Salat al-Muftarid Khalf al-Mutanaffil According to the Hanafiyyah

This post is to highlight that according to the Ahnaf a person praying Fardh cannot pray behind a person praying his Nafl

First Proof – Do Not Differ with the Imam

أبي هريرة عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال إنما جعل الإمام ليؤتم به فلا تختلفوا عليه

Translation:

Abu Hurayrah narrates from Nabi (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) that he (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) said: “Verily the Imam (leading the Prayer) has been assigned to be followed, DO NOT differ with him”. End Quote

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 689

صحيح البخاري
http://www.islamweb.net/newlibrary/display_book.php?flag=1&bk_no=0&ID=690

We are commanded NOT to differ with the Imam, so this proof is general and to make Takhsees upon this command (meaning to allow Salat al-Muftarid Khalf al-Mutanaffil) we need Hujjah from Rasulullah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) in words or in action CLEARLY allowing the concept.

Second Proof – When you Intend to Pray (Fardh) choose an Imam

إذا صليتم فأقيموا صفوفكم ثم ليؤمكم أحدكم فإذا كبر فكبروا

Translation:

Rasulullah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) said: “When you intend to pray (the Obligatory prayer) establish your rows, thereafter appoint an Imam (to lead) amongst yourselves, and when he says Takbeer, you say Takbeer i.e. Allahu Akbar”. End Quote.

Source: Sahih Muslim 404

صحيح مسلم
http://www.islamweb.net/newlibrary/display_book.php?flag=1&bk_no=1&ID=683

This narration is indicative that when one intends to pray in Jama’ah then it is only the obligatory prayer that one should pray (both Imam and Followers), so how can one pray Fardh behind a person praying Nafl? al-Imam al-Nawawi clearly elucidates this point in his Sharh Muslim that the command is for congregation in the obligatory prayers:

قوله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – : ( ثم ليؤمكم أحدكم ) فيه الأمر بالجماعة في المكتوبات ، ولا خلاف في ذلك

Translation:

“His (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam)’s saying: (thereafter appoint an Imam (to lead) amongst yourselves), in it is the command for Congregation in the Appointed Prayers (i.e. Faraa’idh), and there is no difference regarding that”. End Quote

Source Sharh al-Nawawi’ Ala Muslim 404

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Third Proof – Exception of a Person praying Nafl behind a person praying Fardh

As mentioned in the beginning only exceptions to the general rule can be added only if there is clear proof from Rasulullah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) either in word or action.

حديث مرفوع حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ النَّاجِيِّ الْبَصْرِيِّ ، عَنْ أَبِي الْمُتَوَكِّلِ ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ ، قَالَ : جَاءَ رَجُلٌ وَقَدْ صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَقَالَ : ” أَيُّكُمْ يَتَّجِرُ عَلَى هَذَا ” ، فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ فَصَلَّى مَعَهُ

Translation:

Marfu’ Hadith, (al-Tirmidhi write) Hannad related to us, that ‘Abdah related to us from Sa’eed Ibn Abi ‘Arubah from Sulayman al-Naji al-Basri from Abi Mutawakkil from Abi Sa’eed (al-Khudri) that he said:

“A man came (to the Masjid) and Rasulullah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) had just prayed (the Fardh Salah), then (Rasulullah) said: ‘Which one of you will give him charity? (by praying with him in a congregation), a man stood and prayed with him (i.e followed him in prayer).” End Quote

Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi 204 Chain Hasan

al-Tirmidhi after relating this hadith says:

قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى : وَحَدِيثُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ

Translation:

Abu ‘Isa (al-Tirmidhi) said: “And the Hadith of Abi Sa’eed is Hasan”. End Quote

جامع الترمذي
http://www.islamweb.net/hadith/display_hbook.php?bk_no=195&hid=204&pid=441485

Just to consolidate the fact that the above hadith is relating a person praying Nafl behind a person praying Fardh, we will quote the erudite Scholar, al-Imam Ibn Qudamah al-Hanbali from his book al-Mughni:

