 1443 / 20 July 2022
