❖ Is It Permissible to Combine Two Prayers Due to Rain?
📚 Source: Fatawa Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
❖ Question:
Can two prayers be combined (jam‘) in the case of rain?
❖ Answer:
Yes, it is permissible to combine two prayers during rain, and this has been practiced and accepted by the early scholars, Companions, and Tabi‘in.
✅ Scholarly Consensus:
❀ Imam Ibn Khuzaymah (رحمه الله, d. 311 AH) stated:
“There is no difference among the scholars of Hijaz that combining two prayers due to rain is permissible.”
📘 (Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, 2/85)
✅ Hadith Evidence:
❀ Sa‘id ibn Jubayr (رحمه الله) narrated:
‘Abdullah ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنه) said:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ combined Dhuhr and ‘Asr, and Maghrib and ‘Isha in Madinah without fear or rain (in one narration: without fear or travel).”
Sa‘id asked: “Why did he do that?”
He replied:
“So that there would be no hardship on his Ummah.”
📘 (Sahih Muslim: 705)
🔸 Imam Ahmad derived from this that if combination is allowed without fear or rain, then it is more appropriate and valid in cases of rain or hardship.
✅ Reported Practice of the Prophet ﷺ:
❀ Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنه) said:
“I prayed with the Prophet ﷺ in Madinah — he combined Dhuhr and ‘Asr (eight rak‘ahs total), and Maghrib and ‘Isha (seven rak‘ahs total).”
📘 (Sahih al-Bukhari: 543, 1174; Sahih Muslim: 705)
✅ Opinion of Imam Ibn Taymiyyah:
❀ He stated:
“Ibn Abbas mentioned that the Prophet ﷺ combined two prayers not because of fear or rain. Imam Ahmad deduced that it is even more appropriate to combine prayers in case of fear or rain. Hence, combining prayers in such cases is a fortiori (بالأولی) permissible.”
📘 (Majmu‘ al-Fatawa, 24/76)
✅ Practice of the Sahabah and Tabi‘in:
❀ Nafi‘, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنه), said:
“When it would rain at night, the leaders would delay Maghrib and combine it with ‘Isha before the red twilight disappeared. Ibn ‘Umar would pray with them and considered it permissible.”
📘 (Muwatta’ Imam Malik, 331; Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi, 3/168) — 🔹 Authentic
❀ Hisham ibn ‘Urwah narrated:
“I saw Aban ibn ‘Uthman combine Maghrib and ‘Isha on a rainy night. ‘Urwah ibn Zubayr, Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib, Abu Bakr ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman, and Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman had no objection.”
📘 (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, 2/234; Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi, 3/168) — 🔹 Authentic
❀ Abdur Rahman ibn Harmalah said:
“I saw Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib combine Maghrib and ‘Isha with the rulers during a rainy night.”
📘 (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, 2/234) — 🔹 Hasan
❀ Abu Mawdud said:
“I prayed Maghrib and ‘Isha with Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad during a rainy night; he combined both prayers.”
📘 (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, 2/234) — 🔹 Hasan
✅ Conclusion by Ibn Taymiyyah:
“These Athar (narrations) clearly show that combining prayers due to rain is a longstanding and well-established practice, particularly in Madinah during the era of the Sahabah and Tabi‘in.
No Companion or Tabi‘i is reported to have objected to this practice — which proves that it was accepted by tawatur (mass transmission) among them.”
📘 (Majmu‘ al-Fatawa, 24/83)
✅ View of Later Scholars:
❀ Maulana Abdul Shakoor Lakhnawi (رحمه الله) wrote:
“According to Imam al-Shafi‘i, combining two prayers in travel or due to rain is permissible, and the apparent texts of Hadith support this view.
Therefore, if a Hanafi occasionally does this out of need, it is also permissible.”
📘 (‘Ilm al-Fiqh, Part 2, p. 150)
✅ Forms of Combining:
- Both Jam‘ al-Taqdim (early combination) and Jam‘ al-Ta’khir (delayed combination) are permissible during rain.
- Jam‘ Surī (formal separation but practical combination) can also be implemented where needed.
- Jam‘ al-Taqdim is often easier for the congregation.
❖ Summary:
✔ It is permissible to combine Dhuhr with ‘Asr and Maghrib with ‘Isha during rain.
✔ This is supported by authentic Hadith, Ijma‘ of the Salaf, and continuous practice in Madinah.
✔ No Companion objected to this practice, proving its authenticity and acceptance.
✔ It applies whether in the Masjid or elsewhere, and both forms of combination are allowed.
✔ Key Point:
🌧 Combining prayers due to rain is a well-established Sunnah practiced by the Prophet ﷺ, his Companions, and the early generations — and remains valid and applicable today.
