Firstly:
Prayer is
very important, and it is enjoined to pray regularly on time; we are
encouraged to do that and warned against taking this matter lightly, as
is well known. For example, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, As‑Salaah (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours”
[al-Nisa’ 4:103].
And
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, when
asked which deed is most beloved to Allaah: “Prayer offered on time.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (527) and Muslim (85).
With regard to praying ‘Asr, in particular, on time, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Guard
strictly (five obligatory) As‑Salawaat (the prayers) especially the
middle Salaah (i.e. the best prayer ‑ ‘Asr). And stand before Allaah
with obedience [and do not speak to others during the Salaah (prayers)]”
[al-Baqarah 2:238].
The middle prayer is ‘Asr, as was stated in a saheeh report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
He
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The one who omits to
pray ‘Asr, all his good deeds will be lost.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari
(553).
Once this is established, the questioner should do
all that he can to look for means that will enable him to perform this
great duty at the right time. He can the perform the prayer in any clean
place. It is well known that praying does not take up more than a few
minutes. You should beware of failing to pray out of shyness or
weakness, or because you do not want to show that you are a Muslim. The
scholars have stated that if the one who is living in a kaafir country
cannot practise his religion openly, then he is obliged to migrate and
it is not permissible for him to stay, unless he is unable to migrate,
because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily,
as for those whom the angels take (in death) while they are wronging
themselves (as they stayed among the disbelievers even though emigration
was obligatory for them), they (angels) say (to them): ‘In what
(condition) were you?’ They reply: ‘We were weak and oppressed on the
earth.’ They (angels) say: ‘Was not the earth of Allaah spacious enough
for you to emigrate therein?’ Such men will find their abode in Hell —
what an evil destination!
98. Except the weak ones among men, women and children who cannot devise a plan, nor are they able to direct their way.
99. These are they whom Allaah is likely to forgive them, and Allaah is Ever Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving”
[al-Nisa’ 4:97-99].
Secondly:
If
he does all that he can but is not able to offer the prayer on time,
there is nothing wrong with joining two prayers, so he may join Zuhr and
‘Asr, and Maghrib and ‘Isha’, because of the report narrated by Muslim
(705) from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) joined
Zuhr and ‘Asr, and Maghrib and ‘Isha’, in Madeenah when there was no
fear and no rain. According to the hadeeth of Wakee’ he said: I said to
Ibn ‘Abbaas: Why did he do that? He said: So that his ummah would not be
subjected to hardship, i.e., so that they would not face any
difficulty.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy
on him) was asked: If a female student enters the classroom at the time
when Zuhr begins and the lesson goes on for two hours, what should she
do?
He replied: The time for Zuhr does not end in two
hours, because the time for Zuhr lasts from when the sun passes the
meridian until the time for ‘Asr begins. This is longer than two hours,
so it is possible to pray Zuhr after the lesson ends, because she will
still have some time left. This applies if it is not possible for her to
pray during the lesson time; if that is possible then it is more on the
safe side. If it so happens that the lesson does not end before the
time for ‘Asr begins and it will be too difficult for her to leave the
lessons, then in that case it is permissible for her to join Zuhr and
‘Asr prayer and delay Zuhr until the time for ‘Asr, because of the
hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) which says that
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) joined Zuhr and
‘Asr, and Maghrib and ‘Isha’, in Madeenah when there was no fear and no
rain. He was asked about that and he (may Allaah be pleased with him)
said: He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not want to
cause hardship for his ummah.
These words of Ibn ‘Abbaas
(may Allaah be pleased with him) indicate that the hardship and
difficulty that a person may face make it permissible for him to join
the two prayers which may be joined together at the time of either of
them. This comes under the heading of Allaah making religion easy for
this ummah, the basis of which is seen in the verses (interpretation of
the meaning):
“Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you”
[al-Baqarah 2:185]
“Allaah does not want to place you in difficulty”
[al-Maa’idah 5:6]
“and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship”
[al-Hajj 22:78]
And
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Religion
is easy”. And there are many other texts which indicate that this
religion is easy.
End quote from Majmoo’ah Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (12/216).
Source: http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/110904
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