A question from some questioners regarding the justification for the existence of the mihrab in the mosque?
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The questioner : ... meaning, in the first row, people are praying ... meaning, on Friday, people are praying ... far from the wall, a distance that is not enough for the imam to pray behind them in congregation, so they have to go back, and going back is harder ... .
The Shaykh : What is the problem with this?
The questioner : The whole mosque goes back ... .
The Shaykh : ... this issue, the problem, we all do this out of habit, it is a very natural matter. First, taking this as a justification for the existence of the mihrab, there is no justification at all, because whether the mihrab exists or not, the problem remains ... because some people are in a hurry and some are slow, this is the nature of the world. Even in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), when he prayed the 'Asr prayer in two rak'ahs and said the taslim in a state of forgetfulness, Abu Hurayrah said: "So the people hurried out of the mosque". This is how most people act ... they do not believe it until the imam says the taslim. These are the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), or some of them. When he said the taslim after two rak'ahs, what did they think? Was the prayer increased or decreased, like what the man with the two arms did!
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : ...[Al-Jumu'ah 62:10] meaning they took the dispensation. So my point, my brother, is that this is absolutely impossible to avoid. Some people are in a hurry and some are slow. And these people who are in a hurry, sometimes ... and their reward for those who are standing, why? He will go out and find one person praying here and another from here ... .
The Shaykh : What is the problem with this?
The questioner : The whole mosque goes back ... .
The Shaykh : ... this issue, the problem, we all do this out of habit, it is a very natural matter. First, taking this as a justification for the existence of the mihrab, there is no justification at all, because whether the mihrab exists or not, the problem remains ... because some people are in a hurry and some are slow, this is the nature of the world. Even in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), when he prayed the 'Asr prayer in two rak'ahs and said the taslim in a state of forgetfulness, Abu Hurayrah said: "So the people hurried out of the mosque". This is how most people act ... they do not believe it until the imam says the taslim. These are the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), or some of them. When he said the taslim after two rak'ahs, what did they think? Was the prayer increased or decreased, like what the man with the two arms did!
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : ...