What are the conditions for performing Salat al-Khawf?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of the Prayer of Fear
Primary text
Several conditions must be met for Salat al-Khawf to be permissible. The enemy must be one whose fighting is lawful (Mubah al-Qital), and there must be a genuine fear of an imminent attack. It is recommended that the prayer be shortened (Takhfif) since the essence of Salat al-Khawf is facilitation. The group that leaves to guard should not separate from the Imam until he is fully standing, as rising is a shared action, and separation is only permitted due to the exigency.
Supporting text
Al-Qadi stipulated that the enemy must not be in the direction of the Qibla. Ahmad differed from this, stating that the prayer is valid even if facing the enemy, arguing that in certain battle scenarios, the Qibla direction might compromise security. Furthermore, Abu al-Khattab and Al-Qadi stated that there must be a sufficient number of worshippers present (three or more) to form two groups, as the term 'group' (Taa'ifah) implies a plural number, though this condition is not strictly necessary if fewer than three can form a valid congregation.