The prayer in which a person takes another as a barrier in front of him, and this person finishes his prayer before him and leaves; what should he do? And the virtue of filling a gap in the row.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Regarding the prayer in which a person enters in front of him, and this person finishes his prayer before him and leaves; what should he do?
The Shaykh : He should do this: if there is another barrier in front of him that is close to him, he should move forward to it, in such a way that he does not do much that would invalidate his prayer. Otherwise, he must remain in his place, and he is in the position of one who has a barrier, and[Al-Baqarah 2:286].
The questioner : The evidence for him moving forward and taking a barrier in front of him, if there is a wall far from him—for example, three or four steps away—what is the evidence that he should move forward... to the wall?
The Shaykh : I say: May Allah reward you for the good you said. You said four steps, not ten—for example—or twenty. So what is your opinion if he moves forward one step or two?
The questioner : I want the evidence.
The Shaykh : No problem.
The questioner : I want the evidence for walking.
The Shaykh : I understood your question, but now you must understand my question: if there is a wall or the next barrier between you and me—because I do not assume a wall necessarily, as it is possible that there is a person in front of you as you said, but next to him is another person—then the matter does not require more than half a step or less, right? Or not? We can imagine a second scenario: the person who was the barrier in front of him is a sitting man, so even to take the barrier, you have to walk one step, at most. Do you see that you should take this step or not?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Do you not have knowledge?
The questioner: No.
The Shaykh : Why did you exaggerate and tell me: four steps? Since you are satisfied with one step, why?
The questioner : As an example, I mean, what is the evidence for it?
The Shaykh : Do you think I still do not understand your intention?
The questioner : No, no, I want to complete it; why?
The Shaykh : And you have not completed it yet? This is the problem, by Allah. Well, please go ahead.
The questioner : Because a little while ago we were talking about Abu Munir's question regarding the situation after standing up; if it happened, it would be transferred. So this kind of thing, if it happened, would also be transferred!
The Shaykh : These are incidental matters, Professor. Why did we separate the speech for you between a prominent and repeated matter? Every day the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prays in front of people. Incidental matters are not measured by this, and hidden matters are not measured by this. These occur due to sudden circumstances, not a continuous Sunnah that the Messenger of Allah or the Companions performed. Perhaps you understood me well that the general text is originally to be acted upon in its generality, unless a text comes to restrict it or something that takes the place of the text. I think you understood this matter?
The questioner: Of course.
The Shaykh : Well, okay; personally, you do not move a single piece if the barrier is removed from in front of you; you do not go right or left?
The questioner : Right and left is possible, but moving forward two steps...
The Shaykh : Okay; did this happen?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : What do you mean, yes? Yes means it happened.
The questioner : It happened, yes.
The Shaykh : And where?
The questioner : It happened to me [everyone laughs!].
The Shaykh : So, I also answer you with the same answer regarding your previous question: it happened to me. I ask: did this happen in prayer?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : ... you do.
The questioner : I do in... the evidence.
The Shaykh : I am now saying after... they say in our region in Sham, in some hadiths, that the most beloved steps to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) are the steps a Muslim takes to fill a gap in the row. Filling the gap is an obligatory matter; therefore, He made the step the prayer takes to fill a gap among the most beloved steps to Allah. So when an incident like the one you are describing to us happens to you—that the barrier fell or was removed for some reason—you should try to find a substitute, because the barrier is obligatory. But we restricted it so that the substitute is not obtained based on the saying: "Like one who builds a palace and demolishes a city." No, it is the opposite: he demolishes a palace to build a city, not the other way around. Here, he is in the process of repairing the prayer... If he exposes it to invalidity by walking steps such that whoever sees him thinks he is not a person in prayer! Then his prayer is invalid in this case. But if he walks a step right, left, or forward, and then, with your kindness and gentleness, you are hesitant to walk a second step; and if there were a strict person next to you saying: "What are you doing? You are walking in prayer! Your prayer is invalid!" You cover up the matter a bit, and there is no harm in this; because this matter is sudden to deal with this sudden matter. So it is not equal to a matter that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did throughout his life and then no text comes to us; that is not reasonable.
