Description of the fear prayer

Question

Praise be to Allah.

Firstly:

The fear prayer is prescribed in the verse in which Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):

“When you (O Messenger
Muhammad) are among them, and lead them in As‑Salaah (the prayer), let one
party of them stand up [in Salaah (prayer)] with you taking their arms with
them; when they finish their prostrations, let them take their positions in
the rear and let the other party come up which have not yet prayed, and let
them pray with you taking all the precautions and bearing arms. Those who
disbelieve wish, if you were negligent of your arms and your baggage, to
attack you in a single rush, but there is no sin on you if you put away your
arms because of the inconvenience of rain or because you are ill, but take
every precaution for yourselves. Verily, Allaah has prepared a humiliating
torment for the disbelievers”

[al-Nisa’ 4:102]

The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led his companions in offering this
prayer on a number of occasions, in different ways.

Imam Ahmad said: There are six or seven proven ahaadeeth
concerning the fear prayer; whichever of them a person does, it is
permissible.

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

There are six basic ways, but some scholars said there were
more, because every time they saw a different report by the narrators, they
counted that as another way in which the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) did it, whereas these are variations in the reports
of the narrators. End quote. Al-Haafiz said: This is the correct view.

The way in which the fear prayer is done differs according to
the severity of the fear and the location of the enemy – whether they are in
the direction of the qiblah or some other direction.

The leader or imam should choose the version that is most
suited to the situation and is most likely to serve the purpose, which is to
ensure that the prayer is performed whilst guarding against the enemy, so
that they will not attack the Muslims and catch them unawares whilst they
are praying.

Al-Khattaabi said: There are different types of the fear
prayer which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
offered on different occasions and in different ways, and the way in which
it is to be done is to choose the best way that will ensure that the prayer
is performed with the utmost vigilance.

End quote from Sharh Muslim by al-Nawawi.

Secondly: when it was first prescribed

It was narrated that Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him)
said: We went out with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) to fight some people from Juhaynah, and they fought us
fiercely. When we prayed Zuhr, the mushrikeen said: If we had attacked them
then, we would have finished them off. Jibreel informed the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about that, and the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us
about it. He said: They said: There will come to them a prayer that is
dearer to them than their children. When the time for ‘Asr came, we formed
two rows, and the mushrikeen were between us and the qiblah … Then he stated
that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) led them in offering the fear prayer. Narrated by Muslim, 840

Thirdly:

Here it will be
sufficient for us to describe some of the ways in which it is offered.

1 – If the enemy is in a direction other than the qiblah: the
leader should divide the army into two groups, one which will pray with him
and another which will face the enemy lest they attack the Muslims. He
should lead the first group in praying one rak’ah, then when he stands up
for the second rak’ah they should complete the prayer by themselves, i.e.,
they should intend to pray alone and complete the prayer by themselves,
whilst the imam remains standing. Then when they have completed the prayer
by themselves, they should go and stand where the second group was, facing
the enemy, and the second group should come and join the imam in the second
rak’ah. In this case the imam should make the second rak’ah longer than the
first, so that the second group may catch up with him. So the second group
should join the imam and he should lead them in the remaining rak’ah, then
he should sit to recite the tashahhud. When he sits to recite the tashahhud,
this group should get up immediately after prostrating and complete the
remaining rak’ah, then catch up with the imam for the tashahhud, after which
he should lead them in saying the salaam. This version is in accordance with
the apparent meaning of the Qur’aan, as Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“When you (O Messenger
Muhammad) are among them, and lead them in As‑Salaah (the prayer), let one
party of them stand up [in Salaah (prayer)] with you taking their arms with
them; when they finish their prostrations, let them take their positions in
the rear and let the other party come up which have not yet prayed, and let
them pray with you taking all the precautions and bearing arms.”

[al-Nisa’ 4:102]

al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 4/298

al-Bukhaari (413) and Muslim (842) narrated from Maalik, from
Yazeed ibn Rumaan, from Saalih ibn Khawwaat from one who saw the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on the day of
Dhaat al-Riqaa’ when he offered the fear prayer, that one group formed rows
with him, and another group faced the enemy. He led those who were with him
in praying one rak’ah, then he remained standing and they completed the
prayer by themselves. Then they moved away and faced the enemy, and the
other group came. He led them in praying the remaining rak’ah, then he
remained sitting and they completed the prayer by themselves, then he said
the tasleem with them.

Maalik said: This is
best that I have heard concerning the fear prayer.

