Know Sunnah of Jama’a(الجَمَاعَة) prayer
Know things recommended for Imam
Makroohat of Salaatul Jama’a
Etiquettes(آدَاب) of Jama’a
- Going to Jama’a calm and not in hasty.
- Standing for it only after Iqama is completely called.
- Closing a Sunnah prayer to get Jama’a if he doesn’t expect another Jama’a. He can also convert a Fard prayer to two Rak’a Sunnah prayer to Join a Jama’a.
- Organizing the rows (تَسْوِيَة الصفُوف).
- Second row should be begun only after completing the first row.
- No gap should be left within rows(صَفّ).
- Proper alignment of the row.
- Observance of the place.
Single male Ma’moom should stand in the right a little behind Imam. The second male can stand in the left as such. If more people come, then either both the males step backward or Imam steps forward to make a row. Here, stepping backward is better.
Women should stand far behind Male Imam in both cases; either she is alone or more than one.
- If one person came to Jama’a and found that row (Saff) is full and he didn’t find a place in it, he should begin Salaat behind Saff saying Takbeeratul Ihram and pull one worshipper from front Saff.
- The distance between Imam and Ma’moom or between two Saffs should not exceed three arms.
- Ma’moom should not start doing any action of Salaat until Imam reaches it. Likewise, he should not delay from any action until he completes it.
- Reminding Imam by reciting loudly if he forgets a recitation (قِرَاءَة) and by Tasbeeh if he forgets an action(فعل).
Things that are Sunnah for Imam
- Commanding to arrange the rows (Saff).
- Waiting the person who is coming to join his Jama’a while he is in Rukū or in last Tashahhud.
- Not lengthening Salaat to full perfect (الأكمل) or shortening to minimum (الأقل). It is better to adopt minimum perfect (أَدْنَى الكَمَالِ).
- If the Imam is a female, she stands in the middle of Saff and move forward a little so that she will be different than Ma’moom.
Not recommended things (مَكْرُوهات) of Salaat al Jama’a
Followings are مَكْرُوهات of صَلاَة الجَمَاعَة
- Single prayerer joining a Jama’a from the middle. If one single prayerer (منفرد) saw a Jama’a during his Salaat he can join it. But it is مكروه.
- Standing a single male Ma’amoom behind or left of Imam.
- Standing alone in a row without any excuse.
- Having more than three arms gap between two rows.
- Beginning the back rows before finishing the front rows.
- Imam standing higher than Ma’moom or vice versa without reason.
- Imam lengthening the prayer more than its minimum perfect (أَدْنَى الكَمَالِ).
- Ma’moom doing any action of Salaat simultaneously with Imam except Takbeeratul Ihram and saying Ameen. (Salaat will be invalid if Takbeeratul Ihram is said simultaneously. Meanwhile; saying Ameen along with imam is Sunnah).
- Ma’moom Delaying from imam in one physical action (رُكْن فِعْلِي).
- Ma’moom Starting a physical action (رُكْن فِعْلِي) before Imam starting the same.
- Separating (مُفَارَقَة) from his Imam without any excuse(عُذْر).
This is excerpts from the book Salaat (Brief rulings of Prayer in Shafi Madh’hab) by Abdu Shaheed Azhary. To download the full chapter click the below link. To support us, please consider acquiring the digital copy of the book from Amazon