Q. In some mosques, the imam moves forward and backward during the prayer in order to be near the microphone, but sometimes this makes his voice extremely loud. Before starting the prayer, one imam spends considerable time to ensure that the rows are straight. Another takes a relatively long time standing after rising from the position of bowing or in the sitting position between the two prostrations. Some remain silent for sometime after reading the Fatihah. Please comment on such practices.
(Name and address withheld)
A. There is no doubt that the imam is responsible for making the congregational prayer right. He should advise the congregation to make their rows straight and ensure that the first line is straight. But this is easy to achieve if everyone stands shoulder to shoulder with the person next to him. Some imams make strenuous efforts on this point, which reflects their keenness, but then they can easily err by being too cautious.
It is also the responsibility of the imam to ensure that the prayer is done in comfort. Nowadays, with microphones and loud speakers, noise could be very loud. He should ensure that it does not irritate his congregation by being too loud.
There are certain supplications that we are recommended to say in the positions mentioned by the reader, and in others such as prostration and bowing. However, the imam must not make his prayer, or any part of it too long, because he should consider that people might not be able to tolerate such lengthy situations. For example, a person with back pain cannot remain in bowing position too long, and an asthmatic person may find prostration too strenuous if it is made unduly long. The Prophet spoke harshly to one of his companions who recited long passages of the Qur’an in prayer, and advised him to make his prayer short. If one is praying alone he may make his prayer as long as he wishes, but if he is leading the prayer, he should be considerate.
According to the Shafie school of Fiqh the imam is advised to remain silent, or to read the Qur’an privately, for a time sufficient for members of the congregation to read the Fatihah themselves, as this school requires everyone of the congregation to read the Faitihah in every rak’ah. However, this is a matter of choice. The imam can go on and read aloud without waiting for his congregation to do anything. In this case, the people praying behind him must not read it, because the fact that he has already read the Fatihah is sufficient for them as well.
Ihraam From Jeddah
Q. I visit Jeddah often on business, and every time I try to do the Umrah, starting my ihraam from Jeddah. A friend told me that I should start in Riyadh, unless I am coming purely for business and the decision to do the Umrah is made after my arrival. But the fact is that when I travel the possibility of doing the Umrah is always in the back of my mind. Where do I start my ihraam?
Muhammad Nour, Jubail
A. As you are traveling on business, you do not have to start your ihraam until you actually embark on doing the Umrah, which means you start wherever you happen to be in Jeddah. As I understand your situation, your trip is essentially for business, and should your business take all your time in Jeddah, you would go back home without performing the Umrah or visiting Makkah. In this case, your trip is undoubtedly a business trip. When you feel you have the time to go to Makkah, you will go. This is a later development. It is true that it was in the back of your mind, but you made no decision at the time to change your trip into one for Umrah. You left it to subsequent development. Therefore, you take each step at a time, and you leave the matter until it is decided.
Having said that, I would like to add that if your visits are very frequent, such as every two weeks or so, then you do not have to do the Umrah each time. You can go to Makkah to pray and do the tawaf, wearing your normal clothes, but you do not need to do the Umrah on every occasion.
How Many Rak’ahs?
Q.1. Could you please explain how many rak’ahs should one pray in Duha? Also, if in Ramadan one has prayed Witr after Isha and Taraweeh, can one offer more prayers at night? And could you please explain the right way of holding one’s finger in the last part of prayer, i.e. Tashahhud.
Q.2. Could a woman hold the Qur’an and read it when she is in her period, if she is wearing gloves? Also, is it obligatory to perform the ablution before reading the Qur’an?
Z. Cader, Riyadh
A.1. Duha prayer is a voluntary morning prayer, with a time range that stretches from about half an hour after sunrise to about half an hour before Zuhr or noon prayer. It may be offered in any even number of rak’ahs with a minimum of two and a maximum of 8, but they should be short rak’ahs, and the reading of the Qur’an in this prayer is done silently. One may offer it if one has time, and omit it when one is busy.
If you have offered your witr prayer, after Isha and also after Taraweeh in Ramadan, then you decide to do some more night prayer, you can do so. This is the case if the occasion to pray presents itself without prior intention. If your intention to do such night prayer is made early, i.e. before you offer Witr prayer, then you should delay Witr until you have finished your prayers for the day.
There are several ways of how to hold one’s finger in the last part of prayer, i.e. Tashahhud. This indicates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) might have done this in different ways at different times. All these forms are permissible. However, what seems to be better supported by texts is to raise one’s first finger, i.e. the one next to one’s thumb, so that it points ahead and with a slight hump.
A.2. A woman in her period may hold the Qur’an without touching it, which means that she should have something to hold it with, either a glove, or a piece of cloth. The same applies to a man who is in a state of ceremonial impurity, i.e. janabah. Neither is allowed to read the Qur’an, whether holding a copy of it or from memory, because the Prophet is quoted as saying: “I do not permit holding the Qur’an to any man in the state of janabah or a woman during her menses.” This is the view of the majority of scholars, but there are small minorities of distinguished scholars who say that no Hadith speaking about such prevention is reasonably authentic. Hence, they say that the prevention is wrong and the reading is permissible.
It is always better to perform the ablution before any act of worship, or before glorifying God. Needless to say, reading the Qur’an is an act of worship, so it is strongly recommended to perform ablution before reading it.