Fatwa #94601 September 2003India
u said that Hanafis cant club Maghrib and iSha prayers together if they are in a hurry or on a journey...refer bukhari hadiths Vol. 2 : No. 209
Question
I had come across the below bukhari hadiths Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah Narrated by Salims father (Radhiallaho anho):The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) used to offer the Maghrib and Isha' prayers together whenever he sallallaahu'alaihi wasallam) was in a hurry on a journey. Narrated Ibn Abbas: Allah's Messenger salallaahu 'alaihiwasallam used to offer the Zuhr and 'Asr prayers together on journeys, and also used to offer the Maghrib and 'Isha'prayers together ogether.Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) used to offer the Maghrib and the 'Isha' prayers together on journeys.Bukhari Vol. 2 : No. 209 Now please Clarify whether as a hanafi, I can offer maghrib and iSha prayers together when ever i'll be travelling. Also please respond to my questions 9278,9173 which i have posted earlier.
Answer
As mentioned in the previous answer, according to the Hanafi Madhab, one may%0D%0Anot combine any 2 Salaats, whether one is on a journey or even in a hurry.%0D%0A(Shaami vol.1 pg.381)%0D%0A%0D%0AThe reason for your confusion is that you have not understood that every%0D%0Aversict of Imaam Abu Hanifa as well as the other Madhaahib are backed with%0D%0Avarious proofs. Mere leisure reading of the books of Hadith which have%0D%0Anarrations of different meanings and connotations leads to such confusion as%0D%0Awell. If one really has the thirst to study the glorious Hadith of%0D%0ARasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam), it should be done under the%0D%0Aguidance of an experienced expert in this field.%0D%0A%0D%0AFurthermore, it is inappropriate for a follower of any particular Madhab, to%0D%0Aquestion the proofs of any specific verdict in that Madhab. All he needs to%0D%0Ado is to follow, (Rasmul Mufti) only if such a person has reached a certain%0D%0Arank in his knowledge is he allowed to do so.%0D%0A%0D%0AHowever, for purposes of clarity, we would explain the matter briefly.%0D%0A%0D%0AKnow well that it is a well established principle of the Hanafi Madhab, that%0D%0Aeach of the 4 sources of knowledge of Shari'ah will be treated in accordance%0D%0Ato their respective ranks. The four sources that we refer to are: Qur'aan,%0D%0AHadith, Ijmaa (consensus of the Jurists) and Qiyaas (analogical reasoning).%0D%0A%0D%0ANo Muslim can doubt the superiority of the Qur'aan over the Hadith, and the%0D%0Asuperiority of the Hadith over Ijmaa and Qiyaas. Hence, if there be any type%0D%0Aof Ijmaa or Qiyaas that contradicts Qur'aan or Hadith, that Ijmaa or Qiyaas%0D%0Awould not be accepted.%0D%0A%0D%0ASimilarly, if there be any Hadith that outwardly contradicts a particular%0D%0Averse of the holy Qur'aan and if no reconcilement can be achieved between%0D%0Athe two, the verdict of the holy Qur'aan will be considered over the%0D%0Aapparent meaning of that seemingly contradicting Hadith. And if both can be%0D%0Areconciled, then let it be.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn the discussion at hand, the Hadith you quote outwardly contradicts the%0D%0Averse of the holy Qur'aan, 'Verily Salaat is fixed upon the believers at%0D%0Afixed hours.' (Nisaa 103)%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd if no reconcilement could be achieved between the two, one would be%0D%0Aobliged to temporarily leave the Hadith and act upon the Aayat. However,%0D%0Afortunately in this instance, the Hanafi jurists have rightfully reconciled%0D%0Abetween the two in the light of the other traditions. They have stated that%0D%0Asince the verse of the