Praying the Sunna While Telling the Follower It Is the Fard

Question

Zayd had the constant habit of praying four rak‘as of sunna before ‘Asr. One day his friend Bakr came and said: “Come, let us both go and pray the fard with the congregation; what harm is there if you do not pray the sunna today?” To this Zayd said: “I have always prayed the sunna, and I will not pray the fard without the sunna.” After that the two argued for a long time.

Answer

Bakr’s holding Zayd back from the sunna is blameworthy in the Shari‘a; and then Zayd’s deceiving Bakr by telling him it was the fard while praying the sunna is also blameworthy in the Shari‘a. However, once Bakr learned that Zayd had prayed the sunna, Bakr should perform the fard again.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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