ولا يختلف المذهب في صحة صلاة المتنفل وراء المفترض . ولا نعلم بين أهل العلم فيه اختلافا ، وقد دل عليه قول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم : { : ألا رجل يتصدق على هذا ، فيصلي معه

Translation:

“The Madh-hab (Hanbali) does not disagree in the permissibility of the prayer of a Mutanaffil behind a Muftarid, and we do not know if there is Ikhtilaf amongst the People of knowledge in this matter, and the proof for it’s permissibility is the saying of Rasulullah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) ‘Which one of you will give him charity?” End Quote (as quoted above in the hadith)

Source: al-Mughni Li-Ibn Qudamah 1187/31

المغني
http://www.islamweb.net/newlibrary/display_book.php?idfrom=935&idto=935&bk_no=15&ID=894

Answers to the “proofs” given allowing a person to pray Fardh behind a Person praying Nafl

حَدَّثَنَا جَابِرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ، أَنَّ مُعَاذَ بْنَ جَبَلٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، كَانَ يُصَلِّي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، ثُمَّ يَأْتِي قَوْمَهُ فَيُصَلِّي بِهِمُ الصَّلَاةَ ، فَقَرَأَ بِهِمُ الْبَقَرَةَ قَالَ : فَتَجَوَّزَ رَجُلٌ فَصَلَّى صَلَاةً خَفِيفَةً ، فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ مُعَاذًا ، فَقَالَ : إِنَّهُ مُنَافِقٌ ، فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلَ ، فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا قَوْمٌ نَعْمَلُ بِأَيْدِينَا وَنَسْقِي بِنَوَاضِحِنَا ، وَإِنَّ مُعَاذًا صَلَّى بِنَا الْبَارِحَةَ فَقَرَأَ الْبَقَرَةَ فَتَجَوَّزْتُ ، فَزَعَمَ أَنِّي مُنَافِقٌ ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : ” يَا مُعَاذُ ، أَفَتَّانٌ أَنْتَ ثَلَاثًا ، اقْرَأْ وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا وَ سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الأَعْلَى وَنَحْوَهَا ” .

Translation:

Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah narrates: that Mu’adh Ibn Jabal used to pray with Nabi (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) and then go to lead his people in prayer. Once he led the people in prayer and recited Surat-al-Baqarah. A man left (the row of the praying people) and offered (light) prayer (separately) and went away. When Mu’adh came to know about it, he said. “He (that man) is a hypocrite.” Later that man heard what Mu’adh said about him, so he came to the Prophet and said, “Oh Messenger of Allah! We are people who work with our own hands and irrigate (our farms) with our camels. Last night Mu’adh led us in the (night) prayer and he recited Surah al-Baqarah, so I offered my prayer separately, and because of that, he accused me of being a hypocrite.” so Nabi (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) then said:, “O Mu’adh! You are putting the people to trials? Recite ‘Wash-Shamsi Wa Duhaaha’ or ‘Sabbih-isma Rabbi-kal A’laa or something similar to it.” End Quote

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 5670

صحيح البخاري
http://www.islamweb.net/hadith/display_hbook.php?bk_no=146&hid=5670&pid=368375

The answer to this comes in many folds:

First: Hanafi Scholars have said that there is no proof that Mu’adh (Radiya Allahu ‘Anhu) initially prayed behind Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) with the intention of Fardh, as mentioned by Mullah ‘Ali al-Qari in his Mirqaat:

أن معاذا كان يصلي مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بنية النفل ليتعلم منه سنة الصلاة ويتبارك بها

Translation:

“That Mu’adh used to pray with Nabi (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) with a Niyyah of Nafl to learn from his (Rasulullah) the Sunnah of Salah and to take Barakah from it”. End Quote

Source: Mirqaat al-Mafateeh Sharh Mishkaat al-Masabeeh 833

مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح
http://www.islamweb.net/newlibrary/display_book.php?ID=37&startno=9&start=9&idfrom=1645&idto=1730&bookid=79&Hashiya=3

Moreover as it has preceded to make a Takhsees (specification) to a general ruling “clear” proof is required, not speculation.

