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Congregational Prayer and Its Virtue
وَ سَأَلَ عَمَّارٌ اَلسَّابَاطِيُّ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنْ رَجُلٍ أَدْرَكَ اَلْإِمَامَ حِينَ يُسَلِّمُ قَالَ «عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يُؤَذِّنَ وَ يُقِيمَ وَ يَفْتَتِحَ اَلصَّلاَةَ.
Ammar al-Sabati asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) about a man who arrives at the mosque just as the Imam is concluding the prayer with the taslim (final salutation). Imam (a.s) replied: "He should give the adhan (call to prayer), make the iqamah (call to commence the prayer), and then begin his prayer."
وَ سُئِلَ: عَنِ اَلرَّجُلِ يَأْتِي اَلْمَسْجِدَ وَ هُمْ فِي اَلصَّلاَةِ وَ قَدْ سَبَقَهُ اَلْإِمَامُ بِرَكْعَةٍ فَيُكَبِّرُ فَيَعْتَلُّ اَلْإِمَامُ فَيَأْخُذُ بِيَدِهِ وَ يَكُونُ أَدْنَى اَلْقَوْمِ إِلَيْهِ فَيُقَدِّمُهُ فَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ «يُتِمُّ بِهِمُ اَلصَّلاَةَ ثُمَّ يَجْلِسُ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغُوا مِنَ اَلتَّشَهُّدِ أَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ عَنِ اَلْيَمِينِ وَ اَلشِّمَالِ وَ كَانَ ذَلِكَ اَلَّذِي يُومِئُ بِيَدِهِ اَلتَّسْلِيمَ أَوْ تُقْضَى صَلاَتُهُمْ وَ أَتَمَّ هُوَ مَا كَانَ فَاتَهُ.
A question was asked about a man who enters the mosque while the congregation is already in prayer, and the Imam is ahead of him by one rak'ah. He pronounces the takbir, and then the Imam becomes unable to continue (due to illness or another reason) and takes the man’s hand (indicating him to lead), and he happens to be the nearest person to the Imam. Imam (a.s) said: "He should lead them in completing the prayer, then sit until they finish their tashahhud (final testimony). He should gesture to the right and left with his hand as a sign of completing the prayer (taslim) or wait until the prayer is completed by the congregation, after which he can complete what he missed of his own prayer."
وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ اَلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَمَّنْ رَكَعَ مَعَ إِمَامِ قَوْمٍ يُقْتَدَى بِهِ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ قَبْلَ اَلْإِمَامِ قَالَ «يُعِيدُ رُكُوعَهُ مَعَهُ.
Muhammad ibn Sahl narrated from his father who said: “I asked Imam Al-Ridha (a.s) about a person who bows (in ruku') with an Imam of a congregation who is followed, and then raises his head before the Imam.” Imam (a.s) replied: "He should repeat his bowing (ruku') with him."
وَ سَأَلَ اَلْفُضَيْلُ بْنُ يَسَارٍ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنْ رَجُلٍ صَلَّى مَعَ إِمَامٍ يَأْتَمُّ بِهِ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ اَلسُّجُودِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَ اَلْإِمَامُ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ اَلسُّجُودِ قَالَ «فَلْيَسْجُدْ»
Al-Fudayl ibn Yasar asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) about a man who prays behind an Imam whom he is following and raises his head from prostration (Sujood) before the Imam raises his head. Imam (a.s) said: "He should prostrate again."
وَ رَوَى اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ يَسَارٍ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ مَنْ يَسْأَلُ اَلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنْ رَجُلٍ صَلَّى إِلَى جَانِبِ رَجُلٍ فَقَامَ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ وَ هُوَ لاَ يَعْلَمُ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ إِذَا عَلِمَ وَ هُوَ فِي اَلصَّلاَةِ قَالَ «يُحَوِّلُهُ إِلَى يَمِينِهِ.
Al-Hussain ibn Yasar narrated that he heard someone asking Imam Al-Ridha (a.s) about a man who was praying next to another man and stood on his left side without knowing what to do upon realizing this during the prayer. Imam (a.s) said: "He should move him to his right side."
وَقَالَ أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «كَانَ اَلنِّسَاءُ يُصَلِّينَ مَعَ اَلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ فَكُنَّ يُؤْمَرْنَ أَنْ لاَ يَرْفَعْنَ رُءُوسَهُنَّ قَبْلَ اَلرِّجَالِ لِضِيقِ اَلْأُزُرِ.
The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s) said: "The women used to pray with The Prophet (saws), and they were instructed not to raise their heads (from prostration) before the men due to the tightness of the garments”.
وَ سَأَلَ هِشَامُ بْنُ سَالِمٍ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنِ اَلْمَرْأَةِ هَلْ تَؤُمُّ اَلنِّسَاءَ قَالَ «تَؤُمُّهُنَّ فِي اَلنَّافِلَةِ فَأَمَّا فِي اَلْمَكْتُوبَةِ فَلاَ وَ لاَ تَتَقَدَّمُهُنَّ وَ لَكِنْ تَقُومُ وَسَطَهُنَّ.
Hisham ibn Salim asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) about whether a woman can lead other women in prayer. Imam (a.s) said: "She may lead them in the nafl (supererogatory) prayers, but not in the obligatory (fardh) prayers. Moreover, She should not stand in front of them; rather, She should stand in their midst."
وَ رَوَى زُرَارَةُ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ اَلْمَرْأَةُ تَؤُمُّ اَلنِّسَاءَ قَالَ «لاَ إِلاَّ عَلَى اَلْمَيِّتِ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ أَحَدٌ أَوْلَى مِنْهَا تَقُومُ وَسَطَهُنَّ مَعَهُنَّ فِي اَلصَّفِّ فَتُكَبِّرُ وَ يُكَبِّرْنَ.
Zurarah narrated from Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s) that He said: “I asked him whether a woman can lead other women in prayer.” Imam (a.s) said: "No, except for the prayer over the deceased (funeral prayer) if there is no one more appropriate than her. In that case, She should stand among them in the row, and She recites the takbir and they follow her."
وَ رَوَى هِشَامُ بْنُ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «صَلاَةُ اَلْمَرْأَةِ فِي مِخْدَعِهَا أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صَلاَتِهَا فِي بَيْتِهَا وَ صَلاَتُهَا فِي بَيْتِهَا أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صَلاَتِهَا فِي اَلدَّارِ.
Hisham ibn Salim narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s): "A woman's prayer in her private chamber (mikhdah) is better than her prayer in her house, and her prayer in her house is better than her prayer in the courtyard."
وَ سَأَلَهُ اَلْحَلَبِيُّ: عَنِ اَلرَّجُلِ يَؤُمُّ اَلنِّسَاءَ قَالَ «نَعَمْ وَ إِنْ كَانَ مَعَهُنَّ غِلْمَانٌ فَأَقِيمُوهُمْ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِنَّ وَ إِنْ كَانُوا عَبِيداً.
Al-Halabi asked Imam (a.s) about a man leading women in prayer. Imam (a.s) said: "Yes, he may lead them, and if there are young boys among them, position them in front of the women, even if they are servants."
