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Ruling when the Friday Prayer and the E`ed Prayer Come on the Same Day
Author : The General Iftaa' Department
Date Added : 14-07-2015

Ruling when the Friday Prayer and the E`ed Prayer Come on the Same Day

When the E`ed occurs on a Friday, the Friday prayer remains obligatory because the E`ed prayer is a confirmed Sunna; whereas, the Friday prayer is an individual duty. Sunnah doesn`t invalidate an obligation, nor suffices for it. This is indicated by the following verse (What means): "O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday (the Day of Assembly), hasten earnestly to the Remembrance of God, and leave off business (and traffic): That is best for you if ye but knew!" [Al-Jum`ah/9].

 

At the time of the Prophet (PBUH), E`ed occurred on a Friday, so he performed the E`ed prayer as well as the Friday prayer and delivered both sermons, and this is very famous in the books of Sunnah and the traditions. In addition, this is the opinion of the majority of the Muslim scholars: The Hanafites, The Malikites, The Shafites and in one narration of the Hanbalites.

 

He (PBUH) permitted the people from the outskirts not to attend the Friday prayer that day and instead offer the Zuhr prayer in their neighborhoods. The Prophet (PBUH) said: Two festivals (E'ed and Friday) have synchronized on this day. If anyone does not want to offer the Friday prayer, the E'ed prayer is sufficient for him. But we shall offer the Friday prayer." [Abu Dawood].

 

The majority of the Hanafite, Malikite and Shafite jurists said that the aforementioned Hadith applies to those who came from the outskirts of Medina in order to offer the E`ed prayer in the Prophet`s Mosque, and they aren`t obliged to offer the Friday prayer in principle, because they live in the outskirts of cities, far from populated areas. If they waited to offer the Friday prayer after having performed the E`ed prayer, they will face hardship and they will face the same hardship if they went home and returned to offer the Friday prayer, and this is why the Prophet(PBUH) permitted them not to attend the Friday prayer.

 

Therefore, it is more prudent to observe both prayers on that day, and as regards the opinion of some Hanbalite jurists states that whoever prays the E`ed prayer isn`t obliged to pray the Friday prayer, and should pray the Zuhr prayer instead, it contradicts prudence and acquittal.

 

As regards the opinion which states that praying the E`ed prayer invalidates the Zuhr prayer, this has never been stated by any of the four schools of jurisprudence and contradicts the provisions of Sharia which make offering five prayers for each day and night obligatory. Therefore, it is impermissible to apply this opinion, imitate it, or issue rulings based on it. Moreover, some narrations, related to some companions, state that the E`ed prayer makes the Friday prayer not obligatory if they happened on the same day, aren`t to be taken into consideration.

 

Finally, there is no room for dispute and  argument since Muslims are about to receive the Feast of Al-Fitr, rather, a Muslim should adhere to matters whose meanings are established, leave matters whose meanings are allegorical and follow the established opinions of the four juristic schools. And Allah Knows Best.

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on swearing an oath by the Prophet ﷺ, and does such an oath take effect according to Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, requiring expiation upon its breach?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Swearing an oath by a created being is disliked (makrūh) in our Shāfiʿī school. Shaykh al-Islām Imām al-Nawawī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "Swearing by a created being is disliked — such as swearing by the Prophet, the Kaʿbah, Jibrīl, the Companions, or the Prophet's family. Al-Shāfiʿī, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: 'I fear that swearing by other than Allah the Almighty may constitute an act of disobedience.' The scholars of the school explained this to mean: that is, something forbidden and sinful — indicating that he had some hesitation in the matter. Al-Imām stated: the established position of the school is that it is categorically not forbidden, but rather disliked. Furthermore, whoever swears by a created being, his oath does not take effect and no expiation (kaffārah) is required if he breaks it." [Rawḍat al-Ṭālibīn wa ʿUmdat al-Muftīn, Vol. 11/P.6]
According to the Ḥanbalī school, however, expiation becomes obligatory upon one who swears by our master the Prophet ﷺ and then breaks his oath. Imām al-Bahūtī al-Ḥanbalī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "No expiation is required for swearing by other than Allah the Almighty, even if the oath is broken — because expiation was made obligatory for swearing by Allah and His attributes, out of reverence for His names, and nothing else is equal to Him in this regard... except in the case of swearing by our Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, for expiation becomes obligatory when one swears by him and then breaks the oath. This was explicitly stated in the narration of Abū Ṭālib, because he is one of the two conditions of the two testimonies of faith by which a disbeliever becomes a Muslim. Ibn ʿAqīl held the view that swearing by any of the other prophets, peace and blessings be upon them all, carries the same ruling." [Sharḥ Muntahā al-Irādāt, Vol. 3/P.441]. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on selling sacrificial animals (udhiyah) described with specific attributes and authorizing an agent to slaughter them?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Selling sacrificial animals (udhiyah) that are described with specific attributes is permissible. This falls under the category of a salam sale (forward sale) if conducted using the terminology of salam, and under the category of a regular sale if not using the terminology of salam.
 
As for authorizing the seller to slaughter the sacrificial animal, the basic principle is that it is permissible, because the agent (wakil) stands in the place of the principal (muwakkil) in achieving his objective. This is a contract that the principal (the buyer) is entitled to perform himself, so authorizing another (the seller) to do so on his behalf is valid.
 
However, it is a condition for authorization to slaughter that the intention (niyyah) is present either at the time of slaughter or at the time of handing over the sacrificial animal to the agent. The basic principle is that the sacrificial animal must be specifically designated, as it is an act of worship. It is not required to designate it at the time of slaughter; rather, it is valid to do so before that.
 
It is permissible for the principal either to delegate the intention to the agent or to formulate it himself when authorizing the agent to slaughter. However, the sacrificial animal must be designated, even if at the time of slaughter, by the agent.
 
It is obligatory to designate the sacrificial animals so that each person offering a sacrifice receives his own specific animal. Therefore, charitable organizations and companies must take this into consideration and establish a specific mechanism that ensures no mixing of sacrificial animals occurs, so that each person offering a sacrifice receives his own designated animal. And Allah Almighty knows best.

Is it permissible to give Zakah (obligatory charity) to one`s poor sister, or brother?

It is permissible for one to give the Zakah to his poor sister, or brother if providing for them isn`t due on him, and the sister doesn`t receive sufficient provision from whomever that is due on. And Allah Knows Best.

Is it permissible for women to gather in one of their homes to pray Tarawih?

Yes, it is recommended (mustahabb) for women to pray Tarawih in congregation if they gather, even if it is not in the mosque.
In fact, praying at home is better for them, as it avoids the potential concerns associated with going to the mosque.