Go, everyone, it is nine and a half o'clock.
The Shaykh : He should do this: if there is another barrier in front of him that is close to him, he should move forward to it, in such a way that he does not do much that would invalidate his prayer. Otherwise, he must remain in his place, and he is in the position of one who has a barrier, and
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity
لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَاThe questioner : The evidence for him moving forward and taking a barrier in front of him, if there is a wall far from him—for example, three or four steps away—what is the evidence that he should move forward... to the wall?
The Shaykh : I say: May Allah reward you for the good you said. You said four steps, not ten—for example—or twenty. So what is your opinion if he moves forward one step or two?
The questioner : I want the evidence.
The Shaykh : No problem.
The questioner : I want the evidence for walking.
The Shaykh : I understood your question, but now you must understand my question: if there is a wall or the next barrier between you and me—because I do not assume a wall necessarily, as it is possible that there is a person in front of you as you said, but next to him is another person—then the matter does not require more than half a step or less, right? Or not? We can imagine a second scenario: the person who was the barrier in front of him is a sitting man, so even to take the barrier, you have to walk one step, at most. Do you see that you should take this step or not?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Do you not have knowledge?
The questioner: No.
The Shaykh : Why did you exaggerate and tell me: four steps? Since you are satisfied with one step, why?
The questioner : As an example, I mean, what is the evidence for it?
The Shaykh : Do you think I still do not understand your intention?
The questioner : No, no, I want to complete it; why?
The Shaykh : And you have not completed it yet? This is the problem, by Allah. Well, please go ahead.
The questioner : Because a little while ago we were talking about Abu Munir's question regarding the situation after standing up; if it happened, it would be transferred. So this kind of thing, if it happened, would also be transferred!
The Shaykh : These are incidental matters, Professor. Why did we separate the speech for you between a prominent and repeated matter? Every day the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prays in front of people. Incidental matters are not measured by this, and hidden matters are not measured by this. These occur due to sudden circumstances, not a continuous Sunnah that the Messenger of Allah or the Companions performed. Perhaps you understood me well that the general text is originally to be acted upon in its generality, unless a text comes to restrict it or something that takes the place of the text. I think you understood this matter?
The questioner: Of course.
The Shaykh : Well, okay; personally, you do not move a single piece if the barrier is removed from in front of you; you do not go right or left?
The questioner : Right and left is possible, but moving forward two steps...
The Shaykh : Okay; did this happen?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : What do you mean, yes? Yes means it happened.
The questioner : It happened, yes.
The Shaykh : And where?
The questioner : It happened to me [everyone laughs!].
The Shaykh : So, I also answer you with the same answer regarding your previous question: it happened to me. I ask: did this happen in prayer?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : ... you do.
The questioner : I do in... the evidence.
The Shaykh : I am now saying after... they say in our region in Sham, in some hadiths, that the most beloved steps to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) are the steps a Muslim takes to fill a gap in the row. Filling the gap is an obligatory matter; therefore, He made the step the prayer takes to fill a gap among the most beloved steps to Allah. So when an incident like the one you are describing to us happens to you—that the barrier fell or was removed for some reason—you should try to find a substitute, because the barrier is obligatory. But we restricted it so that the substitute is not obtained based on the saying: "Like one who builds a palace and demolishes a city." No, it is the opposite: he demolishes a palace to build a city, not the other way around. Here, he is in the process of repairing the prayer... If he exposes it to invalidity by walking steps such that whoever sees him thinks he is not a person in prayer! Then his prayer is invalid in this case. But if he walks a step right, left, or forward, and then, with your kindness and gentleness, you are hesitant to walk a second step; and if there were a strict person next to you saying: "What are you doing? You are walking in prayer! Your prayer is invalid!" You cover up the matter a bit, and there is no harm in this; because this matter is sudden to deal with this sudden matter. So it is not equal to a matter that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did throughout his life and then no text comes to us; that is not reasonable.
Go, everyone, it is nine and a half o'clock.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.