Concerts, festivals, and film marathons have become a fixture of modern life. Plenty of people will happily queue and spend hours on end just to see their idols take the stage.
But what happens when that schedule runs into prayer time? Some choose jamak (combine) their prayers so they don't miss the moment. The question is whether the practice holds up under Islamic sharia.
Dr. Triono Ali Mustofa, S.Pd.I., M.Pd.I., a lecturer at the Faculty of Islamic Studies (FAI), Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS), stressed that combining prayers is not a concession that fits every situation.
"Islam does provide rukhsah, a concession, under certain conditions, but that concession comes with clear requirements," Triono said in an online interview on Friday (21/8/2026).
Linguistically, jamak means "to gather" or "to combine." In the context of prayer, Triono explained, it means merging two obligatory prayers into a single time slot, either Dzuhur with Asr, or Maghrib with Isha.
There are two forms. Jamak taqdim performs both prayers during the time of the earlier one, Dzuhur and Asr both during Dzuhur time, for example. Jamak ta'khir does the reverse, performing both during the time of the later prayer, such as praying Dzuhur and Asr once Asr time has begun.
A hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas recounts that the Prophet Muhammad SAW once combined the Dzuhur and Asr prayers in Medina. Asked why, Ibn Abbas explained that the Prophet did not wish to burden his community:
جَمَعَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَيْنَ الظُّهْرِ وَالْعَصْرِ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فِي غَيْرِ سَفَرٍ وَلا خَوْفٍ، قَالَ: قُلْتُ يَا أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ: وَلِمَ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ؟ قَالَ: أَرَادَ أَنْ لاَ يُحْرِجَ أَحَدًا مِنْ أُمَّتِهِ.
"The Prophet SAW combined the Dzuhur and Asr prayers in Medina, though he was neither traveling nor in fear. I asked, 'Abu Abbas, why did he do that?' He answered, 'He did not wish to place hardship on his community.'" (Narrated by Ahmad, cited in Tarjih Fatwa No. 29 of 2013 on the Traveler's Prayer and the Jama' and Qasar Prayer.)
Even so, Triono cautioned, the hadith should not be read loosely.
"Combining prayers has specific conditions that permit it. Ease in Islam doesn't mean a person is free to combine prayers just for personal convenience, or to fit an entertainment schedule," he explained.
The Head of the AIK (Al-Islam and Kemuhammadiyahan) Learning Division at the Institute for the Development of Islamic Boarding Schools and Muhammadiyah Studies explained several excuses recognized under sharia, including being on a safar (journey), facing heavy rain that creates real difficulty, or other urgent conditions that genuinely make it difficult for someone to perform prayer at its proper time.
It is in such circumstances that rukhsah is granted, as a form of Allah's mercy toward His servants. So what about when someone deliberately combines their prayers simply because they want to watch a concert running from evening into the night, or a film marathon that cuts across Maghrib and Isha time?
"That is not permitted," Triono answered firmly.
According to him, watching a concert, a film, or any other form of entertainment does not count as a uzur syar'i (sharia-recognized excuse) that would justify combining prayers. Such activities are personal choices whose timing can, in principle, still be arranged around.
"A servant of Allah should arrange their schedule so that worship remains a priority. If someone knows in advance that a show's timing is likely to clash with prayer, then the best choice is to pick a different schedule, or to make use of a break in the event to perform the prayer," he said, cautioning against complacency.
Nowadays, many shopping malls, stadiums, concert halls, and entertainment venues already provide a musala. Such facilities should be made use of, so that a Muslim can still fulfill their obligation on time without having to leave the entertainment event altogether.
The phenomenon of combining prayers just to chase after entertainment, according to Triono, actually reveals a deeper issue in how people set their priorities. In Islam, prayer is an obligation whose timing has already been fixed.
"That's why entertainment schedules should adjust to prayer times, not the other way around," he stressed once again.
He noted that there is no verse in the Quran nor any hadith that specifically permits someone to combine prayers simply because they want to attend a concert or enjoy some other form of entertainment. On the contrary, when the time for prayer arrives, that act of worship is what must be fulfilled first.
This message serves as a reminder that a Muslim is called to have the ability to manage their time well. Enjoying entertainment is not something forbidden, as long as it stays within the bounds of sharia.
No form of entertainment should ever be allowed to displace one's primary obligation to Allah SWT. So then, what should someone do if they've already combined their prayers in order to attend a concert or watch a film?
Triono urged anyone in that situation to promptly repent to Allah SWT. Repentance, or taubat, is carried out by feeling genuine regret over the act, increasing one's istighfar (seeking Allah's forgiveness), and committing not to repeat it. He also recommends being more careful going forward in choosing one's schedule of activities so that it doesn't clash with prayer times.
"The most essential step is to repent and seek forgiveness, and to commit to not repeating it," he concluded.
Writer: Genis Dwi Gustati
Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid
Editor: Al Habiib Josy Asheva
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