Source Note
This excerpt is taken from the book Ṣaḥīḥ Namāz-e-Nabawī ﷺ, published by Maktabah Dār al-Andalus, authored by Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ʿAzīz.
The Prayer of Fear (Ṣalāt al-Khawf)
① Command of Allah Almighty
❀ Allah Almighty says:وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ تَقْصُرُوا مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَنْ يَفْتِنَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا
Reference: An-Nisā’ 4:101
Translation:
“And when you travel through the land, there is no blame upon you for shortening the prayer, if you fear that the disbelievers may attack you.”
② Occasions for Performing Ṣalāt al-Khawf
❀ Ṣalāt al-Khawf is performed on two occasions:◈ During a state of war, when it is not possible to perform the prayer in the normal manner.
◈ In any place where performing prayer openly involves danger, such as when a person enters enemy territory for reconnaissance and fears exposure if he prays normally, or when there is unrest against Muslims in a region, such as in India or Western countries.
❀ The ruling of Ṣalāt al-Khawf came after the Battle of al-Aḥzāb.
Sayyidunā Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه said:
“The polytheists prevented us from performing the Ẓuhr prayer during the Battle of the Trench until the sun set. This occurred before the revelation concerning fighting (al-Baqarah: 239).”
Reference: An-Nasā’ī: 662
Reference: Musnad Aḥmad: 11204
(Ṣaḥīḥ)③ Rakʿahs of Ṣalāt al-Khawf
❀ Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said:إن الله فرض الصلاة على لسان نبيكم على المسافر ركعتين وعلى المقيم أربعا وفي الخوف ركعة
“Indeed, Allah has made prayer obligatory through the tongue of your Prophet ﷺ: two rakʿahs for the traveler, four for the resident, and one rakʿah in the state of fear.”
Reference: Muslim: 687
❀ Two rakʿahs are also permissible.
Sayyidunā Jābir رضي الله عنه said:
فصلى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ركعتي الخوف
“The Prophet ﷺ performed two rakʿahs of the Prayer of Fear.”
Reference: Al-Bukhārī: 4127
Reference: Muslim: 839
④ Congregation in Ṣalāt al-Khawf
❀ If congregation is possible during fear, the prayer should be performed in congregation.Allah Almighty says:
وَإِذَا كُنْتَ فِيهِمْ فَأَقَمْتَ لَهُمُ الصَّلَاةَ
Reference: An-Nisā’ 4:102
Translation:
“And when you are among them and establish the prayer for them…”
❀ If congregation is not possible, praying individually is permissible.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
لا يصلين أحد العصر إلا فى بني قريظة
“None of you should pray ʿAṣr until you reach Banū Qurayẓah.”
Reference: Al-Bukhārī: 946
(Some Companions prayed on the way, while others delayed until arrival.)
⑤ Methods of Performing Ṣalāt al-Khawf
Because conditions of fear and battle vary from place to place, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught multiple methods of Ṣalāt al-Khawf. Any method that is possible and easiest according to circumstances may be adopted.Permissible Methods
➊ If all Muslims can pray in one congregation, they should do so.
Reference: An-Nisā’ 4:102
➋ If one congregation is not possible, Muslims may form multiple groups and pray separately according to circumstances.
➌ If there is one imam, he may lead different groups separately. The obligatory prayer will be for them, and the additional prayers will count as nafl for the imam.
Sayyidunā Jābir رضي الله عنه said:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ led one group in two rakʿahs, then they went back, and he led the second group in two rakʿahs. Thus, the Prophet ﷺ prayed four rakʿahs, while the people prayed two each.”
Reference: Al-Bukhārī: 4136
Reference: Muslim: 1949
❀ If congregation is not possible at all, each person may pray wherever and however he is able.
Allah Almighty says:
فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ فَرِجَالًا أَوْ رُكْبَانًا
Reference: Al-Baqarah 2:239
Translation:
“And if you fear, then pray while walking or riding.”
➎ If stopping at one place is not possible, every person should pray while walking, running, or riding, without facing the qiblah, and perform rukūʿ and sujūd by gestures.
Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما narrated from the Prophet ﷺ:
“If the fear is more intense, then pray standing or while riding, with gestures—facing the qiblah or otherwise.”
Reference: Al-Bukhārī: 4535
Reference: Muslim: 839
➏ If praying itself causes danger, one may pray entirely by gestures.
ʿAbdullāh ibn Unays رضي الله عنه said:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent me to pursue Khālid ibn Sufyān al-Hudhalī toward ʿUranah and ʿArafāt and said: ‘Go and kill him.’ When I saw him, the time for ʿAṣr had arrived. I feared that if I delayed the prayer, something might occur between me and him, so I walked toward him while praying by gestures.”
Reference: Abū Dāwūd: 1249
Reference: Ibn Khuzaymah: 982
Reference: Ibn Ḥibbān: 7160
⑥ Scholarly Statement
❀ Imām al-Khaṭṭābī رحمه الله said:“Ṣalāt al-Khawf has various methods. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed it in different ways on different occasions. Therefore, any method may be adopted that is more cautious for prayer and more beneficial for guarding and defense.”
Reference: Maʿālim as-Sunan: 269
