a. At our Musalla the majority of the people are from Arab region and they follow Shafai/Hambli timing for Asar Jamaat. Can we (those who are Hanafi) pray at the Shafai time for Jamaat?
(This is also the case at our workplace)
b. People at our workplace request anyone to lead the Jamaat. Is it possible for a Hanafi to lead the Jamaat (knowing that the Asar time is according to Shafai)?
Bismillahi Ta’ala
Walaikum Assalam Warahmatullah
a. One of the condition for the validity of salah is that one must have belief that the time of salah has entered.
Someone who follows the hanafi position that the `asr salah enters upon 2-shadow, then his belief (i’tiqad) is that its time has not entered at the 1-shadow. Hence, while he holds onto this fiqhi stance, his salah performed along with local masjid time at 1-shadow (commonly understood as shafi/hanbali time) will not be valid.
But, It should be understood that 1-shadow is also a valid fiqhi standpoint within hanafiya as well. Hence, if the local masjid prays at 1-shadow, then one should consciously make one’s mind that one will from now on consider the entry time for `Asr to be at 1-shadow.
Once a person changes his stance I’tiqadan (by conviction), then for him his Dhuhr salah finishes at 1-shadow as well, and if he were to one day delay his dhuhr from 1-shadow, he will have to make qadha’ of this salah.
As, long as these details are understood and kept in mind, one may pray in congregation with the local masjid at 1-shadow, while still remaining within hanafi guidelines.
I normally suggest that in our localities where most masajid are following the 1-shadow, it is prudent to maintain the above stance, since even if one were to pray in another masjid praying at 2-shadow, his `asr Salah would still be perfectly valid.
One should not hop and change this ‘I’tiqad of entry time of Salah’ depending on one’s desires rather it should be a genuine conscious step.
b. As long as the above conscious change in salah time is followed promptly, a hanafi may lead congregants of Shafi’, Hanbali or Maliki background without any karahiyah (dialkenes).
Wallahu A’lam
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Faisal al-Mahmudi