If there is only one follower with the imam, should he stand slightly behind him?
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The questioner : If there is only one follower with the imam, should he stand slightly behind him or stand level with him, and what is the evidence for this?
The Shaykh : If there is only one follower with the imam, he should stand to his right, as established by the Sunnah in the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father). One night, he stood with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and stood to his left, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took his head from behind and moved him to his right. The Sunnah is that the follower in this situation should stand level with the imam, neither ahead of him nor behind him. This is because when he stands with the imam, they form a single row, and what is prescribed for the row is that they be aligned so that no one is ahead of another. The evidence for this is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Mishkat al-Masabih 1085.
As for what some scholars have mentioned regarding the imam standing slightly ahead of the follower in this situation, there is no basis for it in the Sunnah; rather, the Sunnah indicates the opposite.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : If there is only one follower with the imam, he should stand to his right, as established by the Sunnah in the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father). One night, he stood with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and stood to his left, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took his head from behind and moved him to his right. The Sunnah is that the follower in this situation should stand level with the imam, neither ahead of him nor behind him. This is because when he stands with the imam, they form a single row, and what is prescribed for the row is that they be aligned so that no one is ahead of another. The evidence for this is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Servants of God, you must straighten your rows, or God will certainly put your faces in contrary directions.
عباد الله لتسوُّون صفوفكم، أو ليخالفن الله بين وجوهكمAs for what some scholars have mentioned regarding the imam standing slightly ahead of the follower in this situation, there is no basis for it in the Sunnah; rather, the Sunnah indicates the opposite.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.