When the Muslims are confronted with an enemy, whether it is man or a wild animal, and in such a situation all the Muslims or even a part of them cannot get together and offer their salaat with jama’at, and they do not even get the opportunity of getting off the animals on which they are riding – then all of them should offer their salaat individually while sitting on their animals. In this case, even facing theqiblah is not a prerequisite. However, if two people are seated on one animal, they can offer their salaat with jama’at.

If they cannot even do this, they will be regarded as excused (ma’zur). They should not offer their salaat now. Once they are at ease and have peace of mind, they should make qada of their missed salaat. If it is possible for only a few of them to offer salaat with jama’at, in such a case they should not leave out the jama’at. In this case, salaat should be offered in the following way:

i. All the Muslims should be divided into two groups.

ii. One group will remain fighting the enemy while the second group will commence it’s salaat with the imam.

iii. If it is a three or four rakaat salaat, such as zuhr, asr, maghrib, esha, and these people are not musafirs, then once the imam completes two rakaats and stands up for the third rakaat, this first group should go away.

iv. If these people are musafirs, or it is a two rakaat salaat such as fajr, jumu’ah, eid, or the zuhr, asr and esha of a musafir; then this first group should go away after the first rakaat.

v. The second group should come and join the imam for the balance of the salaat.

vi. The imam should wait for the arrival of this second group.

vii. Once the imam completes the balance of the salaat, he should make salaam and this second group should go to fight the enemy without making salaam.

vii. The first group should then return and complete it’s salaat without making qira’at.

viii. They should then make salaam.

ix. This is because this first group is regarded as a laahiq.

x. This group should then go to fight the enemy.

xi. The second group should return and complete its salaat with qira’at and then make salaam.

xii. This is so because this group is regarded as a masbuq.

1. When these groups go to confront the enemy in their state of salaat or return to complete their salaat, then this going and coming has to be done on foot. If this is done by mounting an animal, their salaat will become invalid. This is because it is regarded as amal-e-katheer, i.e. excessive movement (which invalidates salaat).

2. The second group’s offering the balance of the salaat with the imam, the first group’s returning and completing it’s salaat, and thereafter the second group’s returning and completing it’s salaat – all this is mustahab and preferable. It is also permissible for the first group to offer it’s salaat and go away. Thereafter, the second group comes and offers the remainder of the salaat with the imam and thereafter completes it’s salaat on it’s own. Only after completing it’s salaat, it will go towards the enemy. When this second group reaches there, the first group will complete it’s salaat over there and does not have to return to the place where it had offered the first half of it’s salaat.

3. This method of offering salaat will only apply if all the people wish to offer their salaat behind one imam, e.g. a person is very pious and all the people wish to offer their salaat behind him. If this is not the case, it is preferable for one group to offer it’s entire salaat behind one imam and thereafter to go to confront the enemy. Thereafter, the second group will appoint it’s own imam and offer the entire salaat behind him.

4. If there is the fear that the enemy is very close and it will reach here very soon, and in thinking so they offered their salaat as mentioned in the beginning. Later they realized that this fear of theirs was unfounded. In such a case the salaat of the imam will be valid. The muqtadis will have to repeat their salaat. This is because this type of salaat has been stipulated at the time of extreme necessity. So much so that contrary to sound reasoning, even amal-e-katheer has been permitted. Without any extreme necessity, this sort of amal-e-katheer makes the salaat invalid.

5. If the fighting is a forbidden type of fighting, then to offer the salaat in this method is not permissible, e.g. a few renegades rise up against the ruler of the Islamic state or someone fights with another person for a forbidden worldly reason. For such people this amal-e-katheer will not be permitted.

6. If they commenced their salaat without facing the qiblah, and in the meanwhile the enemy flees, they should immediately turn towards the qiblah. If not, the salaat will not be valid.

7. If they commenced their salaat while facing the qiblah, and in this state the enemy arrives, it will be permissible to immediately turn towards the enemy. In this case, facing the qiblah will no longer be a prerequisite.

8. If a person is swimming in the sea and the time of salaat is about to expire, then if it is possible, he should stop moving his hands and legs for a little while and offer his salaat with ishaarah.