Is Qunut in Fajr Obligatory? What about behind a Hanafi Imam?
Posted by Shaykh on Aug 29, 2010 in Featured, Qunut, Salah | 6 comments
Shafiifiqh.com has received many questions pertaining to the rulings of Qunut in Salatul-Fajr (the dawn prayer). In this question and answer fatwa with Shaykh Taha Karaan, he answers the following questions:
1) Is the Salah valid if one does not make qunut – in other words what is the mu’tamad hukm on the qunut?
2) Should the one making Salah make sajdatus sahu if he does not perform qunut?
3) What does one do behind a Hanafi Imam?
May Allah almighty bless Shaykh Taha for his time and efforts amin!
Question:
Is the Salah valid if one does not make qunut – in other words what is the mu’tamad hukm on the qunut?
Answer:
The qunut is regarded as a sunnah of the ab’ad type. What this means is that omitting it would not invalidate the salah, but its omission would be compensated for by making the sajdat al-sahw (the prostration of forgetfulness).
Question:
Should they make sajdatus sahu (the prostration of forgetfulness) if not performed.
Answer:
The general rule would be to make sajdat al-sawh on account of the omission of the qunut.
However, when following an imam who does not make the qunut (a Hanafi imam, for example), two questions arise:
- Firstly, should one read the qunut on your own behind the imam?
- Secondly, would sajdat al-sahw have to be made independently after the imam’s salam?
Should one read the qunut on your own behind the imam?
The position of our madhhab is that one may make the qunut on your own provided you are able to join the imam in his first sajdah. If reading the qunut would delay you to the point where you would only join the imam after he has completed his first sajdah, the qunut should be left out and one should rather join the imam. (Mughni al-Muhtaj 1:362)
When considering whether one would or would not manage to catch up with the imam in his first sajdah, it should not be imagined that the entire qunut has to be read, from Allahumma hdina fi man hadayt … up to the salawat. The rule about the qunut is that any du’a would suffice as qunut, even if it is as brief as Allahumma ghfir li (Oh Allah forgive me). Even a verse from the Qur’an containing du’a would suffice. (Tuhfat al-Muhtaj 2:65) Needless to say, a qunut as brief as this would definitely allow one to join the imam in his first sajdah.
Would sajdat al-sahw have to be made?
On this point the opinions of our fuqaha differ. The mu’tamad (relied upon) position of the madhhab is that whether one has managed to make a qunut on one’s own or not, sajdat al-sahw would still have to be made after the imam makes salam. (Mughni al-Muhtaj 1:362)
Opposed to the above mu’tamad position there are two alternative positions in the madhhab:
- Ibn al-Muqri’ would appear to hold the view that where one has actually managed to make a qunut independently behind the imam, sajdat al-sahw need not be made. (Mughni al-Muhtaj 1:362)
- Al-Qaffal al-Marwazi, al-Isnawi and al-Suyuti take the position that sajdat al-sahw does not need to be made at all on account of the omission of qunut behind a Hanafi imam, for example. (al-Ashbah wa l-Naza’ir p. 437) According to this view, a Shafi’i praying behind a Hanafi imam will omit the qunut along with the imam and will not make sajdat al-sahw when the imam makes salam.
Although these two views are not the mu’tamad positions of the madhhab, it would be perfectly valid, and even encouraged, for individuals to practice upon them.
And Allah Knows Best
Answered by Shaykh Taha Karaan
Dar Al-Ulum Al-Arabiyyah wal-Islamiyyah
Why does the Shaykh say that it would be encouraged to practice on a non-mu’tamad position?
Bismillah
Salamu ‘alaykum Brother Hasan,
In no way do I speak for Shaykh Taha, as his fiqh is far superior to my own, may Allah bless him immensely. This being said, I can certainly see the correct nature and benefit in his opinion.
In the post-modern world of our times, those who follow madhhabs are mixed and are mingled more than they used to be, especially in the west. In order to create harmony amongst the followers of the Sunni schools, as well as ease upon the Sunni laymen, taking the above weaker opinions removes the possibility of discord amongst the Sunnis. Imagine a Shafi’i trying to make qunut behind a Hanafi in a climate of intolerance! What would the result most likely be? We all know that it is possible it could lead to blows!
