Prohibition of Reserving Spaces in Mosques

The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. A listener who identified himself by the letters S and H says: There is a large mosque in our neighborhood, and in this mosque there is a man who has placed a special prayer mat for himself to pray on. He has had it for about fifteen years, or more, and it is always placed behind the imam. I work as the mu'adhdhin (caller to prayer) in this mosque, and I have spoken to this man about this mat several times, but he has never heeded the advice and has insisted on keeping it. He does not want anyone else to sit on it. The imam has spoken to him many times to remove it, and a quarrel and argument arose between them over this mat. So I left the adhan in this mosque and went to another mosque, praise be to Allah, out of fear of fitnah (trial or discord), because he threatens to beat me. What is your advice to us regarding this man? What is your advice to him and those like him? Is his placing of the mat correct? Knowing that he is one of my relatives? Please guide us, may Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh:
Reserving a place in the mosque where a person prays only in that spot is prohibited; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited reserving a place like the reservation of a camel. However, if this man attends the mosque, prays, is consistent in doing so, and maintains this practice, then the matter is lighter. Although it is better not to commit to a specific place, and that it is better and preferable for him to pray here one time and there another time, changing the location. But if he places the mat and is absent from the mosque, not attending except at the last moment, and reserves the place for those who arrive early to the mosque, then it is haram (forbidden) for him, and it is not permissible for him. It is permissible for whoever attends to move this mat aside and sit in its place; because he has no right to reserve this place while he is not present in the mosque.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. If the mu'adhdhin, Shaykh Salih, does that, meaning reserving a place exactly behind the imam, what do you say, your Eminence? May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh:
This is a practice that has been established: the mu'adhdhin is to be behind the imam for the sake of the iqamah (second call to prayer), and in case the imam needs something, he can bring it to him. Especially if the mu'adhdhin is a reciter of the Qur'an, he may encounter a situation where the imam needs to be replaced, or the recitation becomes difficult for the imam, and he opens the recitation for him. So, the issue of the mu'adhdhin and his position behind the imam is a matter on which practice has been established, and it has benefits. But he should not designate a specific place to be consistent in, standing only in it. If he moves here or there, to the right or left, in the prayer, and prays and stands in this place for this obligatory prayer, then moves slightly for the second obligatory prayer and prays, that is better. Changing the place as much as possible is better. Yes?