We have a prayer hall in the school that is too narrow for the worshippers, to the extent that some of the students pray with the imam in the first row.
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The questioner : He says: May the Shaykh be respected. We have a prayer hall in the school that is too narrow for the worshippers, to the extent that some of the students pray with the imam in the first row. Is it better for the imam to remain in the center with the students praying to his right and left, or for the imam to pray on the left with all the students to his right?
The Shaykh : Yes. It is better, if the place is too narrow for the imam to be in front and the ma'mum behind, for the imam to pray between them, even if there are only three; one prays to the imam's right and the second to his left, because this was the practice at the beginning of Islam. The three would pray in one row with their imam in the middle. Then this was abrogated, and the three began to have the imam in front of them. Accordingly, we say: if there are three, it is better for the ma'mum to be behind the imam and the imam to be in front. If the place is narrow, they form one row with the imam between them. They are not to his right only, as some of the common people understand. Now, if there is only one ma'mum, where should he be? He should be to the imam's right, because the matter is now between the left and the right. We say: the right is better.
There is also a point here I would like to point out, which is: some people, when they arrive and the people are praying in congregation, go to the right even if it is far from the imam, and leave the left which is close. This is a mistaken understanding. Rather, the right is better if the left is comparable to it or equal to it. But if the left is closer, it is better than the right. The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not say: "Complete the rightmost, then the rightmost." When the first row is better than the second in any case, what did he say? He said:. If the right were better in any case, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would have told the people: "Complete the rightmost, then the rightmost." Furthermore, the image of the congregation, if they are behind the imam to his right with the row complete and no one on the left, this image does not indicate the imam being in the center, even though there is a hadith, but it is weak, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: meaning: place him in the center. Al-Khudra.
The questioner : The question is with us, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes. Please go ahead.
The Shaykh : Yes. It is better, if the place is too narrow for the imam to be in front and the ma'mum behind, for the imam to pray between them, even if there are only three; one prays to the imam's right and the second to his left, because this was the practice at the beginning of Islam. The three would pray in one row with their imam in the middle. Then this was abrogated, and the three began to have the imam in front of them. Accordingly, we say: if there are three, it is better for the ma'mum to be behind the imam and the imam to be in front. If the place is narrow, they form one row with the imam between them. They are not to his right only, as some of the common people understand. Now, if there is only one ma'mum, where should he be? He should be to the imam's right, because the matter is now between the left and the right. We say: the right is better.
There is also a point here I would like to point out, which is: some people, when they arrive and the people are praying in congregation, go to the right even if it is far from the imam, and leave the left which is close. This is a mistaken understanding. Rather, the right is better if the left is comparable to it or equal to it. But if the left is closer, it is better than the right. The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not say: "Complete the rightmost, then the rightmost." When the first row is better than the second in any case, what did he say? He said:
Complete the first, then the first
أتموا الأول فالأولPlace the imam in the center
وسطوا الإمامThe questioner : The question is with us, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes. Please go ahead.