Source: Fatawa ‘Ulama-e-Hadith, Kitab al-Salah, Volume 1, Pages 214–215
Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (رضي الله عنه) used to pray with the Prophet (ﷺ) and then go to his people and lead them in prayer.
(Muttafaqun ‘Alayh, Mishkat Sharif)
② Practice of Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (رضي الله عنه):
He would perform the ‘Isha prayer with the Prophet (ﷺ) as obligatory (fard) and then return to his people to lead them in the same prayer, which for them was obligatory, but for Mu‘adh it was voluntary (nafl).
(Mentioned in Bukhari and Bayhaqi)
③ Statement of Imam Nawawi (رحمه الله):
This Hadith proves that a person who has offered the obligatory prayer can lead others in voluntary prayer, and this has no prohibition in Shari‘ah.
④ In another Hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) during the state of fear (Salat al-Khawf), led different groups in separate congregations, where each group prayed behind him separately, though for the Prophet (ﷺ) it was a voluntary prayer, and for the followers it was obligatory.
◈ The prayer of the second congregation is valid, as established by the above Hadiths.
Reference: Fatawa Nazīriyyah, Volume 1, Page 321
❀ Question:
If an Imam leads two congregations in prayer at the same time, is the prayer of the second congregation valid or not?✔ Ruling:
Leading two congregational prayers at the same time is legally permissible in Islamic law, and the prayer of the second congregation is valid as well. This is supported by various Hadiths recorded in Bukhari and Muslim.✿ Evidences from Hadith:
① Narrated by Jabir (رضي الله عنه):Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (رضي الله عنه) used to pray with the Prophet (ﷺ) and then go to his people and lead them in prayer.
(Muttafaqun ‘Alayh, Mishkat Sharif)
② Practice of Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (رضي الله عنه):
He would perform the ‘Isha prayer with the Prophet (ﷺ) as obligatory (fard) and then return to his people to lead them in the same prayer, which for them was obligatory, but for Mu‘adh it was voluntary (nafl).
(Mentioned in Bukhari and Bayhaqi)
③ Statement of Imam Nawawi (رحمه الله):
This Hadith proves that a person who has offered the obligatory prayer can lead others in voluntary prayer, and this has no prohibition in Shari‘ah.
④ In another Hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) during the state of fear (Salat al-Khawf), led different groups in separate congregations, where each group prayed behind him separately, though for the Prophet (ﷺ) it was a voluntary prayer, and for the followers it was obligatory.
✿ Conclusion:
◈ It is legally permissible for an Imam to lead two congregations at the same time or one after another.◈ The prayer of the second congregation is valid, as established by the above Hadiths.
Reference: Fatawa Nazīriyyah, Volume 1, Page 321
