Praying in a moving vehicle

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Question: Can we pray salat while in a moving car that's because there is no place to stop and pray?

Praise be to Allaah.

Performing prayers at the right time is a trust and an obligation, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "Verily, al-Salaat (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours." [al-Nisaa' 4:103].

Delaying the prayer past its appointed time is a grave major sin, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "So woe unto those performers of salaat (prayers) (hypocrites), who delay their salaat from their stated fixed times." [al-Maa'oon 107:4-5]

Some scholars state that the person who deliberately misses one prayer and leaves it until the appointed time is over, with no excuse, is a kaafir.

Claiming that one cannot find a place to pray is not a valid excuse, because either one is living on the face of the earth or not, and if one is living on the face of the earth, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

"The (whole) earth has been made a mosque (or a place of prayer) and a means of purification for me, so wherever a man of my ummah may be when the time for prayer comes, let him pray." [Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 335]

According to a report narrated by Muslim, he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

"The (whole) earth has been made good for me, a means of purification and a mosque (or place of prayer); so wherever a man may be when the time for prayer comes, let him pray wherever he is." [Saheeh Muslim, no. 521]

The entire world is a suitable place to prostrate oneself; the scholars have made no exceptions except very few, such as graveyards and lavatories. Wherever a Muslim is when the time for prayer comes, he should pray: in a mosque, if possible, or else in a hallway or park, on a sidewalk or in a parking lot, or in a corner of a store. Even if one can find no other place than a church, it is permissible to pray in it.

As far as praying on board means of transportation is concerned, then it is possible to pray there so long as the necessary conditions of prayer are fulfilled, or else one can wait until one gets out of the vehicle. If waiting means that the time for the prayer will pass, then you should pray in the best way that you can. Let us assume, for example, that you are in a car or train where there is no place to pray, you cannot stop and pray at the side of the road, and the time for that prayer is running out.

In such a situation, the Muslim should pray in the best way that he can, even if he is sitting in his seat and even if he is not facing the qiblah, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can…" [al-Taghaabun 64:16],

and because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "If I have comanded you to do something, do as much of it as you can." [Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 7288]

An exception to be above is naafil (supererogatory) prayers offered when riding a camel, which is permissible even if one cannot get down or if one is not facing the qiblah. This is known from the report of Ibn 'Umar, who said:

"The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray when travelling on his camel, no matter which direction it was facing, and he would gesture with his head to indicate the movements of the night prayer, apart from the obligatory prayers, and he would pray witr on his camel too." [Reported by al-Bukhaari, 945]

Ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:

"The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray voluntary (nafl) prayers when riding on his camel, no matter what direction it was facing, when he came from Makkah to Madeenah."

Then Ibn 'Umar recited this aayah (interpretation of the meaning): "And to Allaah belong the east and the west, so wherever you turn yourselves or your faces, there is the Face of Allaah (and He is High above, over His Throne)…" [al-Baqarah 2:115]

Ibn 'Umar said: "It was concerning this that this aayah was revealed."

[Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 2883; he said, this is a saheeh hasan hadeeth]

We should not forget to point out here that Muslims living in non-Muslim countries sometimes delay or abandon their prayers for another, completely different, reason, which is that they feel too embarrassed to pray in front of the kuffaar in public or open places, or they are afraid that they will make fun of them and regard them as odd.

This is a serious mistake. How can a Muslim feel embarrassed about proclaiming the truth and worshipping openly, hastening to fulfil the command of Allaah at the time when Allaah has said it is to be done? This matter has been dealt with in a similar question on this website (see question # 980). We ask Allaah to help us all to remember Him, to be grateful to Him and to worship Him properly.

Reasons Eemaan Increases and Decreases

We wish to know what things enable Eemaan to increase and what things make it decrease?
As far as the things that make Eemaan increase, then from them:

The first reason:
To know Allaah Ta’aala with His names and attributes. Indeed whenever a person’s knowledge of Allaah and His names and attributes increases, then his Eemaan increases without a doubt as a result. This is why you will find that the people of knowledge, those who know about the names and attributes of Allaah what others do not, you will find that they have stronger Eemaan than other than them from this perspective.

The second reason:
To Ponder over the Ayaat (signs) of Allaah, Both the universal and legislated signs. Indeed whenever a person ponders over the universal Ayaat, which is the creation; the heavens, the earth, humans, animals and other than that, will increase in Eemaan. Allaah Ta’aala says:

{And on the earth are signs for those who have Faith with certainty. And also in your own selves, Will you not then see?}

There are many verses that prove this. What I mean is, the verses that prove that if a person was to ponder and contemplate upon the universe, his Eemaan as a result will increase.

The third reason:
To practice a lot of good deeds, for whenever a person increases in practicing good deeds, his Eemaan will increase, whether these deeds are from the deeds of the tongue or actions of the body parts. For indeed Dhikr, (remembrance of Allaah) increases Eemaan in its amount (i.e. the number of times one makes Dhikr) as well as in the way it is practiced. Salaat and Sawm (fasting) as well, and Hajj increases Eemaan as in regards to the number of times it is practiced, as well as in regards to the way in which it is practiced.

As for the reasons why Eemaan decreases then it is the complete opposite of what has been mentioned.

So ignorance of the names and attributes of Allaah will make Eemaan decrease. Because if a person does not know the names and attributes of Allaah, then he lacks knowledge of them that [if he had] would in turn enable him to increase in Eemaan.

The second reason:

That one does not ponder over the universal and legislated Ayaat of Allaah. Indeed this causes Eemaan to decrease, or in the least will stop its growth .

Thirdly:

Falling into sins, for indeed the sin has a tremendous effect on the heart and on Eemaan!. This is why the messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم said:

“The zaanee (adulterer) does not commit zinaa (adultery) while he is a believer at the time of the act.”

Fourthly:

Leaving off obedience (to Allaah and his Messenger), for indeed leaving off obedience is from the reasons that decrease one’s Eemaan. However, if this certain action of obedience was Waajib (compulsory), and one leaves it without a reason, then this is a decrease in Eemaan that one is blameworthy as well as punished for. But if it isn’t Waajib, or it is Waajib and one leaves it with an excuse, then it is a decrease of Eemaan that one is not punished for. This is why the Messenger of Allaah declared that women are deficient in ‘Aql (mentality) and Deen (Religion), and the reason he said that they had a deficiency in their Deen is because they do not pray or fast during their menses, rather they are ordered not to pray or fast, but because they are unable to practice these actions (during menses) that a man is able to practice , they decrease (in Deen) compared to a man from this perspective.