Question:
I have a query with regards to the different activities that take place between the Fardh and Nawafil prayers in the masajid:
1) The reading of sunnah and etiquettes for a very short time.
2) In some places, the Imam stands facing the congregation and advises them for two-three minutes.
3) Many masajid make announcements with regards to making dua for the sick. Likewise, announcements are made with regards to janazah salaah.
4) In some madaris, a student recites one page of the Quran as a means of encouragement.
What is the ruling with regards to these acts? These activities take place whilst those who have missed a rakat are usually performing their salaah. At times people start their nawafil and the Imam starts speaking on the microphone.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
In a congregational act, every individual should consider the other. In salāh and after salāh, the Imām genuinely has the best interests of the followers at mind. Likewise, the followers exhibit their consideration by sitting and listening to what the Imām has to say. The public genuinely do come to the masjid for salāh and to be educated in matters of Dīn. In addition, the time after salāh where everybody is gathered is a golden opportunity to educate the masses.
Thus, it is permissible to narrate a few masā’il or etiquettes after the fardh salāh. The importance of educating the mass public cannot be over emphasised.[i] At the same time, it is important to take into consideration the late comers to salāh.[ii] In addition, it is makrūh to lengthen the time between the fardh and sunnah.[iii] Thus, the Imam should keep the advice/announcement as short as possible and in an adequate volume which is loud enough for the congregation to hear and does not overpower the latecomers’ concentration.[iv] An advice approximately one minute seems to appropriate.
With regards to the Imam giving nasīhah for 2-3 minutes, if this is done daily and the people who perform salāh there are comfortable with it, then it will be alright to carry on with it.
There is nothing wrong with making announcements after the salāh which are not related to worldly affairs like transactions etc.[v]
With regards to making a child recite the Qur῾ān after salāh, it is a praiseworthy act for encouragement. However, if the masjid/musallā is frequented by the mass public, then this can be a hindrance for them. Another mechanism may be considered to encourage the students.
[i] وفي عمدة القاري
وَالْحكمَة فِي اسْتِقْبَال الْمَأْمُومين أَن يعلمهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَيْهِ كَذَا قيل (قلت) فعلى هَذَا كَانَ يَنْبَغِي أَن يفعل هَذَا من كَانَ حَاله مثل حَال النَّبِي – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم َ – من قصد التَّعْلِيم وَالْمَوْعِظَة (ج 6 ص 136 دار إحياء التراث العربي)
وكذا في فتاوى دار العلوم زكريا ج 2 ص 168 زمزم
[ii] وكذا في فتاوى محمودية ج 4
[iii] وفي الدر المختار من حاشية ابن عابدين
وَيُكْرَهُ تَأْخِيرُ السُّنَّةِ إلَّا بِقَدْرِ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ السَّلَامُ إلَخْ. قَالَ الْحَلْوَانِيُّ: لَا بَأْسَ بِالْفَصْلِ بِالْأَوْرَادِ وَاخْتَارَهُ الْكَمَالُ. قَالَ الْحَلَبِيُّ: إنْ أُرِيدَ بِالْكَرَاهَةِ التَّنْزِيهِيَّةُ ارْتَفَعَ الْخِلَافُ قُلْت: وَفِي حِفْظِي حَمَلَهُ عَلَى الْقَلِيلَةِ (ج 1 ص 530 أيج أيم سعيد)
وكذا في فتاوى محمودية ج 7 ص 570 إدارة الفاروق
[iv] وفي صحيح مسلم
عَنِ الْمِقْدَادِ (وهو يصف مجيئ النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) فَيَجِيءُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمًا لَا يُوقِظُ نَائِمًا، وَيُسْمِعُ الْيَقْظَانَ (رقم الحديث 2055)
[v] وفي شرح النووي
فِي هَذَيْنِ الْحَدِيثَيْنِ فَوَائِدُ مِنْهَا النَّهْيُ عَنْ نَشْدِ الضَّالَّةِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَيَلْحَقُ بِهِ مَا فِي مَعْنَاهُ مِنَ الْبَيْعِ وَالشِّرَاءِ وَالْإِجَارَةِ وَنَحْوِهَا مِنَ الْعُقُودِ وَكَرَاهَةِ رَفْعِ الصَّوْتِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ قَالَ الْقَاضِي قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَجَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ يُكْرَهُ رَفْعُ الصَّوْتِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ بِالْعِلْمِ وَغَيْرِهِ وَأَجَازَ أَبُو حَنِيفَةَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ مَالِكٍ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى رَفْعَ الصَّوْتِ فِيهِ بِالْعِلْمِ وَالْخُصُومَةِ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ النَّاسُ لِأَنَّهُ مَجْمَعُهُمْ وَلَا بُدَّ لَهُمْ مِنْهُ وَقَوْلُهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّمَا بُنِيَتِ الْمَسَاجِدُ لِمَا بُنِيَتْ لَهُ مَعْنَاهُ لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَالصَّلَاةِ وَالْعِلْمِ وَالْمُذَاكَرَةِ فِي الْخَيْرِ وَنَحْوِهَا (ج 5 ص 55 دار إحياء التراث العربي)