Question
1. When praying behind the Imām, especially during Fajr, Magharib and Isha do we have to recite Surah al-Fatiha in the first two rakahs? If yes, then do we have to recite quietly along with the Imam or we wait for the Imam to finish reciting Surah al-Fatihah and then recite the surah when he is reciting another surah?
2. When we wake up late for the Fajr prayer, we have to wait for the sun to rise before we can pray. The question is, before we pray, what will be the intention i.e. will it be qada (making up for a missed prayer) or we pray just as a normal Fajr prayer and recite loudly.
3. As far as I know, the prophet (sws) received the revelation for twenty three years. What then is the meaning and implication of the following verse of Surah al-Baqarah?
The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an. (Q 2:185)
Answer
1. When the Qur’an is being recited loud we may only listen to it. However, when the Imam whispers the surahs we may recite it. Please note that the issue is based on ijtihād. Whispering the surah and staying quiet both are allowed. We have to decide for ourselves which course to adopt
2. When we wake up late and find that the time for the prayer has passed, we just start offering the missed prayer. It would be considered as duly offered in time. There is no need to wait for the sunrise before you could start praying. The Prophet (sws) said when you wake up or when you remember that a prayer has been missed offer it right there and it will be considered proper offering. For detail about the nature of quad prayer please refer to: Qaza Prayer.
3. In Arabic a verb can be used to connote a decision to do something, to start to do something and to complete to do something. The verb unzila in “unzila feehi al-Qur’an” used in this verse means “the Qur’an was started to be revealed.” The same style has been adopted in the first verse of Surah al-Qadar which reads as follows:
Indeed We have revealed it in the Night of Power. (Q 97:1).
Answered by: Tariq Mahmood Hashmi
Date: 2015-03-10
