Turkey: Fatwa allows Muslims to pray just three times a day

[Asad]

Turkey: Fatwa allows Muslims to pray just three times a day

Ankara, 10 Oct. (AKI) - Turkish Muslims will be allowed to pray only three times a day from Wednesday instead of the usual five - without fear of committing a sin.

A member of the scientific council of Istanbul University, Muhammad Nour Dughan, has issued a controversial fatwa or religious edict cutting Islamic prayer requirements from five to three times a day.
The move has provoked widespread debate as well as opposition from orthodox imams or Muslim clerics.
Sharia law allows for the possibility of praying three times a day in case of sickness or travel.
The fatwa extends this option allowing Muslims to pray three times a day, especially when they are heavily committed with work or personal issues.
The Turkish debate echoes a similar one that has already taken place in Egypt where the fatwa has also drawn support.
Jamal al-Banna, brother of the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hasan al-Banna, endorsed the Turkish move.
"Merging prayers has become a modern necessity," he told the al-Arabiya website. "In most cases, people do not always perform the five prayers on time due to the pressures of modern life."
Al-Banna is often criticised for his modern interpretation of Islamic rules. He said the Prophet Mohammad himself had given followers this option that could be applied when prayers cannot be carried out in a given time.

A member of Egypt's Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Sheikh Youssef al-Badri, rejected the argument saying it was unacceptable to merge prayers unless it was due to travel, illness, rain or pilgrimage.

http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English...1.0.1409142549

[Asad]

Anyone having any insight into the validity of this?

Prayers occur five times in the day. What logic can be used to condense it into three?

Personally, I don't think this is valid.

[AzeemBhai]

Well in Quran there is only info abt 3 Prayers maybe thats why they did it

[Fahim]

This is crap, And a sin. Azeem bhai where did you find info in quran on only 3 prayers?????????????????

[Maverick]

I had an Ismaeli friend in College who told me that they prayed only twice a day, the explanation was that since people in the older days had a lot of time they could afford to pray 5 times a day but now our lives are so fast paced that we do not have time for 5 prayers a day.

I, ofcourse, absolutely consider it a sin to 'bend' or 'break' any religious rule and I wonder what will happen with these so called mufti's who are going to be responsible for all that follow his modern Islam even though I myself do not offer prayers (although that I intend to offer 5 prayers a day, everyday)!

I think we all need a sign, an example of people like that Mufti!

[Saad Anas]

i think that shia ppl prays three times a day. they merge there prayers.

@maverick

ismailis are not muslims. so u can't compare them

i don't think that a person is so busy that he can't pray 5 times a day. Allah knows the best so he also knew that man can easily pray 5 times in a day.

[pataykhan]

Originally Posted by Saad Anas

i think that shia ppl prays three times a day. they merge there prayers.

@maverick

ismailis are not muslims. so u can't compare them

i don't think that a person is so busy that he can't pray 5 times a day. Allah knows the best so he also knew that man can easily pray 5 times in a day.

Yes shia (which i am) also pray three times a day. It is not a sin but a fiqhi issue.
Also there is a difference between five prayers a day and praying five times a day. The number of prayers have been five a day without any controversry.

[Fahad]

We (Muslims) are bound to Pray 5 times aday. I dunno if we can Pray 3 times aday while in sickness, travel etc, but its for sure that Prays are set as Farz for 5 times aday.

@Azeem bhai... where did u read in Quran that 3 times Prayers are mentioned? Any reference?

[nof3l]

well my bro also told that their are only 3 prayers in koran so i will ask him about exact location
or maybe shikary can help us

[zeus]

those who follow imam abu hanifa fiqa hanfia pray five times a day and fiqa jaffaria pray 3 times a day