Making second jamaat in the masjid

Question: What is the ruling of making a second jamaat in the Masjid after missing the first? بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

It is not permissible to make a second jamaat in one’s local Masjid that has an Imam and regular attendees who pray their prayers at set times. The prohibition is because it can lead to the people in the first jamaat lessening and people not taking it seriously. However, if occasionally some people make a second jamaat in such a way that it does not resemble the first jamaat (e.g., not praying adjacent to the mihrab nor calling the adhan/iqamah), and this does not lead to the first jamaat being affected, it would be permissible. For example, a group of travelers who missed the first jamaat stop at a Masjid and make a second jamaat for themselves. For more details, kindly refer to the following link: https://daruliftabirmingham.co.uk/second-congregation/

Raddul Muhtar: v. 2, p. 288-289 (Maktaba Imdadia); Kitabun Nawazil: v. 4, p. 498-520 (Darul Isha’at)

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Mohammad Ahsan Osmani Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah Darul Ifta Birmingham