Musaafir taking the place of the Imaam in Salaah
Question
A Musaafir reads Salaah behind a resident Imaam and the Imaam’s Wudhu breaks. The Imaam the appoints a Musaafir to lead the Salaah in his place. Will he read full Salaah, or will he terminate the Salaah as he is a Musaafir and performs Qasr?
Answer
If a Musaafir takes the place of the resident Imaam (and leads the congregation) in the case where the Imaam’s Wudhu is nullified, then the Salaah of the residents (Muqeems) will be nullified. Hence, a Musaafir should not be appointed as the Imaam in such an instance.
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
إذَا اسْتَخْلَفَ مُسَافِرًا فَقَامَ فَاقْتَدُوا بِهِ بَطَلَتْ صَلَاةُ الْمُقِيمِينَ دُونَ الْمُسَافِرِينَ الْمُدْرِكِينَ. وَهَذَا ظَاهِرٌ وَنَظِيرُهُ مَا لَوْ كَانَ الْخَلِيفَةُ مَسْبُوقًا فَقَامَ بَعْدَ فَرَاغِ صَلَاةِ الْإِمَامِ وَتَابَعُوهُ تَبْطُلُ صَلَاةُ الْمَسْبُوقِينَ وَاللَّاحِقِينَ دُونَ الْمُدْرِكِينَ (تبيين الحقائق ص151 ج1)
- Answered by
- Maulana Ahmed Saeed
- Checked & approved by
- Mufti Mohammed Desai
Where scholars differ, it’s safer to take the more cautious view.
Fatawa SA is an independent, read-only index of fatawa already published by Darul Ifta Ibn Masood. It is not a fatwa service. For your own situation, please ask a Mufti. Report an issue
For corrections or mistakes, please email us at fatawasa786@gmail.com.
Source: Darul Ifta Ibn Masood — https://fataawa.co.za/musaafir-taking-the-place-of-the-imaam-in-salaah/
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/ibnmasood-24589
People also ask
When does a traveller shorten salaah (qasr)?
“Qurbaani is not waajib on a musaafir. However, if he does qurbaani, it will be valid. The Fuqahaa have explained that if a musaafir returns home during the days of Qurbaani, then the animal which he slaughtered during safar will…”
Mufti Online · 241 fatawa from 8 Darul Iftas on this
What the Darul Iftas say