When Praying In Congregation, Is It Permissible To Leave The Prayer To Help Someone Who Has Fainted?
While establishing prayer in congregation, is it permissible to leave prayer in order to help a person who faints, falls down due to an illness, or has a heart attack?
Islam deems the protection of life, property, religion, mind and generation obligatory. Everything done for protecting these is fardh and everything that is harmful to these is haram in Islam (Shatibi, al-Muwafaqat,I, 31 et al). Accordingly, human life is of vital importance and should be protected. Prayer is one of the five pillars of religion and it is the building block of religion (Tirmidhi, Iman, 8; Ibn Hanbal, al-Musnad, XXXVI, 344-345, XXXVI, 387).
A prayer that is started to be performed is not left unfinished under normal conditions. However, one may leave fardh and nafl prayers unfinished in order to protect property and life and prevent something from being damaged under necessary conditions (al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah, I, 121). In this respect, in the event that a person faints, has a heart attack, is shot with gun, is under the risk of falling into the sea or a well, etc., people around him should leave prayer unfinished and help that person. These people re-establish their prayer later (Ibn Nujaym, al-Bahr, I, 276). Because Allah wants us to prioritize the rights of humans in necessary conditions (Sarakhsi, al-Mabsut, II, 186).
Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, High Board of Religious Affairs FATWAS
