in Madinah, between Dhuhr and Asr, and between Maghrib and Isha, without fear or rain.” They asked, “What did he intend by that?” He replied, “He intended not to cause hardship for his community.” (1) That is, so that they would not suffer hardship through having to forgo combining the prayers.

Question: Is one who has eaten onion excused from attending the Friday prayer and the congregational prayer? And is it permissible for him to eat onion or not?

Answer: If, by eating onion, he intends not to pray in congregation, then this is prohibited, and he is sinful for neglecting the Friday prayer and the congregational prayer. But if his purpose in eating onion is simply to enjoy it because he desires it, then it is not prohibited. This is like a traveller in Ramadan: if he undertakes a journey with the intention of breaking his fast, then both the journey and breaking the fast are prohibited for him; but if he travels for some other purpose, then he may break his fast.

As for attending the mosque, he should not attend—not because he is excused, but in order to prevent the harm he would cause, for he harms the angels and human beings.

The excuses mentioned by the author are excuses that permit a person to miss the Friday prayer and the congregational prayer, because he has a condition for which he is excused before Allah. As for one who has eaten onion or garlic, we do not say that he is excused from the Friday prayer and the congregational prayer; rather, he should not attend in order to prevent his harm. Thus, there is a distinction between the two: the one who has a valid excuse is recorded as receiving the full reward of praying in congregation, provided that it was his habit to pray in congregation, due to the Prophet’s statement, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him: “When a servant falls ill or travels, there is recorded for him the same reward as he used to earn while healthy and resident.” (2) As for one who has eaten onion or garlic