QUESTION:
What do the scholars of the DÄ«n and muftÄ«s of the Sacred Law state regarding the following issue: I am a HanafÄ« â is it permissible for a HanafÄ« to pray behind an ImÄm of another School of Thought, for instance a ShafiâÄ«. If permissible, then which actions is a HanafÄ« to follow a ShafiâÄ« ImÄm in?
Questioner: Ahmed from UK
ANSWER:
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If a ShafiâÄ« ImÄm does such an action which would void purity or nullify salÄh, then the salÄh of a HanafÄ« is not permissible behind such ShafiâÄ« ImÄm. For example, if a ShafiâÄ« ImÄm was to perform WudÅ«â or Ghusl which was Fard with slightly impure or used water, wiped less than 1/4 of the head, did not perform WudÅ«â upon the exiting of blood due to a wound, etc or upon vomiting, lead salÄh in clothes which were soiled with semen which was more than the size of a Dirham (~50p), or after having prayed a Fard (salÄh), then becoming the ImÄm of that same salÄh.[1] In all of the aforementioned cases, it is not permissible at all for a HanafÄ« to follow from the onset, and salÄh behind such an ImÄm is merely invalid.
It is stated in Ghunyah,
âØ§Ù Ø§ Ø§ÙØ§Ùتداء باÙ٠خاÙÙ ÙÛ Ø§ÙÙØ±Ùغ Ú©Ø§ÙØ´Ø§ÙØ¹Û ÙÛØ¬Ùز ٠اÙÙ ÛØ¹ÙÙ Ù ÙÛ Ù Ø§ÛÙØ³Ø¯ Ø§ÙØµÙØ§Û Ø¹ÙÛ Ø§Ø¹ØªÙØ§Ø¯ اÙÙ ÙØªØ¯Û عÙÛÛ Ø§ÙØ§Ø¬Ù اع اÙ٠ا اختÙÙ ÙÛ Ø§ÙکرھÛâ
âTo follow someone contrary in secondary matters[2] â for instance, a ShafiâÄ« â is only permissible when the one following is unaware of any action which would invalidate their own salÄh when following such an ImÄm. There is consensus upon it being permissible, whereas, there is a difference of opinion with regards to it being disliked.â
[Ghunyah al-Mustamlī sharh Munyah al-Mustamlī, pg 516]
If a ShafiâÄ« ImÄm does not do such an action which would invalidate WudÅ«â or void salÄh, then it is permissible for a HanafÄ« to pray behind such ShafiâÄ« ImÄm. Although, the HanafÄ« is not to follow the ShafiâÄ« ImÄm in those matters which are impermissible and have not been stipulated by SharÄ«âah according to the HanafÄ« Madhâhab. If a HanafÄ« was to go ahead with such actions, then the salÄh of such person will be MakrÅ«h to the extent of the non-stipulated amount of the action(s); of either TahrÄ«mÄ« or TanzÄ«hÄ«, as the ImÄm is meant to be followed in stipulated actions of SharÄ«âah, not in non-stipulated action.
It is stated in Radd al-MuhtÄr,
âØªÚ©Ù٠اÙÙ ØªØ§Ø¨Ø¹Û ØºÛØ± Ø¬Ø§Ø¦Ø²Û Ø§Ø°Ø§Ú©Ø§ÙØª ÙÛ ÙØ¹Ù Ø¨Ø¯Ø¹Û Ø§Ù Ù ÙØ³ÙØ® ا٠٠ا ÙØ§ØªØ¹ÙÙ ÙÛ Ø¨Ø§ÙØµÙÙ°ÙÛâ
âFollowing an ImÄm in matters of innovation, mansÅ«kh [abrogated] actions, and matters unrelated to salÄh is not permissible.â
[Radd al-MuhtÄr, vol 1, pg 368]
Just as according to our respected ImÄms, may AllÄh Almighty be pleased with them all, the action of Rafâ al-Yadayn[3] has become mansÅ«kh, and acting upon mansÅ«kh matters is not stipulated in SharÄ«âah, thus such person is not to follow a ShafiâÄ« ImÄm in this regard. ImÄm Malik al-âUlamÄâ AbÅ« Bakr MasâÅ«d al-KÄsÄnÄ«, may the Divine Lord ï·» sanctify him, states in BadÄâiâ,
âÙÙ Ø§ÙØªØ¯Û Ø¨Ù Ù ÛØ±Ùع ÛØ¯ÛÛ Ø¹ÙØ¯ Ø§ÙØ±Ú©Ùع ا٠ب٠٠ÛÙÙØª ÙÛ Ø§ÙÙØ¬Ø± Ø§Ù Ø¨Ù Ù ÛØ±Û خ٠س ØªÚ©Ø¨ÛØ±Ø§Øª ÙÛ ØµÙÙ°ÙÛ Ø§ÙØ¬ÙØ§Ø²Û ÙØ§ÛØªØ§Ø¨Ø¹Û ÙØ¸Ú¾Ùر Ø®Ø·ÛØ¦Û بÛÙÛÙ ÙØ§Ù ذÙÚ© Ú©ÙÛ Ù ÙØ³ÙØ®â
âIf someone followed such an ImÄm who does Rafâ al-Yadayn at the time of RukÅ«â, prays QunÅ«t in Fajr salÄh, or recites five TakbÄ«rs of the funeral salÄh, then the one praying behind is not to follow these actions due to the surety of this incorrectness[4], because all of these actions are mansÅ«kh.â
