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Congregational Prayer and Its Virtue
وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: «وَ إِنْ كُنْتَ خَلْفَ إِمَامٍ فَلاَ تَقْرَأَنَّ شَيْئاً فِي اَلْأَوَّلَتَيْنِ وَ أَنْصِتْ لِقِرَاءَتِهِ وَ لاَ تَقْرَأَنَّ شَيْئاً فِي اَلْأَخِيرَتَيْنِ فَإِنَّ اَللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ، «وَ إِذٰا قُرِئَ اَلْقُرْآنُ » يَعْنِي فِي اَلْفَرِيضَةِ خَلْفَ اَلْإِمَامِ «فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَ أَنْصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ » فَالْأَخِيرَتَانِ تَبَعاً لِلْأَوَّلَتَيْنِ.
In a narration from Zurarah about Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s), He said: "If you are behind an Imam, do not recite anything during the first two rak'ahs; instead, listen to his recitation and remain silent. Do not recite anything in the last two rak'ahs either, for Allah (swt), the Almighty, says to the believers: 'When the Qur'an is recited, listen to it and be silent that you may receive mercy' (Surah Al-A'raf 7:204). The last two rak'ahs are a continuation of the first two."
وَ رَوَى بَكْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ اَلْأَزْدِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «إِنِّي أَكْرَهُ لِلْمَرْءِ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ خَلْفَ اَلْإِمَامِ صَلاَةً لاَ يُجْهَرُ فِيهَا بِالْقِرَاءَةِ فَيَقُومَ كَأَنَّهُ حِمَارٌ» قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَيَصْنَعُ مَا ذَا قَالَ «يُسَبِّحُ.
Bakr ibn Muhammad Al-Azdi narrated by Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) that He said: "I dislike it for a person to pray behind the Imam in a prayer where the recitation is not audible, and he stands there like a donkey." I (Bakr) asked: "May I be your ransom, what should he do then?" Imam (a.s) replied: "He should engage in tasbih (glorification)."
وَ رَوَى عُمَرُ بْنُ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: «إِذَا أَدْرَكَ اَلرَّجُلُ بَعْضَ اَلصَّلاَةِ وَ فَاتَهُ بَعْضٌ خَلْفَ إِمَامٍ يَحْتَسِبُ بِالصَّلاَةِ خَلْفَهُ جَعَلَ مَا أَدْرَكَ أَوَّلَ صَلاَتِهِ إِنْ أَدْرَكَ مِنَ اَلظُّهْرِ أَوِ اَلْعَصْرِ أَوِ اَلْعِشَاءِ اَلْآخِرَةِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَ فَاتَتْهُ رَكْعَتَانِ قَرَأَ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَةٍ مِمَّا أَدْرَكَ خَلْفَ اَلْإِمَامِ فِي نَفْسِهِ بِأُمِّ اَلْكِتَابِ، فَإِذَا سَلَّمَ اَلْإِمَامُ قَامَ فَصَلَّى اَلْأَخِيرَتَيْنِ لاَ يَقْرَأُ فِيهِمَا إِنَّمَا هُوَ تَسْبِيحٌ وَ تَهْلِيلٌ وَ دُعَاءٌ لَيْسَ فِيهِمَا قِرَاءَةٌ وَ إِنْ أَدْرَكَ رَكْعَةً قَرَأَ فِيهَا خَلْفَ اَلْإِمَامِ فَإِذَا سَلَّمَ اَلْإِمَامُ قَامَ فَقَرَأَ أُمَّ اَلْكِتَابِ، ثُمَّ قَعَدَ فَتَشَهَّدَ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ لَيْسَ فِيهِمَا قِرَاءَةٌ.
Umar ibn Udhayna narrated from Zurarah by Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s) that He said: "If a person joins a congregational prayer after some of it has passed but counts their prayer as valid behind the Imam, then what they have caught counts as the beginning of their prayer. For example, if they join the Dhuhr, Asr, or Isha prayers and catch two rak'ahs and miss two, they should recite Surah Al-Fatiha (the Mother of the Book) quietly in each of the two rak'ahs they perform behind the Imam. When the Imam completes the prayer (with taslim), the individual should stand and complete their remaining two rak'ahs, during which they do not recite but engage in tasbih (glorification), tahleel (saying 'La ilaha illa Allah (swt)'), and supplication without recitation. If the person joins and catches one rak'ah, they should recite Surah Al-Fatiha quietly in that rak'ah behind the Imam. When the Imam finishes with taslim, the individual should stand, recite Surah Al-Fatiha, sit for tashahhud, then stand and complete two more rak'ahs without recitation."
وَ رَوَى عُبَيْدُ اَللَّهِ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ اَلْحَلَبِيُّ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ اَلرَّجُلِ يَكُونُ خَلْفَ اَلْإِمَامِ فَيُطِيلُ اَلْإِمَامُ اَلتَّشَهُّدَ قَالَ «يُسَلِّمُ وَ يَمْضِي لِحَاجَتِهِ إِنْ أَحَبَّ.
Ubaydullah ibn Ali Al-Halabi narrated from Zurarah from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) who said: I asked him about a person who is behind the Imam, and the Imam prolongs the tashahhud (sitting for testimony). Imam (a.s) said: "He may perform the taslim (salutation of peace) and leave if he wishes."
وَ سَأَلَهُ إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ لَهُ: أَدْخُلُ اَلْمَسْجِدَ وَ قَدْ رَكَعَ اَلْإِمَامُ فَأَرْكَعُ بِرُكُوعِهِ وَ أَنَا وَحْدِي وَ أَسْجُدُ فَإِذَا رَفَعْتُ رَأْسِي فَأَيَّ شَيْءٍ أَصْنَعُ قَالَ «قُمْ فَاذْهَبْ إِلَيْهِمْ فَإِنْ كَانُوا قِيَاماً فَقُمْ مَعَهُمْ وَ إِنْ كَانُوا جُلُوساً فَاجْلِسْ مَعَهُمْ.
Ishaq ibn Ammar asked Imam (a.s): "I enter the mosque, and the Imam is already in the bowing position (ruku'), so I bow with him while I am alone and then prostrate. When I lift my head, what should I do next?" Imam (a.s) replied: "Stand up and go to join them (the congregation). If they are standing, then stand with them, and if they are sitting, then sit with them."
وَ سَأَلَهُ سَمَاعَةُ: عَنِ اَلرَّجُلِ يَأْتِي اَلْمَسْجِدَ وَ قَدْ صَلَّى أَهْلُهُ يَبْدَأُ بِالْمَكْتُوبَةِ أَوْ يَتَطَوَّعُ فَقَالَ «إِنْ كَانَ فِي وَقْتٍ حَسَنٍ فَلاَ بَأْسَ بِالتَّطَوُّعِ قَبْلَ اَلْفَرِيضَةِ وَ إِنْ كَانَ خَافَ خُرُوجَ اَلْوَقْتِ أَخَّرَهُ وَ لْيَبْدَأْ بِالْفَرِيضَةِ وَ هُوَ حَقُّ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ ثُمَّ لْيَتَطَوَّعْ مَا شَاءَ.
Sama’a asked the Imam (a.s) about a man who enters the mosque and finds that the congregation has already prayed. Should he begin with the obligatory (fardh) prayer or offer a voluntary (nafl) prayer? Imam (a.s) said: "If there is still ample time, there is no harm in offering a voluntary prayer before the obligatory one. However, if he fears that the time for the obligatory prayer will end, he should prioritize the obligatory prayer, as it is the right of Allah (swt), the Almighty. Afterward, he may offer as many voluntary prayers as he wishes."
وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ: فِي اَلرَّجُلِ يَدْخُلُ اَلْمَسْجِدَ فَيَخَافُ أَنْ تَفُوتَهُ اَلرَّكْعَةُ قَالَ «يَرْكَعُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَبْلُغَ إِلَى اَلْقَوْمِ وَ يَمْشِي وَ هُوَ رَاكِعٌ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَهُمْ.
Muhammad ibn Muslim narrated from one of the Imams (a.s) regarding a man who enters the mosque and fears that he will miss the rak'ah (unit of prayer). Imam (a.s) said: "He should bow (in ruku') before reaching the congregation and then walk while in the bowing position until he joins them."
وَ رَوَى إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مَيْمُونٍ عَنِ اَلصَّادِقِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: فِي اَلرَّجُلِ يَؤُمُّ اَلنِّسَاءَ لَيْسَ مَعَهُنَّ رَجُلٌ فِي اَلْفَرِيضَةِ قَالَ «نَعَمْ وَ إِنْ كَانَ مَعَهُ صَبِيٌّ فَلْيَقُمْ إِلَى جَانِبِهِ.
Ibrahim ibn Maymun narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) regarding a man leading women in the obligatory prayer, with no other man present. Imam (a.s) said: "Yes, he may lead them, and if there is a boy present, he should stand beside him."
وَ رَوَى عَنْهُ عَمَّارٌ اَلسَّابَاطِيُّ: أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنِ اَلرَّجُلِ يُؤَذِّنُ وَ يُقِيمُ لِيُصَلِّيَ وَحْدَهُ فَيَجِيءُ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَيَقُولُ لَهُ أَ تُصَلِّي جَمَاعَةً هَلْ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَا بِذَلِكَ اَلْأَذَانِ وَ اَلْإِقَامَةِ قَالَ «لاَ وَ لَكِنْ يُؤَذِّنُ وَ يُقِيمُ.
Ammar Al-Sabati narrated that he asked Imam (a.s) about a man who gives the adhan (call to prayer) and iqamah (call to commence the prayer) intending to pray alone. Then another person arrives and asks to pray in congregation. He asked whether they may use the same adhan and iqamah. Imam (a.s) replied: "No, rather he should give the adhan and iqamah again."
وَ كَانَ أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ: «لاَ بَأْسَ أَنْ يُؤَذِّنَ اَلْغُلاَمُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَحْتَلِمَ وَ لاَ يَؤُمُّ حَتَّى يَحْتَلِمَ فَإِنْ أَمَّ جَازَتْ صَلاَتُهُ وَ فَسَدَتْ صَلاَةُ مَنْ يُصَلِّي خَلْفَهُ.
The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s) said: "There is no problem if a young boy (who has not yet reached puberty) gives the adhan (call to prayer), but he should not lead the prayer until he has reached puberty. If he leads, his own prayer is valid, but the prayer of those who follow him is invalid."
