about this matter what to do. We pray Fajrand leave the masjid while
it still is dark outside. Do we have to attend this congregation in
Fajr prayer? Or shall I pray athome when Fajr actual time comes?
Please answer my question because I am confused.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The time for Fajr starts with the second dawn (the true dawn) which
isthe horizontal whitenessthat spreads along the horizon right and
left, and the time lasts until the sun rises.
In the answer to question no. 26763we discussed the mistake that many
people make by relying on timetables to define the time for Fajr, and
that most of these timetables do not give the proper time for the true
dawn. This has been stated by more than one of the scholars.
Contemporary scholars differed concerning the extent of this error.
Some of them said that itis no more than five minutes, and some said
that it is approximately thirty minutes.
We do not know what the situation is in your city, but the people of
each city should appoint a group of trustworthy scholars to find out
the time for Fajr and inform the people of it, and warn them against
following timetables if itis proven that they are wrong.
No one should claim thatthe prayer is being donebefore the time begins
unless he has proof, especially since finding out the actual time of
dawn is very difficult in cities and inhabited areas, because the
light of dawn is mixed with the lights of the city.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about a
congregation who did not know the time of Fajr and they prayed it
based on information from someone whom they trusted, but some of them
had doubts.
He replied: So long as they trust him and knowthat this man has
knowledge about the beginning of the time (for prayer), there is no
sin on them, because they did not know that they were praying before
the time began. Ifthey did not know and they accepted the word of this
man whom they trust, then there is no blame on them. But one should
take precautions so long as there is some doubt, and not pray until he
thinks it most likely or is certain, and he should alert the
congregation to that, and suggest to them to wait five minutes or ten
minutes, and that will not harm them, because waiting five or ten or
fifteen minutes is better than praying even one minute too early. End
quote fromFataawa al-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, vol. 12, question no. 146.
Secondly:
You should advise the people in this mosque todelay the prayer until
they think it most likely that the time has begun, and if they respond
thenpraise be to Allaah.
But if they insist on whatthey are doing – and youthink that they are
praying before the time for prayer begins – then look for another
mosquethat starts the prayer later, so that your not praying Fajr in
the mosque will not make people think badly of you, and think that you
are sleeping and missingthe prayer, and so that you will not be
depriving yourself of thereward for going to the mosque, and so that
you will not become lazy about praying later on. Then go back home and
repeat the prayer with your family in congregation after the time
begins. This is whatShaykh al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on him)
advised when he was asked: Do you advise me to offer the obligatory
prayer of Fajr in the mosque or at home? [Because the people in the
mosque offered the Fajr prayer before dawn].
He replied:
I advise him to do two things together: He should go to the mosqueand
if they offer the obligatory prayer beforethe proper time, it will be
naafil for him. Then he should go back home and offer the obligatory
prayer on time, and in particular he should pray with his family. But
there is something that is more obligatory, but not everyone can
fulfil this obligation, which is alerting the people of the mosque to
this serious matter… end quote.
Silsilat al-Huda wa'l-Noortape no. 767, minute 32.
And Allaah knows best.
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