How to Arrange the Rows of Boys for One Who Prays with Them
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Your Eminence! If I pray with a group of boys, should I stand in front of them or place them to my right?
If the ones with you are boys who have not reached puberty, place them behind you; because they are two or more, they form a row, so place them behind you, unless you fear that they will play, in which case place them to your right and to your left.
And in your saying: Or should I place them to my right.
This suggests that you believe the followers, if they do not have a row behind them, should be to the right of the imam. This is a mistake. The Sunnah is for them to be on his right and left. This is because, in the beginning, the Muslims would have three people: one to the right of the imam, one to his left, and the imam in the middle. Then this was abrogated so that the imam would be in front of the two. As for preferring the right over the left absolutely, that is a wrong understanding and incorrect. Because if the right side of the row were absolutely better, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would have said: "Complete the right side, then the right side," just as he said regarding the first row: "Complete the first row, then the first row." And based on this, we say: if the imam's left and right are equal, the right is better. But if there is a difference between them, the left one closer to the imam is better. Then it was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he said: "Place the imam in the middle." Then it is not a view that reflects justice for all the people to be on the right of the imam and the imam to be the last one on the left of the followers. This is not justice.
Summary: That many people today, especially those who seek good, are found arranging the row at the farthest point from the right and leaving the close left side. This is a wrong understanding.By the evidence: That the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not say "Complete the right, then the right," and this is a known matter.
The second proof: That when the three were a single row, the imam was in their middle. If the right were absolutely better, the two followers would have been to his right.
If the ones with you are boys who have not reached puberty, place them behind you; because they are two or more, they form a row, so place them behind you, unless you fear that they will play, in which case place them to your right and to your left.
And in your saying: Or should I place them to my right.
This suggests that you believe the followers, if they do not have a row behind them, should be to the right of the imam. This is a mistake. The Sunnah is for them to be on his right and left. This is because, in the beginning, the Muslims would have three people: one to the right of the imam, one to his left, and the imam in the middle. Then this was abrogated so that the imam would be in front of the two. As for preferring the right over the left absolutely, that is a wrong understanding and incorrect. Because if the right side of the row were absolutely better, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would have said: "Complete the right side, then the right side," just as he said regarding the first row: "Complete the first row, then the first row." And based on this, we say: if the imam's left and right are equal, the right is better. But if there is a difference between them, the left one closer to the imam is better. Then it was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he said: "Place the imam in the middle." Then it is not a view that reflects justice for all the people to be on the right of the imam and the imam to be the last one on the left of the followers. This is not justice.
Summary: That many people today, especially those who seek good, are found arranging the row at the farthest point from the right and leaving the close left side. This is a wrong understanding.By the evidence: That the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not say "Complete the right, then the right," and this is a known matter.
The second proof: That when the three were a single row, the imam was in their middle. If the right were absolutely better, the two followers would have been to his right.