The individual praying behind the rows

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, a man attended the Fajr prayer and did not find a place in the first row. He tried to pull one person from the second row, but he was unable to do so because of the high barrier behind the rows, so he prayed alone. What is the ruling on his prayer?

Answer:
Pulling is not permissible. It is not permissible for a person to pull, but he should give a signal to the one behind him, indicating how many are in the row. As for pulling, that is not permissible.
As for his prayer alone behind the rows, if he had said the opening takbir and bowed in the first rak'ah and no one came, and he completed the rak'ah with its bowing and prostrations and no one joined him, then his prayer is invalid. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said
He must wait until someone enters and lines up with him. If no one comes, he is excused and prays after the congregation. If the prayer is missed, he prays after it; he is considered among those who missed this prayer. As for praying alone behind the rows, this is said to be in the Sunnah, or said to be based on evidence, but there is no evidence for the one who permits it. Explanations do not counter evidence. It is not valid for a person to pray behind the rows alone, and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade that and ordered him to repeat the prayer.