What is the authenticity of the hadith regarding changing one's place for voluntary prayer?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : O Shaykh, what is the authenticity of the hadith that says a person praying in the mosque is not permitted to pray voluntary prayer in the same place?
The Shaykh : There are two hadiths on this. One is in Sahih Muslim, and it is specific to Friday. It states that if a person prays on Friday, he should either leave or speak to his companion. This leaving means changing one's place.
The second hadith is more explicit on the subject. It is in Sunan Abu Dawud, stating that whoever prays the obligatory prayer should change his place. So, changing one's place is firmly established, as indicated by the first hadith, meaning he leaves the mosque and prays the voluntary prayer outside the mosque, in his house, in his shop, or wherever he is.
Changing one's place within the same mosque means moving to a different spot than where he prayed the obligatory prayer. The scholars explain this recommended practice by increasing the number of witnesses on the Day of Resurrection for this worshipper, as in the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Az-Zalzalah 99:4-5] The earth testifies to everything a person does, whether it is good or not. So, changing the place of prayer increases the witnesses to this person's good deeds. It is firmly established.
The questioner : ... prays
The Shaykh : Yes, yes.
The questioner : If he prays in the same place, is there a sin on him?
The Shaykh : Is there a sin on him? By Allah, the hadith commands, and the default ruling for every command is that it is obligatory unless there is an indication to the contrary. Here, there is no such indication. So, if someone does it intentionally, there is no doubt that there is a sin on him. As for someone who does not know, like many people today, we hope that he will not be held accountable for it.
The Shaykh : There are two hadiths on this. One is in Sahih Muslim, and it is specific to Friday. It states that if a person prays on Friday, he should either leave or speak to his companion. This leaving means changing one's place.
The second hadith is more explicit on the subject. It is in Sunan Abu Dawud, stating that whoever prays the obligatory prayer should change his place. So, changing one's place is firmly established, as indicated by the first hadith, meaning he leaves the mosque and prays the voluntary prayer outside the mosque, in his house, in his shop, or wherever he is.
Changing one's place within the same mosque means moving to a different spot than where he prayed the obligatory prayer. The scholars explain this recommended practice by increasing the number of witnesses on the Day of Resurrection for this worshipper, as in the saying of Allah the Exalted:
(4) That Day, it will report its news (5) Because your Lord has commanded it.
يومئذ تحدث أخبارها بأن ربك أوحى لهاThe questioner : ... prays
The Shaykh : Yes, yes.
The questioner : If he prays in the same place, is there a sin on him?
The Shaykh : Is there a sin on him? By Allah, the hadith commands, and the default ruling for every command is that it is obligatory unless there is an indication to the contrary. Here, there is no such indication. So, if someone does it intentionally, there is no doubt that there is a sin on him. As for someone who does not know, like many people today, we hope that he will not be held accountable for it.