Safety comes first

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Allaah تعالى says:

{O you who believe! When the call is proclaimed for the Salaah on Friday, hasten earnestly to the remembrance of Allaah and leave off business (and every other thing). That is better for you if you did but know!} [Surah al-Jumu`ah (62):9]

Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: I heard Allaah’s Apostles صلى الله عليه وسلم saying: “If the prayer is started (i.e. the call for Iqaamah is made) do not run for it but just walk for it calmly and pray whatever you get, and complete whatever is missed.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (908) and Saheeh Muslim (602)]

Abu Qataadah said: “While we were praying behind the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم he heard commotion. At the end of the prayer, the Prophet said: “What is the matter with you?” They said: `We hastened to the prayer.' The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Don't do that. When you come for prayer, there should be tranquility upon you. Pray what remains of the prayer and complete what you have missed.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (635) and Saheeh Muslim (603)]

Imaam Ibn Katheer رحمه الله said in his Tafseer:

The meaning of Sa`y (hasten) here does not refer to walking quickly. It only refers to the importance of it. `Umar bin Al-Khattaab and Ibn Mas`ood رضي الله عنهما recited it: {فَامْضُوا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللهِ } (“Then proceed to the remembrance of Allaah.”) As for walking in haste to the prayer, that was indeed prohibited, since it was recorded in the Two Saheehs from Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Prophet said:

«إِذَا سَمِعْتُمُ الْإِقَامَةَ فَامْشُوا إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّكِينَةَ وَالْوَقَارَ وَلَا تُسْرِعُوا، فَمَا أَدْرَكْتُمْ فَصَلُّوا وَمَا فَاتَكُمْ فَأَتِمُّوا»

“When you hear the Iqaamah, proceed to offer the prayer with calmness and solemnity and do not rush. And pray whatever you catch, and complete whatever you have missed.”

This is the wording with Al-Bukhaaree.

Abu Qataadah رضي الله عنه said: “While we were praying behind the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم he heard commotion. At the end of the prayer, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

«مَا شَأْنُكُمْ»

“What is the matter with you?” They said: `We hastened to the prayer.' The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

«فَلَا تَفْعَلُوا، إِذَا أَتَيْتُمُ الصَّلَاةَ فَامْشُوا وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّكِينَةَ فَمَا أَدْرَكْتُمْ فَصَلُّوا وَمَا فَاتَكُمْ فَأَتِمُّوا»

“Don't do that. When you come for prayer, there should be tranquility upon you. Pray what remains of the prayer and complete what you have missed.”

The Two Saheehs collected this Hadith.

Al-Hasan al-Basree رحمه الله commented: “By Allaah! Hastening to the prayer is not accomplished by the feet. Indeed they were prohibited from coming to prayer without tranquility and dignity. Rather it is about the hearts, the intention, and the submission.”

Qataadah رحمه الله said:

﴿فَاسْعَوْاْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ﴾

“{then hasten to the remembrance of Allaah} means that you have to hasten to the prayer with your heart and actions, and walk to it.”

--end of quote from Tafseer Ibn Katheer.

Ibn Battaal رحمه الله said:

“Al-Hasan al-Basree رحمه الله commented: “By Allaah! Hastening to the prayer is not accomplished by the feet. Indeed they were prohibited from coming to prayer without tranquility and dignity. Rather it is about the hearts, the intention, and the submission.”

And this is the opinion of Imaam Maalik and majority of the Scholars, as well as the opinion of Imaam al-Bukhaaree.” [Sharh Saheeh al-Bukhaaree of Ibn Battaal (2/500)]

*******

There are two issues highlighted in these Ahaadeeth:

First: Safety & Tranquility:

Subhaan-Allaah! And Allaah knows best, but the importance of these two Ahaadeeth is felt more in this generation and age than ever before. With all the lack of patience and tranquility in our generation – except those whom Allaah guided – these Ahaadeeth act as a reminder.

The speeding traffic, the need to cross the road to get to the Masjid and being late for the prayer are the means for an accident to happen. When a person rushes to cross the road without caring for the oncoming traffic, he is only putting his life in danger.

This danger is not limited for crossing the roads only, but also during the time of Iftaar, in Ramadhaan and out of it. People are seen over speeding to reach their homes in time to break the fast with their families. Thus risking their lives as well as those of the pedestrians.

Rushing to Makkah to catch the Iftaar and Taraaweeh in the Haram is another example.

The Ahaadeeth are not limited to religion only, but in all aspects of life. The simple motto here is: Do not Rush. For we also see some students when late for college/university and many employees when late for work, zigzagging through the traffic. We ask Allaah for our wellbeing.

The religion of Islaam is based on safety & ease for its followers. There are many texts from the Qur’aan and the Sunnah supporting this. Example: delaying fasting for the traveler or a sick person; doing Tayammum in place of Wudhu when there is no water.

Allaah تعالى says:

{وَلَا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ}

{and make not your own hands contribute to (your own) destruction} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 195]

Second: Rushing for Salaah:

The statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: “Pray what remains of the prayer and complete what you have missed.”

Inside the Masjid, the people are often seen rushing when the Imaam is already in Rukoo` or is going for it. Some people are seen running for it and they say the Takbeer while they are still moving (walking or running) and have not joined the Saff (row); while others ignore the Takbeerat-ul-`Ihraam (the opening Takbeer) and go directly into Rukoo`.

The proper method is that the person should join the row, come to a complete halt, and then say the opening Takbeer. The opening Takbeer and standing for it is from the nine pillars of prayer. The evidences of this are the following Hadeeth:

1. The evidence for standing for prayer is from the Hadeeth of the one who prayed badly. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught him saying:

“When you stand for Prayer say the Takbeer…” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (757, 793, 6251, 6667) and Saheeh Muslim (397)]

2. The evidence for beginning the prayer with the opening Takbeer is the Hadeeth where the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“The key to prayer is purification; its beginning is Takbeer* and its end is Tasleem” [Sunan Abu Dawood (61, 618), al-Tirmidhee (3, 238), Ibn Maajah (275, 276) on the authority of `Alee bin Abu Taalib, Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree رضي الله عنهما and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

*So for the one who does not say the opening Takbeer, then it is as if he has not entered the prayer in the first place.

3. The evidence for not starting the prayer before joining the rows is the Hadeeth of Abu Bakrah* رضي الله عنه:

“I reached the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in the Masjid while he was bowing in prayer and I too bowed before joining the row. I mentioned it to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and he said to me: “Allaah increase your love for the good. But do not repeat it again (bowing in that way).”” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (783)]

* Abu Bakr and Abu Bakrah رضي الله عنهما are the names two different companions.

Note: Answering the question: “Has the person caught the Rak`ah if he has caught the Imaam in Rukoo`?” is out of the scope of this post as there is a difference of opinion in this issue.

Moreover, when the person joins the prayer, he should follow the Imaam in what he catches with him and complete that which he misses. Example: a person joins the Dhuhr prayer when the Imaam is in his third Rak`ah. For the Imaam it is his third Rak`ah, but for the latecomer it would be his first. So he will be completing his first two Rak`aat with the congregation and the last two (i.e. the third and the fourth), he would have to complete it after the Imaam has said the Tasleem (to his right and his left).

And Allaah is the Granter of success.