FatwaFederal TerritoriesPrayer (Salah)
IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE 435 : ADAKAH TERANGKAT FARDHU KIFAYAH SEKIRANYA SESEBUAH SURAU TIDAK DIHIDUPKAN
Are residents sinful if a condominium surau stays empty with no congregational prayer, given that congregational prayer is a communal obligation?
Short answer
In the Shafi'i school, the preferred view is that congregational prayer is a communal obligation (fardhu kifayah), required to display the symbols of Islam in a locality.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Irsyad al-Hukum (Umum)
- Topic
- Prayer (Salah)
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
In the Shafi'i school, the preferred view is that congregational prayer is a communal obligation (fardhu kifayah), required to display the symbols of Islam in a locality. If congregational prayer is held in at least one mosque in the locality, the obligation is lifted and the sin falls from the other residents. So if the condominium surau is not kept active, its residents are not sinful, provided a mosque in that locality holds congregational prayers. Even so, the questioner is advised to pray first at the nearby surau to keep it active, unless there is an urgent need such as studying obligatory personal knowledge.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Justeru, wajib dilaksanakan solat berjemaah sekurang-kurangnya di sebuah masjid dalam sesuatu kariah kerana hal tersebut telah mencapai matlamat untuk menzahirkan syi'ar agama di kariah tersebut.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE 435 : ADAKAH TERANGKAT FARDHU KIFAYAH SEKIRANYA SESEBUAH SURAU TIDAK DIHIDUPKAN”, 2 March 2020. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-hukum/umum/4259-irsyad-al-fatwa-siri-ke-435-adakah-terangkat-fardhu-kifayah-sekiranya-sesebuah-surau-tidak-dihidupkan. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/empty-surau-congregational-prayer-sin/