Hadith 29.3
Prayer
Ibn ‘Umar said that a man questioned him saying, “When I pray in my house and then come to the mosque in time for prayer along with the <i>imam</i>, should I pray along with him?” He replied, “Yes.” The man asked which of them he should consider his obligatory prayer, and Ibn ‘Umar replied, “Is that your affair?* that is only to be left to God’s decision who will appoint whichever He wishes.” *The Arabic is in the form of a statement, but in view of the phrase immediately following it seems necessary to treat it as a question. Malik transmitted it.
وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا: أَنَّ رَجُلًا سَأَلَهُ فَقَالَ: إِنِّي أُصَلِّي فِي بَيْتِي ثُمَّ أُدْرِكُ الصَّلَاةَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ مَعَ الْإِمَامِ أَفَأُصَلِّي مَعَهُ؟ قَالَ لَهُ: نَعَمْ قَالَ الرجل: أَيَّتهمَا أجعَل صَلَاتي؟ قَالَ عُمَرَ: وَذَلِكَ إِلَيْكَ؟ إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَجْعَلُ أَيَّتَهُمَا شَاءَ. رَوَاهُ مَالِكٌ
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