Qur'aan is explicit in the fact that Salaat needs to%0D%0Abe performed in its prescribed time, the Ahaadith which outwardly contradict%0D%0Ait would most definitely not have it's Haqeeqi (literal) meaning. Instead,%0D%0Ait would have to be in it's Majaazi (metaphorical) meaning which would be%0D%0Athat the combining of the Salaats refers to an apparent combining only%0D%0A(Jamaa Soori) and not a real combining. This is supported by other%0D%0Anarrations which implore that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam)%0D%0Aperformed Maghrib Salaat at the end of its time and Esha Salaat at the very%0D%0Abeginning of its prescribed time. This, in fact, outwardly seems to be a%0D%0Acombination, but in reality it is not so.%0D%0A%0D%0A1. Sayyidatuna Aaisha (Radhiallaahu Anha) reports that Rasulullah%0D%0A(Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam), while on a journey, used to delay the Dhuhr%0D%0Aand bring earlier the Asr Salaats and he would delay the Maghrib and bring%0D%0Aearlier the Esha Salaat. (Musnad Ahmad and Tahawi - Muhaddith Nimawi has%0D%0Aclassified this narration as Hasan; Aathaarus-sunan pg.432)%0D%0A2. Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar (Radhiallaahu Anhu)'s students have reported%0D%0Athat when he (ibn Umar) was on a journey, he once performed the Maghrib%0D%0ASalaat just before the end of it's time (before the disappearance of the%0D%0Ahorizon), he then waited until the time of Esha entered and thereafter%0D%0Aperformed it. Then he said, 'Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) would%0D%0Ado the same when he was in a hurry on journey.' (Sunan Abu Dawud). Imaam%0D%0ANimawi has classified this as Sahih (authentic) - Aathaarus sunan pg.434%0D%0A3. Sayyiduna Umar ibn Ali (Radhiallaahu Anhu), the son of Sayyiduna Ali%0D%0A(Radhiallaahu Anhu) reports that it was the practice of Sayyiduna Sayyiduna%0D%0AAli ibn Abi-Talib (Radhiallaahu Anhu) that whenever he was on journey, he%0D%0Awould continue moving until just before it became dark, i.e. just before the%0D%0Atime of Maghrib finished. He would at this time perform his Maghrib Salaat.%0D%0AThen he would partake of meals and after that he would perform the Esha%0D%0ASalaat. Sayyiduna Ali (Radhiallaahu Anhu) would also mention that this was%0D%0Ahow Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) would do. (Sunan Abu Dawud -%0D%0AMuhaddith Nimawi has classified this narration as Sahih - Aathaarus-sunan%0D%0Apg.435)%0D%0A4. Another Hadith that further establishes the Hanafi stand on this Mas-alah%0D%0Ais the narration recorded by Imaam Bukhari in his Sahih (Hadith1682) that%0D%0ASayyiduna ibn Mas'ood (Radhiallaahu Anhu) says, 'I never saw Rasulullah%0D%0A(Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) performing any Salaat outside of its%0D%0Aprescribed time except Maghrib and Esha and Fajr (all these were done in%0D%0AMuzdalifah - refer Nasaaie vol.2 pg.44). This Hadith indicates that%0D%0ARasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) never performed any Salaat out of%0D%0Aits time except on 2 occasions in his life. Bearing this in mind, one will%0D%0Aunderstand why Sayyiduna ibn al-Khattaab (Radhiallaahu Anhu) had warned that%0D%0Ato gather between 2 Salaats in one time is a major sin. (Muatta Imaam%0D%0AMuhammad vol.1 pg.572)%0D%0A%0D%0AWe hope that after understanding the above, you receive the clarity that you%0D%0Aneeded regarding this matter. May Allah Ta'ala protect us all from such%0D%0Aconfusion, Aameen.%0D%0A%0D%0Aand Allah Ta'ala Knows Best%0D%0A%0D%0AMl. Muhammad ibn Moulana Haroon Abassommar%0D%0AFACULTY OF SPECIALTY IN HADITH SCIENCES%0D%0A%0D%0ACHECKED AND APPROVED: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Fatwa Department)