Leaving the congregation mid-prayer (mufaraqa)

Mufaraqa means separation. In prayer it is a follower leaving his imam, or a worshipper leaving the congregation. This part of the entry covers pages 14805 to 14811 and the discussion continues beyond them. ¹

The Hanafis, Malikis, Hanbalis and the older Shafi'i view hold that a follower may not leave his imam without an excuse, because joining the prayer binds him from the start, citing the hadith that the imam is appointed to be followed. On these views the prayer of one who leaves without excuse is void. The main Shafi'i view, and a second Hanbali view, hold it valid but disliked. ^{1 2 3}

Most jurists (Malikis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis) allow a follower to intend to pray alone for an excuse. They cite the story of Mu'adh ibn Jabal, whom the Prophet ﷺ did not order to repeat his prayer. A widely agreed excuse is the imam's recitation being so long that the follower cannot bear it. The Shafi'is add that the imam omits a recommended act such as the first tashahhud or the qunut. ^{3 4}

Leaving is obligatory in several cases: when the imam turns away from the qibla, according to most jurists; when the imam becomes involved in something that voids his prayer, such as impurity, loss of ritual purity, or drunkenness; and when he misreads the opening chapter in a way that changes its meaning. The Shafi'is also require it if the imam stands for a fifth rak'a. ^{5 6 7}

The Shafi'is and Hanbalis allow a worshipper to leave the congregation at the second rak'a of the Friday prayer. They do not allow it at the first, because congregation is a condition there. ⁷

The Shafi'is hold that a worshipper who has prayed one rak'a of the Friday prayer and then leaves may complete it as a Friday prayer, provided his prayer is not voided by leaving. The Hanbalis hold that leaving in the second rak'a, after catching the first with the imam, still completes the Friday prayer, while leaving in the first turns it into a voluntary prayer followed by Zuhr. The Malikis allow no separate prayer in Friday, since congregation is a condition. ⁸

A traveller who shortens the prayer must have left the houses of his home town and their outskirts; the hadith of Anas on the Zuhr prayer in Medina and the Asr prayer at Dhu al-Hulayfa is cited. All jurists agree that a traveller may not break the Ramadan fast until he has left the built-up area of his town. They differ over one who leaves after dawn: the Hanafis, Malikis, the known Shafi'i view and one Hanbali view say he may not break the fast that day, while most others allow it, citing the hadith of Abu Basra on the boat. ^{8 9}

One form of fear prayer divides the army into two groups. The imam prays with the second group; when he rises to the second or third rak'a, the followers part from him, complete their prayer alone and go to face the enemy, and the guarding group comes to pray the rest with the imam. ^{8 9}

Separation is a cause of a sale becoming binding. Until the parties separate after offer and acceptance, the sale is open and each has the option to annul it while they remain in the session; the Shafi'is and Hanbalis call this the option of the session, citing a hadith of Ibn Umar. Separation is physical, not verbal, and is judged by custom. The Shafi'is hold separation permitted, citing the hadith forbidding one party to leave the other for fear of annulment as merely permissive; one Hanbali view, held to be the more sound, forbids it. ^{9 10 11}

If one party is forced to separate, the Shafi'is and a Hanbali jurist hold that the option is not lost; if one flees and the other does not follow, most jurists say both options lapse. If the parties dispute whether separation happened, the one who denies it is believed on oath. ^{11 12 13}

When one person conducts a contract on both sides, such as a father selling to his child, the Shafi'is and Hanbalis differ on whether an option arises and separation counts as binding the contract. ¹³

The Shafi'is and Hanbalis hold that separation makes binding certain other contracts that carry the option of the session: exchange of currency, sale of ribawi goods of the same kind by measure or weight, advance sale, and compromise by exchange. The Shafi'is add transfer of a purchase at cost and partnership, and the Hanbalis add a gift with a known return and hire. ¹⁴

A free Muslim may not have more than four wives at once. When an unbeliever who has more than four wives embraces Islam with them, he must separate from those beyond four, as agreed by the jurists, citing the hadith of Ghaylan ibn Salama. The Malikis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis hold that the order of the marriages does not matter in choosing which to keep. ^{14 15}

An unbeliever who embraces Islam keeps four and separates from the rest; the wording counts. Saying he annuls the marriages keeps those four; divorcing one keeps her; saying he has parted from certain women, with intent to divorce, keeps the others. Ibn Qudama holds that he may not have intercourse with those kept until the waiting periods of those separated are complete. A Muslim who marries more than four in a single contract loses all of them. ^{15 16 17}

If a Muslim marries two sisters in one contract both marriages are void; in two contracts the second is void. An unbeliever who embraces Islam with two sisters must keep one and separate from the other, by the hadith of Fayruz al-Daylami (may God be pleased with him), and the jurists differ from Abu Hanifa and Abu Yusuf on the two-contract case. ^{17 18}

Al-Nawawi holds greeting a strongly recommended sunna, and it is recommended to greet someone again after parting from him, even briefly or when something stood between you, citing the hadith of the one who prayed badly and a hadith about a tree or wall between companions. One who rises to leave a gathering should greet those present. ¹⁸

The jurists agree that obedience to a just ruler is required and that rebellion against him is forbidden; they differ over obedience to one who is not just. ¹⁹

If a husband turns away from his wife and wants to divorce her, she may offer a settlement to keep him. The Qur'an (Surah al-Nisa) is cited, and the Prophet's keeping of Sawda bint Zam'a, who gave up her day to Aisha. If the husband still insists on separation, God promises that each will be made independent by His bounty. ¹⁹

Anyone may sit in public places such as a street, mosque or market for a need, provided no harm falls on others. Whether one who leaves his place and returns has a prior claim is discussed under the entry on the assembly. ¹⁹