[BadÄâiâ al-SanÄâiâ, vol 1, pg 278]
It is normal to raise the hands in Qawmah and supplicate in the last Rakâah of Fajr salÄh on a daily basis, and the last Rakâah of Witr salÄh in the latter half of the night in the month of RamadÄn according to the ShafiâÄ«s, as they read the DuÄâ of QunÅ«t in this. According to our [HanafÄ«] ImÄms, QunÅ«t in Fajr is mansÅ«kh or an innovation, therefore for us it is undoubtedly non-stipulated. Thus, one is to refrain from following a ShafiâÄ« ImÄm in this regard, and when QunÅ«t is actually disallowed, this means that the raising of the hands (Rafâ al-Yadayn) is also disallowed, as this is not a primarily major matter regarding salÄh. Thereby, the one praying behind is to remain quiet for the amount of time the (ShafiâÄ«) ImÄm is reciting QunÅ«t in Fajr salÄh.
âAllÄmah ShurunbulÄlÄ« states in NÅ«r al-ĪdÄh,
âØ§Ø°Ø§ Ø§ÙØªØ¯Û ب٠٠ÛÙÙØª ÙÛ Ø§ÙÙØ¬Ø± ÙØ§Ù Ù Ø¹Û ÙÛ ÙÙÙØªÛ ساکتا عÙÛ Ø§ÙØ§Ø¸Ûر ÙÛØ± Ø³Ù ÛØ¯ÛÛ ÙÛ Ø¬ÙØ¨ÛÛâ
âIf someone is following an ImÄm who recites QunÅ«t in Fajr salÄh, then according to the chosen stance, he is to remain quiet and leave his hands by the sides.â
[NÅ«r al-ĪdÄh, pg 38]
There is no explicit mention in HanafÄ« books of what a HanafÄ« is supposed to do in terms of either tying his hands, leaving them by the sides, or raising them as though in supplication. Nevertheless, SayyidÄ« AâlÄhadrat, the ImÄm of the Ahl al-Sunnah, ImÄm Ahmad RidÄ KhÄn, upon whom be countless mercies, goes towards the stance that a HanafÄ« is to stand with his hands tied similar to that of QiyÄm (i.e. when standing while reciting).
He, upon whom be mercy, states that when he (i.e. the ImÄm) follows the ruling of reciting QunÅ«t, then it has been stipulated in SharÄ«âah for the other (i.e. the follower; the one praying behind the ImÄm) to stand in silence & remember God, and this form of standing while tying oneâs hands is Sunnah in terms of this action being passed down from the predecessors and in terms of SharÄ«âah, it is also respectful in the Majestic Court of AllÄh Almighty rationally speaking and customarily, and one is not to follow the ImÄm in him leaving out a Sunnah.
[FatÄwÄ Ridawiyyah, vol 6, pg 411]
Likewise, a HanafÄ« is to conform with every Sunnah which does not contradict any WÄjib action of the ImÄm. There is a consensus of our ImÄms upon the fact that it is unnah to say ÄmÄ«n quietly i.e. if a ShafâÄ« ImÄm says ÄmÄ«n loudly, then a HanafÄ« muqtadÄ« [follower] is to say ÄmÄ«n quietly.
Just as SayyidÄ« AâlÄhadrat, the ImÄm of the Ahl al-Sunnah, ImÄm Ahmad RidÄ KhÄn, upon whom be infinite mercies, states that likewise, there is a consensus amongst our ImÄms that the Sunnah in the matter of ÄmÄ«n is that it is to be recited quietly, and when this does not contradict any WÄjib action with regards to the ImÄm, then why should it not be acted upon.
[FatÄwÄ Ridawiyyah, vol 6, pg 415]
[1] All of these actions are not allowed in the HanafÄ« Madhâhab, as compared to the ShafiâÄ« Madhâhab.
[2] primary matters being of faith & belief, secondary being of deeds & virtues, etc.
[3] Raising of the hands before RukÅ«â & QiyÄm
[4] According to the Hanafī School of Thought, otherwise all four Schools of Thought are correct respectively in their own right.
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Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by Haider Ali Madani
Read the original Urdu answer here: [Q-ID0833] Can a Hanafi pray behind a Shafiâi Imam?
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