SubhanAllah! Anecdotally, I have personally been in arguments with brothers who lack fiqh, who have demanded to know why I – as a shafi’i – still recite Fatihah behind the Imam (to myself). These individuals did not ask me out of curiosity, but they thought they were forbidding “evil”, as they saw it as a bida’ah. They were simply ignorant of the valid disagreement on this issue. Intolerance, unfortunately, is rampant in the current climate of ignorance and poor adab.
In the west, especially, we find many individuals ignorant of schools of fiqh and the views within those schools, and such ignorance can lead to unwanted arguing and tension amongst those who think themselves mujtahidin or those who are ardent muqallids – so much so that it leads to disrespect of the other Imams of Islam and becomes blatant extremism. Therefore, for the sake of peace and greater harmony, one who analyzes the environment of the Muslim Ummah in our times, could rationally see why the noble Shaykh (hafithahullah) would point to these weaker views of the school and tell the Muslims – especially those who speak English, that maybe it is not best in the current climate of ignorance to attempt to recite Qunut behind a Hanafi Imam to one’s self. Or maybe its not best to make sajdat as-Sahu, for fear that an argument may occur amongst the people or some kind of ill-thinking amongst the Muslims emerge.
Part of fiqh is its relevant and fluid application. A faqih is able to use the opinions of the school for every place and every time, and if possible to make it easier and more harmonious upon the masses. I believe, though I could be wrong, that Shaykh Taha, may Allah bless him, sees the situation of the Muslims in this trying era, and believes that these are the best suited opinions in the school that would still make a person’s Salah valid based upon the principles and foundations within our madhhab. Again what I have said is from myself, and it is my own interpretation. I thought about his choice in this matter, and honestly, I believe his choice is wise and practical within our times.
May Allah bless the Nabi ‘alayhis salam, his followers, and those that inherited knowledge from him. amin!
Shaykh Taha Karaan emailed me the following regarding my response to you brother Hasan, it is of great benefit masha’allah:
“I saw your response to the question about encouraging marjuh opinions. The response is fine and exactly in line with the spirit of the answer.
Just one point of correction, though: A marjuh opinion is not necessarily a “weak” opinion as such. The phenomenon of khilaf (divergence of opinion) in the madhhab is of two kinds: khilaf qawi, where two strong opinions oppose one another; and khilaf da’if, where a opinion weak in terms of its dalil contradicts one with a strong dalil.
In the case of a khilaf da’if our fuqaha have generally not permitted the marjuh opinion to be practiced upon due to the worthlessness of its dalil.
The marjuh opinion in case of a khilaf qawi, however, cannot be dismissed on grounds of dalil since its dalil tends to be more or less commensurate in strength to the dalil of the rajih. In cases such as this, tarjih is generally given, not on the basis of whose dalil is stronger, since this becomes extremely difficult to determine, but rather in terms of numbers: the view to which tarjih will be given is the one which is expressed by the majority of the fuqaha of the madhhab..
Since the marjuh in this case still rests upon a considerably reliable dalil, and since it also originates with a mujtahid of the madhhab, it remains a practice-able view on the whole.
Hopefully it would be understood, in light hereof, that practicing upon the marjuh in such instances does not necessarily mean practicing upon a weaker view, but rather on an alternative view within the madhhab.
Taha ”
-endquote-
I hope that clarifies further for you brother Hasan.
is there a chance that Sh Taha would read all the responses. of other posts too. I have send them in a questions months back but still no answer
Assalaam o Alaikom
it is a pleasure to read fatawa on line especially in those parts of the world where shafii muftis are not easily accessable. i would like to ask about your opinion on offering salat behind hanafi imam who is a mamati i.e having a belief that Prophet Muhammad SAW is not alive in his grave the way we are on earth rather he is leading a barzakhi life
Jazakallah for enlightening on this issue of Qunut