Second: Some variations of this hadith mentions that the second prayer which Mu’adh led:

فَهِيَ لَهُ تَطَوُّعٌ , وَهِيَ لَهُمْ مَكْتُوبَةٌ

“it is for him (Mu’adh) Nafl and for them (his Qawm) Obligatory”.

This has been answered by the Great Imam of Hadith, al-Tahawi one of the Scholars of the Salaf in his Sharh Ma’ani al-Aathar after narrating the hadith with that Ziyadah:

كَانَ مِنَ الْحُجَّةِ لِلآخَرِينَ عَلَيْهِمْ ، أَنَّ ابْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ قَدْ رَوَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ كَمَا رَوَاهُ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ ، وَجَاءَ بِهِ تَامًّا وَسَاقَهُ أَحْسَنَ مِنْ سِيَاقِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ ، غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَقُلْ فِيهِ ، هَذَا الَّذِي قَالَهُ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ : هِيَ لَهُ تَطَوُّعٌ ، وَلَهُمْ فَرِيضَةٌ ، فَيَجُوزُ أَنْ يَكُونَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ قَوْلِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ ، وَيَجُوزُ أَنْ يَكُونَ مِنْ قَوْلِ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ ، وَيَجُوزُ أَنْ يَكُونَ مِنْ قَوْلِ جَابِرٍ ، فَمِنْ أَيِّ هَؤُلاءِ الثَّلاثَةِ كَانَ الْقَوْلُ

Translation:

“It is Evidence against them (the latter), that Ibn ‘Uyanah narrated this hadith from ‘Amr ibn Dinar, just like ibn Jurayj narrated it, and it has come complete and it’s (hadith if Ibn ‘Uyaynah) gathered more better (preserved) than the capacity of Ibn Jurayj, except that none have said: (for him nafl and for them fardh) this maybe is from the saying of Ibn Jurayj, or it could be the saying of ‘Amr Bin Dinar, or it could be from the saying of Jabir, or from any of them three”. End Quote

Then at a later place al-Tahawi says:

فَكَذَلِكَ هَذَا الْفِعْلُ لَوْ ثَبَتَ أَنَّ مُعَاذًا فَعَلَهُ فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي ذَلِكَ دَلِيلٌ أَنَّهُ بِأَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ

Translation:

“Similar to this action, even if it established that Mu’adh did that in the era of Rasulullah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) then there is no proof that it was from the commands of Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam)”. End Quote

Source: Sharh Ma’ani al-Athar Li al-Tahawi 152

شرح معاني الآثار للطحاوي
http://www.islamweb.net/hadith/display_hbook.php?indexstartno=0&hflag=1&pid=77781&bk_no=379&startno=2

So it is clear that Takhsees cannot be made on Dhaan (speculation) especially when there is clear ahadith that tell us to not differ with the Imam and moreover praying the obligatory prayer one has to be careful, so precaution dictates that one should abstain especially when a majority of the Scholars have opined that it is not permissible to pray Fardh behind a person praying Nafl – a point conceded by Ibn Qudamah in his Mughni:

وفي صلاة المفترض خلف المتنفل روايتان : إحداهما : لا تصح . نص عليه أحمد ، في رواية أبي الحارث ، وحنبل . واختارها أكثر أصحابنا . وهذا قول الزهري ، ومالك ، وأصحاب الرأي ; لقول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم : { إنما جعل الإمام ليؤتم به ، فلا تختلفوا عليه } . متفق عليه

translation:

“And regarding the Prayer of a person praying Fardh behind a person praying Nafl then there is two opinion (in the School – Hanbali), first of the two is: it is not correct, and is reported from Ahmad in a narration from al-Harith and Hanbal and it is chosen by the CLEAR MAJORITY of the our Companions (Hanabilah) and it is the opinion of al-Zuhri, al-Awzai’i, Malik and the Ahl al-Ra’y (Ahnaaf) because of the hadith of Nabi (Sallallahu ‘Alkayhi WaSallam) “Verily the Imam (leading the Prayer) has been assigned to be followed, DO NOT differ with him, Agreed Upon.” End Quote

المغني
http://www.islamweb.net/newlibrary/display_book.php?idfrom=935&idto=935&bk_no=15&ID=894

Third: Rasulullah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) gave Mu’adh a choice, either to pray (his Fardh) with him or with his Qawm?

فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : يَا مُعَاذُ لا تَكُنْ فَتَّانًا ، إِمَّا أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ مَعِي ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ تُخَفِّفَ عَنْ قَوْمِكَ

Translation:”Rasulullah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) said to him: Oh Mu’adh, do not be a trial (for them), either pray (the obligatory prayer) with me or be easy upon your people”. End Quote

Source: Sharh Ma’ani al-Athaar 1521 Chain Mursal Saheeh

شرح معاني الآثار للطحاوي
http://www.islamweb.net/hadith/display_hbook.php?indexstartno=0&hflag=1&pid=77781&bk_no=379&startno=3

al-Tahawi then comments:

فَقَوْلُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ هَذَا لِمُعَاذٍ يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّهُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَفْعَلُ أَحَدَ الأَمْرَيْنِ ، إِمَّا الصَّلاةَ مَعَهُ ، أَوْ بِقَوْمِهِ وَأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَجْمَعُهَا ، لأَنَّهُ قَالَ : إِمَّا أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ مَعِي ، أَيْ وَلا تُصَلِّ بِقَوْمِكَ ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ تُخَفِّفَ بِقَوْمِكَ أَيْ وَلا تُصَلِّ مَعِي

Translation:

“This saying of Rasulullah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) to Mu’adh establishes that according to Rasulullah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) that he will allow him to act on one of the two, either pray Salah behind him (Rasulullah) or lead his Qawm, but not both of them, because he (Sallallahu ‘alayhi WaSallam) said: Either prayer with me – meaning do not pray with your Qawm, or either be easy (in your recitation) to your Qawm – meaning do not pray with me”. End Quote

al-Tahawi brings another possibility that “even if” Mu’adh prayed the Fardh prayer first behind Rasulullah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) he still prayed his Fardh whilst leading the Qawm, this is because in the early stages of Islam one was allowed to pray the same prayer twice until it was made impermissible later on.

Other Points: 

Is the Reward the same praying individually or in Jama’ah? so did Mu’adh Ibn Jabal forgo the Reward?

It should be noted that if we go by the Ijthihad that Mu’adh prayed Nafl behind Rasulullah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) then he didn’t sacrifice the full reward because even according to those Scholars that allow Fardh Salah behind a person praying Nafl, they still agree that such a person who is praying nafl (alone) still gets the same reward in the Masjid al-Nabawi as the famous hadith goes:

النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال صلاة في مسجدي هذا أفضل من ألف صلاة فيما سواه إلا المسجد الحرام

Abu Hurayrah narrated that Nabi (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasllam) said: “Prayer in my Masjid is better than a thousand prayers anywhere else except Masjid al-Haram”. End quote

Source: Sahih Muslim 1394

al-Imam al-Nawawi then comments on this hadith:

واعلم أن مذهبنا أنه لا يختص هذا التفضيل بالصلاة في هذين المسجدين بالفريضة ، بل يعم الفرض والنفل جميعا

Translation:

“Know that there is no specification in our Madhhab in this preference of prayer in these two masjids regarding the fardh, rather it is general to all Fardh and Nafl.” End Quote (i.e. reward is the same).

شرح النووي على مسلم
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The upshot is that praying Fardh behind a person praying Nafl is not clearly from Rasulullah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi WaSallam) nor his approval like praying Nafl behind a person praying Fardh, there is no clear (sareeh) proof that is without weakness.

Wallahu Musta’an
Wa ‘Alaykum al-Salaam

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