QUESTION:
What do the scholars of the Dīn and muftīs of the Sacred Law state regarding the following issue: How should congregational prayers and tarawih be offered at home? What is the method of standing in congregation of there is a wife and two sons?
Questioner: Sister from UK
ANSWER:
بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایة الحق والصواب
If the sons are adult and sane, they must make a row behind you and the wife must stand behind them. Congregational prayer can be conducted by the husband even along with his wife only. In this case, the wife must stand slightly behind the husband.
Imam Ibn ‘Abidin al-Shami (may Allah have mercy on him) states in his Radd al-Muhtar:
“الْمَرْأَةُ إذَا صَلَّتْ مَعَ زَوْجِهَا فِي الْبَيْتِ، إنْ كَانَ قَدَمُهَا بِحِذَاءِ قَدَمِ الزَّوْجِ لَا تَجُوزُ صَلَاتُهُمَا بِالْجَمَاعَةِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ قَدَمَاهَا خَلْفَ قَدَمِ الزَّوْجِ إلَّا أَنَّهَا طَوِيلَةٌ تَقَعُ رَأْسُ الْمَرْأَةِ فِي السُّجُودِ قِبَلَ رَأْسِ الزَّوْجِ جَازَتْ صَلَاتُهُمَا لِأَنَّ الْعِبْرَةَ لِلْقَدَمِ”
Translation: “If a woman is praying with her husband at home, and their feet are in line with each other, then their praying in congregation is not permissible. Their praying (in congregation) is permissible if the woman’s feet are behind her husband’s feet, but their heads are in line with each other during prostration due to her being tall. This is because the position of the feet is considered.”
[Radd al-Muhtar, vol. 1, pg. 576]
والله تعالی أعلم ورسوله أعلم صلی الله علیه وآله وسلم
کتبه أبو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء القادري
Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qādiri
Translated by the SeekersPath Team
Read the original Urdu answer here: [Q-ID0871] How do I pray in congregation with my Wife?
