❀ Ruling on Performing a Second Congregational Prayer in the Mosque ❀
Excerpted from: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah Vol. 1, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, p. 260
(Question by: Sayyid Ṣafīullāh Shāh, Garhi Nawab, Battagram)
❖ Question:
We often observe that after the main congregation, a second congregational prayer is held in mosques. However, a notice at Masjid Bilāl in Māri Pur states that conducting a second congregation in the mosque is makrūh taḥrīmī (prohibitively disliked). Please clarify this issue.
❖ Answer:
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. To proceed:
➊ Virtue of Congregational Prayer
The Prophet ﷺ emphasized the virtue of offering Ṣalāh in congregation. He said regarding those who miss it without excuse:
“I considered ordering the prayer to be commenced, then appointing someone to lead the people, then go to those who stayed behind and set fire to their homes.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
This shows the seriousness of abandoning the main congregation.
➋ Second Congregation: Established from Sunnah
There are authentic reports that allow a second congregation, especially when one misses the first due to a valid excuse:
- Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (RA) reported:
A man entered the mosque after the main congregation had ended. The Prophet ﷺ asked:
“Who will do a charitable act by praying with this man?”
So someone stood and prayed with him.
(Sunan al-Tirmidhī)
- Another narration (Abū Dāwūd):
“Is there anyone who will give charity by praying with this man?”
These narrations explicitly support forming a second jamāʿah (group) to help someone gain the reward of congregation.
➌ Views of the Ḥanafī Jurists
◈ Fatāwā ʿĀlamgīrīyah:
- In a residential mosque with a designated Imām and Mu’adhdhin, holding a second congregation with adhān and iqāmah is makrūh.
- However, in transit mosques (on public routes) or non-regular mosques, second congregation is allowed.
◈ Imām ʿAlā’ al-Dīn al-Ḥaṣkafī:
- Second jamāʿah in regular mosques is makrūh, but allowed in public or temporary mosques.
◈ Ibn ʿĀbidīn al-Shāmī:
- If the first jamāʿah was by travelers or the adhān was done quietly, then second jamāʿah is not makrūh.
- Repeating adhān for the second congregation is makrūh.
- If form and arrangement differ (e.g. praying away from the miḥrāb), then karāhah is lifted.
➍ Research of Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān (Barelwī)
In his risālah, he listed 12 scenarios with individual rulings, some of which are:
✔ Permissible Situations:
- Mosques on public routes (e.g. highway mosques) — multiple congregations allowed.
- Travelers performing the first jamāʿah — locals may perform a second.
- If first jamāʿah was without adhān, second can be done with adhān.
- Weak or impermissible adhān — allows repetition.
- Imām from a different madhhab violating important ṭahārah (purity) rules — second jamāʿah allowed.
- If Imām is a known blasphemer or deviant, second congregation becomes necessary.
✖ Impermissible Situation:
- If the main congregation has been done correctly with full adherence to Sunnah and qualified Imām — a second full congregational prayer is makrūh and a bidʿah (innovation).
➎ Modern Scholarly Response: Summary of Muftī Munīb al-Raḥmān’s View
His article (Express Newspaper, Feb 23, 2007) summarized:
❀ Points of Agreement:
- Congregational Ṣalāh is emphasized.
- Missing the main congregation justifies praying again.
- Ḥanafī school allows second jamāʿah in some cases.
- Public mosques are exempt from the karāhah.
❀ Critical Notes:
- Ḥanafī or Barelwī fatwās aren't absolute proofs over authentic aḥādīth.
- Sunan Abī Dāwūd 554 clearly supports second congregation.
- Imām Tirmidhī, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Isḥāq ibn Rāhawayh supported permissibility.
- Companions acted upon it — e.g., Anas (RA) arranged a second jamāʿah after Fajr.
(Musannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah, 2/321, ḥadīth 7093) - Imām Ibn al-Mundhir (RA):
“Anyone declaring it makrūh has no valid evidence.”
(Al-Awsaṭ 4/218)
➏ A Note on Imam or Authority Permission
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Do not lead a man in prayer in his own domain or authority unless he permits you.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 673)
So, in mosques with appointed imāms, a second jamāʿah should not be done without permission, unless in public or transient mosques where permission is implied by custom.
❖ Important Reminders:
- Always write the complete durūd upon the Prophet ﷺ; avoid abbreviations like “ص”.
- Do not pray behind innovators or blasphemers.
(See detailed fatāwā in “Ḥukm al-Ṣalāh Khalf al-Mubtadiʿ” by the author.)
Summary:
◈ Second jamāʿah is generally permissible in public or non-residential mosques.
◈ In designated community mosques, second congregation may be makrūh depending on the form, presence of appointed imām, and method.
◈ Authentic Sunnah and actions of the Ṣaḥābah prove its permissibility.
◈ Without legitimate reason, repeating congregational prayers with full adhān and form is undesirable.
﴿وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ﴾
And Allah knows best what is correct.
