Performing prayer again to help someone earn reward of congregation

17-5-2017 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wabarakaatuhu. I am unable to pray the Thuhr prayer in the masijd because of my exams. If my father/mother have already prayed the Sunnah of the Thuhr and the Thuhr itself already, can they still pray with me so that I can get the reward of the congregation and the reward of attending the beginning of the prayer? If so, then what should their intention be? A voluntary prayer of four units? If my mother prays with me, where should she stand; next to me or behind me? As for the other Muslims taking the exam with me, most of them, as far as I know, do not pray five times a day. So I think that they will be more eager to go home than to pray with me.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. 

First of all, we ask Allah to reward you for your keenness on doing good.

It is permissible for your mother and father, or one of them, to pray with you so that you get the reward of the congregation. If your mother prays with you, she should intend an optional prayer (Nawaafil) as an act of charity by praying the Thuhr again with you; the same thing applies to your father.

She should stand behind you and not next to you. For more benefit, please refer to fatwas 85798 and 86881.

If you remind your colleagues at school about the prayer and its importance and make them pray with you, if possible, then there is much goodness in this.

May Allah guide you and enable you to do good.  

Allah knows best.