2 – If the enemy is in the direction of the qiblah, then the
imam should form them into two rows and start leading all of them in prayer,
bowing with all of them and standing up with all of them, then when he
prostrates the first row only should prostrate with him and the second row
should remain standing, keeping guard. When he stands up, the first row
should stand with him and the back row should prostrate. Then when they
stand up, the back row should move forward and the front row should move
backward, then he should lead them all in the second rak’ah, standing and
bowing with all of them, then when he prostrates the row which moved
forward, which was in the back during the first rak’ah, should prostrate
with him, then when he sits to recite the tashahhud the back row should
prostrate. When they sit to recite the tashahhud the imam should say the
tasleem with all of them. This can only be done when the enemy is in the
direction of the qiblah.

Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 4/300

Muslim (840) narrated that Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah
be pleased with him) said: I was present during the fear prayer with the
Messenger of Allaah (S). We formed two rows, one row behind the Messenger of
Allaah (S), and the enemy was between us and the qiblah. The Messenger of
Allaah (S) said takbeer and we all said takbeer. Then he bowed and we all
bowed. Then he raised his head from bowing and we all raised our heads. Then
he and the row that was directly behind him went down in prostration, and
the back row remained standing, facing the enemy. When the Prophet (S) had
finished prostrating, the row that was directly behind him stood up, and the
back row went down in prostration and then stood up. Then the back row went
forward and the front row moved back. Then the Prophet (S) bowed and we all
bowed, then he raised his head from bowing and we all raised our heads. Then
he and the row that was directly behind him, that had been in the back
during the first rak’ah, went down in prostration, and the back row remained
standing, facing the enemy. When the Prophet and the row that was directly
behind him had finished prostrating, the back row went down in prostration.
Then the Prophet (S) said the tasleem and we all did likewise

3 – If the fear is
intense, and the imam cannot form the Muslims into rows and lead them in
prayer in congregation. This is when the two sides are in the thick of
battle and the fighting is intense.

In this case, each Muslim should pray by himself, as he is
fighting, whether he is walking on foot, or riding, facing the qiblah or
not. He should gesture for bowing and prostrating, making the prostration
lower than the bowing.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And if you fear (an enemy), perform Salaah (pray) on foot
or riding”

[al-Baqarah 2:239]

al-Sa’di said (p. 109):

“on foot” means walking. “riding” means on horseback or
camelback or any other kind of mount. In this case it is not necessary to
face towards the qiblah. This prayer is exempt because of fear. End quote.

Al-Bukhaari (943) narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “If they are more than that, then let them pray standing and
riding.”

Al-Haafiz said:

“If they are more than that” refers to the enemy. What is
meant is that if fear is intense and the enemy is great in number and there
is the fear of dividing the Muslims, then in that case it is permissible to
pray however one can, and it is permissible to omit the pillars or essential
parts of the prayer that one cannot do. So he should move from standing to
bowing, and from bowing to prostrating, by means of gestures etc. This is
the view of the majority. End quote.

Al-Tabari narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: When fighting breaks
out, then (the prayer) is just dhikr and gesturing with the head.

Al-Bukhaari (4535) narrated from Naafi’ that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn
‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) described the fear prayer, then he
said:

If the fear was more intense than that, then they prayed on
foot, standing on their feet, or riding, facing the qiblah or not facing the
qiblah. Naafi’ said: I do not think that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar narrated that
except from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him).

Al-Haafiz said:

The point is that there
is a difference of opinion concerning the words, “if the fear was more
intense than that” – is this attributable to the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) or is it the word of Ibn ‘Umar? The correct
view is that it is attributable to the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him). End quote.

It says in al-Muntaqa Sharh al-Muwatta’:

“If the fear was more intense than that” means: a case of
fear in which it is not possible to stand in one spot or to form rows. So
they prayed on foot. That is because fear is of two types: one of which is
when it is possible to stand still and form rows, but there is the fear that
the enemy may attack whilst the Muslims are busy with the prayer.

The second type of fear is that in which it is not possible
to stand in one spot or form rows, such as when under attack by the enemy.
In this case each person should pray as best he can, on foot or riding.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And if you fear (an enemy), perform Salaah (pray) on foot
or riding”

[al-Baqarah 2:239]

End quote.

Fourthly:

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said in al-Sharh al-Mumti’
(4/300):

But if someone were to
say: What if we assume that the ways narrated from the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cannot be applied nowadays, because the
methods of warfare have changed?

We say: If it is necessary to pray at a time of fear of the
enemy, they should pray in the manner that is closest to the ways narrated
from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), if the
ways that are narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) cannot be followed, because Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you
can”

[al-Taghaabun 64:16]

end quote.