Question
In Canada it is very cold. Sometimes it is -20C or -25C. I know some Aḥmadis people who say that it is allowable to combine prayers in this kind of weather. They also combine Prayer in case they have any kind of meetings. Has Allah Almighty or the Holy Prophet (sws) given permission combine Prayers?
Answer
In principle the five Prayers have to be offered in their specific times. This is the most effective way of offering Prayers.
However it is evident from the Sunnah of the Prophet that in some journeys he would combine his Prayers. There are also reports that at the time of sever raining some times he would combine the Prayers. On this basis scholars have allowed combing Prayers under difficult conditions, although there is little agreement on what exactly these conditions are.
The principle here is that God does not want us to go through any abnormal difficulty when obeying his directives (2:185). Accordingly we are allowed to combine our Prayers (Zuhr and ‘Asir together, Maghrib and ‘Isha together) to save ourselves from going through too much difficulty.
Therefore to decide whether certain situation makes it more appropriate to combine Prayers or not is really left to individuals (in case of performing Prayers individually) and the community or the Imām of the mosque (in terms of performing congregational Prayers).
Answered by: Farhad Shafti
Date: 2015-03-26
