If you enter the mosque and see two people praying in congregation, should I pull the follower, or push the imam?
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The questioner : He says: O esteemed Shaykh, if you enter the mosque and see two people praying in congregation, should I pull the follower, or push the imam, or enter to the left of the imam so that when he notices me, he moves forward so that I do not disturb him?
The Shaykh : There is no blame on you for pushing the imam, or for pulling the follower; all of this is the same. However, the imam may be praying facing a barrier, and it may not be possible to push him; the wall is close to him, so it is not possible to push him. In that case, what is required? You must pull the follower.
But here is another question that follows from that: Do you say the takbir for prayer before you pull the follower or push the imam, or do you pull the follower and push the imam before you say the takbir? Which is it? The second, because if you say the takbir before you pull the follower or push the imam, it necessitates that you move during the prayer. But push the imam or pull the follower, then say the takbir of ihram. If someone says: In this case, if you move the imam forward, the follower remains alone; what is the answer? We say: This does not harm, because when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw Ibn Abbas standing to his left, what did he do? He took him by the hand from behind and placed him to his right, so it does not harm. As for the saying:The questioner : Or should I stand to the left of the imam? We say: If you did that, it would be permissible, but the Sunnah, if there are three or more, is for the imam to move forward. Yes.
The Shaykh : There is no blame on you for pushing the imam, or for pulling the follower; all of this is the same. However, the imam may be praying facing a barrier, and it may not be possible to push him; the wall is close to him, so it is not possible to push him. In that case, what is required? You must pull the follower.
But here is another question that follows from that: Do you say the takbir for prayer before you pull the follower or push the imam, or do you pull the follower and push the imam before you say the takbir? Which is it? The second, because if you say the takbir before you pull the follower or push the imam, it necessitates that you move during the prayer. But push the imam or pull the follower, then say the takbir of ihram. If someone says: In this case, if you move the imam forward, the follower remains alone; what is the answer? We say: This does not harm, because when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw Ibn Abbas standing to his left, what did he do? He took him by the hand from behind and placed him to his right, so it does not harm. As for the saying:The questioner : Or should I stand to the left of the imam? We say: If you did that, it would be permissible, but the Sunnah, if there are three or more, is for the imam to move forward. Yes.