Designating a specific place in the mosque for certain worshippers
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Fatwa number ( 14374 )
Q: Is it permissible for a person to have a specific place in the mosque at prayer time, such that he does not stand anywhere other than this place? For example: if this person enters the mosque, he does not stand anywhere except his specific place, but this person always comes to the mosque before the people, being the first to arrive, in order to find this place. Is this permissible or not permissible, with evidence?
A: If he wants a place behind the imam and strives for it because of its proximity to the imam, there is no harm in him sitting there due to his precedence in reaching it. In fact, it is prescribed for the Muslim to strive for the first row and for proximity to the imam; based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the authentic hadith:Muwatta Malik 3:3 , on the condition that he does not displace anyone
who preceded him to this place. As for if he designates a specific place for himself and prevents others from sitting in it, or displaces whoever sits in it, then that is not permissible, because it is claiming something he does not own, and mosques are the houses of Allah, so whoever precedes to a place in them has the right to it. It was reported in the authentic hadith from Ibn 'Umar that he said:Mishkat al-Masabih 1395 It is also prescribed to place the people of knowledge and understanding behind the imam in the first row, so that they may correct the imam's mistakes and forgetfulness; based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as narrated by Muslim : Sunan an-Nasa'i 812Sahih (Darussalam) . And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: Is it permissible for a person to have a specific place in the mosque at prayer time, such that he does not stand anywhere other than this place? For example: if this person enters the mosque, he does not stand anywhere except his specific place, but this person always comes to the mosque before the people, being the first to arrive, in order to find this place. Is this permissible or not permissible, with evidence?
A: If he wants a place behind the imam and strives for it because of its proximity to the imam, there is no harm in him sitting there due to his precedence in reaching it. In fact, it is prescribed for the Muslim to strive for the first row and for proximity to the imam; based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the authentic hadith:
If people knew what was in the adhan and the first row of the prayer and could only draw lots for it, they would draw lots.
لو يعلم الناس ما في النداء والصف الأول، ثم لم يجدوا إلا أن يستهموا عليه لاستهمواwho preceded him to this place. As for if he designates a specific place for himself and prevents others from sitting in it, or displaces whoever sits in it, then that is not permissible, because it is claiming something he does not own, and mosques are the houses of Allah, so whoever precedes to a place in them has the right to it. It was reported in the authentic hadith from Ibn 'Umar that he said:
God’s Messenger forbade anyone to make another get up and then sit in his place
نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يقيم الرجل- يعني أخاه- من مقعده ويجلس فيهLet those who are mature and wise stand closest to me, then those who are next to them, then those who are next to them.
ليليني منكم أولو الأحلام والنهى، ثم الذين يلونهم ثم الذين يلونهم
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.