The rule determining the interval between the Azaan and the Iqaamah
23-8-2015 | IslamWeb
Question:
A disagreement occurred in the neighborhood mosque between the volunteer Imaam, who is not a regular appointed Imaam, and a number of worshippers regarding the time of the Fajr prayer. The Imaam believes that the prayer should be offered twenty-five minutes after the time set by the calendar in order to attain surety that the time of true dawn has actually begun. Some worshippers, on the other hand, refuse that the period between the Azaan and the Iqaamah be more than twenty minutes in order to leave for work early.
What is the correct opinion concerning this issue? Is it better to practice caution, as the Imaam views, or to give consideration to the worshippers' interests and care for their conditions in order to avoid dissention and aversion? What is the minimum period of time in minutes that could be set between the Azaan and the Iqaamah of the Fajr prayer?
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
There is no fixed time limit for the period between the Azaan and the Iqaamah. It can be twenty minutes or more or less. The criterion that determines such a period is the readiness of people to perform prayer and them being assembled to offer it. It is narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to Bilal 
:
"O Bilal, when you call the Azaan, take your time doing so and when you call the Iqaamah, proceed quickly. Leave between your Azaan and Iqaamah enough time so that one who is eating can finish his food, one who is drinking can have his drink, and one who needs to relieve himself may do so. Also, don't get up (to proclaim the Iqaamah) until you see me (ready for prayer)."
The mosque's regular Imaam, or an Imaam of whom the worshippers approve, should estimate the time to be set between the Azaan and the Iqaamah through consultation with the worshippers or those amongst them whose opinion is respected. As previously mentioned, the period should be estimated according to the time needed by the worshippers to assemble.
If their assembly for prayer takes twenty minutes, then there is no need to delay the prayer after that time, as long as its due time has begun. This is so in order to spare the people any hardship or delay regarding fulfilling their needs, and also because offering a prayer at the beginning of its due time is better, as known to all. This is supported by the Hadeeth indicating that whenever the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, saw the people assembled (for the ‘Ishaa’ prayer) he would pray earlier, and if the people delayed, he would delay the prayer. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
The Imaam should not delay the prayer in such a way that makes matters difficult for the people, since the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:
"O Allaah, whoever acquires any sort of control over the affairs of my Ummah (community) and is hard upon them, Impose hardship upon him. And, whoever acquires any sort of control over the affairs of my Ummah and is kind to them, Show kindness to him." [Muslim]
Hence, we urge you to follow the advice of this Imaam. However, if the people who pray behind him feel hatred towards him due to the hardship they experience because of his opinion, then his prayer is not accepted. This is proven by the Hadeeth narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas where the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi was sallam said: "There are three (persons) whose prayer does not rise even a single span above their heads: a man leading a congregational prayer while the people hate him…" [Ibn Maajah; Al-Haafith Al-Iraqi: good]
We ask Allaah Almighty to amend our conditions and ends.
Allaah Knows best.