What If There Is Not Sufficient Time To Pray The Sunnah Rak’aat Before Zuhr

Darulifta Ahlesunnat

(Dawateislami)

Question

   What do the scholars of Islam say about the following matter: if we go to the masjid for Zuhr but there are only 2 or 3 minutes before the congregation stands, such that offering the preceding sunnah rak’aat will result in 1 or 2 rak’aat [of congregational prayers] being missed, what will be the ruling for me in this case? Should I offer the sunnah rak’aat and then join the congregation, or should I join the congregation without offering the sunnah?

بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

   In the above-mentioned case, as offering the preceding sunnah rak’aat of Zuhr salah will result in you missing 1 or 2 rak’aat [of congregational prayer], it will not be permitted for you to offer the preceding sunnah, rather, it is necessary for you to join the congregation without offering the sunnah.

Details of the ruling:

   With the exception of the sunnah rak’aat of Fajr salah, the ruling in regard to the remaining sunnah is that if it is possible to join the imam in the first rak’at before ruku’, one should offer the sunnah first and then join the congregation. However, when offering the sunnah in this case, it will not be permissible to stand in the rows of the congregation. Instead, they should be offered at home or in another pure place outside of the masjid, and if this is not possible, and the congregation is taking place inside, offer it in the courtyard. If the masjid does not have two separate areas for outside and inside, then offer it behind a pillar, etc., so that it becomes a barrier between you and the row.

   If offering the sunnah will result in him missing a rak’at [of congregational prayer], he will not be permitted to offer the preceding sunnah. Rather, it is necessary to join the congregation immediately, without offering the sunnah, and he should pray these once he has offered the 2 sunnah rak’aat after the fard

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم