Is Jama'at of only 2 People Possible ?

[Hasan Askari]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem
Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

I was thought that jama'at is only be done with 3.Imam and 2 others.Today i was told it can be done with 2.Imam and just 1 other..Which is the correct way..Is there a difference according to the madhabs.

Would it be possible to provide reference jazakAllah

[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu



All Praise be to Allah who is the Lord of the Worlds, and may Endless Blessings be showered upon His Most Beloved, and Final Messenger of Islam, Hadrat Muhammad Mustufa Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam



Jazak'allah for your question. A hadith in Abu Da'ud Shareef, and the Tirmidhi Shareef states that:


'It is narrated by Hadrat Abu Sa'id khudri Radi Allahu anhu, that a man appeared in the Masjid when the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam had finished praying salah, as He Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam stated, is there anyone who will make alms (sadaqah) for this man? (meaning, is there a man who will pray in jama'ah with this person so that he may gain the reward of a jama'ah)...

Then a person (Sayyadina Abu Bakr Siddiq Radi Allahu anhu) prayed salah with him.


In another hadith from the Ibn-e-Majah states:


'Hadrat Abu Musa Ash'ari Radi Allahu anhu narrates, and said that a jama'ah consists of two, and more than two people.'


These two hadiths, and many others, in the various books of hadith state that a jama'ah can consist of two people in the least. This view has been taken by all the madh'habs, and is practiced particularly in the 'Hanafi madh'hab.'


May Allah the Almighty give us all the tawfiq to pray salah with jama'ah all the time, and may He keep us firm upon the five times salah.



Wallahu A'lamu Biththawaab



M. Waseem Ashrafi