What is the ruling on praying between the pillars in congregational prayer? And is it permissible for me to pull someone from the front row if I am alone?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Regarding praying between the pillars and columns, O Shaykh Nasser!
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : What is its ruling, and if I am, so to speak, compelled to do so, and I find the row, for example, empty, meaning it needs two or three people or so?
The Shaykh : You are not compelled. What compels you?
The questioner : I mean, if I lag behind the row and pull one person!
The Shaykh : No, you do not pull anyone. Rather, you form a row by yourself, which is a prescribed row. The prescribed row is one that is not between the pillars and columns, except in one case. This can be realized in the mosque of the neighborhood where the residents of the neighborhood pray. For example, a resident of the neighborhood enters the mosque and finds two men between the pillars, and he usually knows that this second row between the pillars will not be completed due to the fewness of the worshippers. In this case, it is permissible for him to form a row with them, because completion is not achieved. Perhaps you understood?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : If the row between the two pillars or columns is completed, and you want to form a row behind the right or left column, no. Rather, you form a row in a rear row.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And beware of that.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : What is its ruling, and if I am, so to speak, compelled to do so, and I find the row, for example, empty, meaning it needs two or three people or so?
The Shaykh : You are not compelled. What compels you?
The questioner : I mean, if I lag behind the row and pull one person!
The Shaykh : No, you do not pull anyone. Rather, you form a row by yourself, which is a prescribed row. The prescribed row is one that is not between the pillars and columns, except in one case. This can be realized in the mosque of the neighborhood where the residents of the neighborhood pray. For example, a resident of the neighborhood enters the mosque and finds two men between the pillars, and he usually knows that this second row between the pillars will not be completed due to the fewness of the worshippers. In this case, it is permissible for him to form a row with them, because completion is not achieved. Perhaps you understood?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : If the row between the two pillars or columns is completed, and you want to form a row behind the right or left column, no. Rather, you form a row in a rear row.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And beware of that.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.