[Q 235] Can Hanafis pray behind a Shafi’i Imam?

Question

Can Hanafis pray behind a Shafi’i Imam?

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب

Answer

The detail regarding a Hanafi person praying behind a Shafi’i Imam is as follows:

(1) If it is known that the Shafi’i Imam takes into consideration the Hanafi jurisprudence in terms of ablution, ghusl, as well as the obligations and conditions of the prayer, meaning he prays in a way that, according to the Hanafis, the prayer is not invalidated, and also performs purity in a way that according to Hanafi jurisprudence he is not considered impure, for example, does not perform ablution in still water that is less than the 10×10 amount because dipping the hands in water less than 10×10 immediately renders it used (مستعمل) and ablution with used water is not valid. Similarly, he performs ablution in the case of flowing blood or pus, and wipes at least one-fourth of the head, etc., then in such a case, praying behind him is correct without dislike. However, praying behind a Hanafi Imam is still preferable.

(2) If it is not known whether he takes into consideration the Hanafi jurisprudence, then praying behind him is correct but with dislike.

(3) If it is known that he does not take the Hanafi jurisprudence into consideration, then praying behind him is Makrooh e Tahreemi.

(4) If it is known that he did not take the Hanafi jurisprudence into consideration specifically in that prayer, then it is not permissible to pray behind him, and if the prayer is performed, it is not considered valid.

Thus, Allama Muhammad bin Ali Damishqi Haskafi (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) (Passed away: 1088H) writes in Durr al-Mukhtar:

لکن في وتر البحر إن تيقن المراعاة لم يكره، أو عدمها لم يصح، وإن شك كره

Under this, Allama Muhammad Ameen bin Umar bin Abdul Aziz Shami (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) (Passed away 1252H) writes in Radd al-Muhtar:

( قولہ لکن في وتر البحرالخ )

هذا هو المعتمد، لأن المحققين جنحوا إليه، وقواعد المذهب شاهدة عليه. وقال كثير من المشايخ: إن كان عادته مراعاة مواضعالخلاف جاز وإلا فلا، ذكره السندي ۔۔۔ (قوله إن تيقن المراعاة لم يكره إلخ) أي المراعاة في الفرائض من شروط وأركان في تلكالصلاة وإن لم يراع الواجبات والسنن كما هو ظاهر سياق كلام البحر ۔۔۔وظاهر كلام شرح المنية أيضا حيث قال: وأماالاقتداء بالمخالف في الفروع كالشافعي فيجوز ما لم يعلم منه ما يفسد الصلاة على اعتقاد المقتدي عليه الإجماع

(Al-Durr al-Mukhtar with Radd al-Muhtar, Book of Prayer, Chapter on Imamah, Vol 1, p563, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut)

A’la Hazrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) writes in Fatawa Razawiya: “If a Shafi’i takes into consideration the obligations of purity and Salah according to Hanafi jurisprudence, it is permissible without dislike to pray behind him although it is better to pray behind a Hanafi. And if it is not known whether he takes into consideration or not, it is permissible with slight dislike, and if it is known that it is his habit not to consider them, then it is severely disliked. And if it is known that he specifically did not observe in that prayer, then it is not permissible for a Hanafi to follow him, and the prayer behind him would not be valid. In the first and second case, one may join, and in the third case, one should not join, and in the fourth case, the prayer itself is invalid.”

(Fatawa Razawiya, Vol 6, p558, Raza Foundation)

On another occasion, it is stated: “There are several cases for a Hanafi’s following someone from another of the four true madhhabs: (1) If it is known in that specific prayer that the imam has not observed any obligation or condition of ablution or prayer or imamat according to the Hanafi madhhab, as we have detailed some objections and their answers in our fatawa, in such a case, the Hanafi’s prayer behind him is utterly invalid. (2) If the specific condition of the prayer is unknown but it is known as his habit that he usually does not observe the mentioned matters according to the Hanafi madhhab, then praying behind him is severely disliked(makrooh e tahreemi). (3) If even the habit is unknown, then his imamat in prayer is disliked, and the more preferred opinion is that this dislike is not Tahreemi. (4) If it is known as his habit that he always takes them into consideration, then the ruling is lighter than the third case but still not free from a type of dislike. (5) If it is known in that specific prayer that he has observed all the mentioned matters, then now according to the majority, there is no dislike, even if he had the habit of not observing before, but it is still preferable if possible to follow someone of the same madhhab.”

(Fatawa Razawiya, Vol 6, p505, Raza Foundation)

In Fatawa Hindiya, it is mentioned:

والاقتداء بشافعي المذهب إنما يصح إذا كان الإمام يتحامى مواضع الخلاف بأن يتوضأ من الخارج النجس من غير السبيلينكالفصد وأن لا ينحرف عن القبلة انحرافا فاحشا. هكذا في النهاية والكفاية في باب الوتر ۔۔۔وأن لا يتوضأ في الماء الراكدالقليل وأن يغسل ثوبه من المني ويفرك اليابس

(Al-Fatawa al-Hindiya, Book of Prayer, Fifth Chapter, Third Section, Vol 1, p84, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut)

Sadr al-Shariah, Badr al-Tariqah, Abu al-Ala Mufti Muhammad Amjad Ali Azami (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) writes in Bahar-e-Shariat:

“A Hanafi can follow a Shafi’i or another muqallid when he observes our obligatory jurisprudential issues in matters of purity and prayer, or it is known that he has observed in that specific prayer, meaning his purity is not such that we would consider it impure as per Hanafi way, nor the prayer of such type that we would call it invalid. Even then, it is preferable for a Hanafi to follow a Hanafi. And if it is not known whether he observes our jurisprudence, nor that he has observed in that prayer, then it is permissible but disliked. And if it is known that he has not observed in that prayer, then it is simply invalid.

(Bahar-e-Shariat, Vol 1, page 570)

Answered by: Mufti Sajid Attari 

Translated by: Abu Burhan Attari