Leaving a gap in the row if it leads to missing a rak'ah due to the large size of the mosque
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
If I enter the mosque and it is large in area, should I go to fill a gap at the back of the mosque, in which case I might miss the rak'ah and perhaps the congregation, or should I pray in another row that is not complete?
If it is the last rak'ah, there is no harm in praying in the second row while there is a gap in the first. But if it is not the last rak'ah, complete the first row, then the first row.The evidence for this: The saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Whoever catches a rak'ah of the prayer has caught the prayer” When we combine this with his saying: “Complete the first row, then the first row” , the meaning becomes: that whenever a person catches the prayer, he should complete the first row, then the first row.
If it is the last rak'ah, there is no harm in praying in the second row while there is a gap in the first. But if it is not the last rak'ah, complete the first row, then the first row.The evidence for this: The saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Whoever catches a rak'ah of the prayer has caught the prayer” When we combine this with his saying: “Complete the first row, then the first row” , the meaning becomes: that whenever a person catches the prayer, he should complete the first row, then the first row.