Praying in Jamaa’ah (Congregation) after the Imam Has Completed the First One

30-3-2002 | IslamWeb

Question:

Is it permissible to establish a second Jamaah after the Imam finishes the first one? You see some brothers make another Jamaah when they miss the first Jamaah. Other brothers believe that making another Jamaah is not permissible. Both of them have supporting evidence to their stand. Please clarify me the above matter.

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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.

The scholars of Islam deferred in opinion concerning making a congregational prayer for the second time in a mosque for which there is a standing Imam as long as the mosque is not much-frequented as we see in the mosques of Souks (markets) or those on the roads.

According to Ahmad, Ishaaq, 'Ataa’, al-Hasan, al-Nakha'i and Qatada as reported by Ibn Qudaamah from Ibn Mas’ood, making a congregational prayer for a second time in the same mosque is not disliked.

In this vein, Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri reported that, "The Prophet performed Thuhr prayer as an Imam with his Companions, and then a man entered (the mosque), so the Prophet said: "O so and so! What prevented you till now from the prayer?" The man mentioned some genuine reason. The narrator added: Then, the man stood to perform his prayer. The Prophet said: "Who is ready to perform the prayer with this man and that will be a charity on his behalf? So, a man from among those present performed it with that man." [Ahmad, Abu Daawood and at-Tirmithi]

According to Abu Haneefah, ash-Shaafi'iand Maalik Schools of jurisprudence, such an action is detestable. This is also the opinion of al-Thawri, al-Awzaa'i, Ayoob, Abu Qulaabah, Ibn 'Aoon and al-Layth.

They believed that performing a congregational prayer for a second time in the same mosque leads to separation and causes grudges. In addition, this will constitute an excuse for those who follow their whims to make more congregations intentionally.

However, the first opinion is the predominant one.

Allah knows best.