Is it valid to cite the hadith: “Let those of you who have wisdom and understanding stand behind me” as evidence for standing directly behind the imam?

The questioner : A good question, but there is a sub-branch to this issue, O Shaykh:
Some people mention sub-branches regarding this, saying: The best place in prayer behind the imam is directly behind the imam, then to the right of the imam, then to the left of the imam. They cited the preference for standing directly behind the imam with the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): or as it came in the hadith?

The Shaykh : .

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : Fine, but this does not mean that a man should come and stand directly behind the imam, after we have seen that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) pushed them both together. If this had been the intention, he would have pushed them slightly to the right so that one of them would be behind the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is from one aspect. From another aspect, his saying (peace be upon him): does not give the precise meaning of standing behind the person of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), because there may be a group of those with wisdom and understanding; the important thing is that they are behind him (peace be upon him). As for whether they took a little to the right or left, the hadith does not give us that. But if we look at the hadith of Jabir mentioned earlier, we can say that the imam stands between two men, or the two men are on either side of the imam, right and left. It is possible for the row to be on the right and left, as we mentioned earlier. This issue, as I said earlier, has no explicit text such that people would quarrel and argue about it. So whoever is convinced by this, let it be. And as you said earlier, that you took from the hadith that one stands directly behind the imam, the matter is easy, if Allah wills. And this is exactly as we mentioned tonight, a hadith on the occasion of the hadith of al-Bara' ibn 'Azib (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: : So his saying: does not give us this precision either, because it is a general word. It is possible to be on the right and left, according to what is convenient for the person.