A young man stood to the left of the imam out of ignorance, then a latecomer arrived, and the imam moved to the back because he thought the young man was the one praying behind him. What is the ruling?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Noble Shaykh, a young man entered the mosque and there was a man praying. He wanted to pray behind him, but he did not know where the follower stands when there are two; he was confused about whether to stand on his right or his left. However, he stood on his left. A third person who knew the rules came, so he removed the first imam and moved him to the back. Thus, the first follower continued praying as if he were the imam. He asked me once, and I said: I know that the intention of the imam is correct according to the stronger view, but I was confused?
The Shaykh : Okay, when the one on the left was moved forward on the assumption that he was the first imam, did he change his intention to following, or what did he do? Or did he continue as the imam?
The questioner : He says we prayed and we left.
The Shaykh : In any case, what happened to them is undoubtedly due to ignorance, and ignorance in such matters is excused. Therefore, the prayer of everyone is valid. However, if we suppose that a third person did not come to them and they continued their prayer with the follower on the left and the imam on the right, the prayer is valid, because it is also due to ignorance. The Sunnah is that if there is an imam and a follower, the imam should be on the left of the follower and the follower on the right of the imam. This is the Sunnah.
If someone does the opposite, their prayer is valid, but he should convey that the Sunnah is for the single follower to be on the right of the imam. In this case, their standing positions are equal, and the imam is not ahead of the follower, because they are now in one row, and one row is equal.
When the third person comes, some people are confused about whether to push the imam and move the follower back, or to say the takbir first and then pull the follower forward?
We say: move the follower back, and when he is in his place, you say the takbir. Or we say: move the imam forward, and when you are aligned with the follower, say the takbir. Because sometimes moving the imam forward is easier, as if the space in front of him is wide. And sometimes moving the follower back is easier, as if the space in front of them is narrow and the space behind them is wide. The important thing is that there is no difference between moving the imam forward or moving the follower back.
The questioner : What is the concern if that was done knowingly and he did not change his intention and became the imam?
The Shaykh : The concern here is that the imam might continue with the intention of leading while he has become a follower. As for changing from leading to following, there is no harm in that. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) changed from being an imam to being a follower when he was praying with the people and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came. During the prayer, Abu Bakr moved back and became a follower, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) became the imam.
The questioner : Is there a second question?
The Shaykh : The second question later, if Allah wills.
Noble Shaykh, a young man entered the mosque and there was a man praying. He wanted to pray behind him, but he did not know where the follower stands when there are two; he was confused about whether to stand on his right or his left. However, he stood on his left. A third person who knew the rules came, so he removed the first imam and moved him to the back. Thus, the first follower continued praying as if he were the imam. He asked me once, and I said: I know that the intention of the imam is correct according to the stronger view, but I was confused?
The Shaykh : Okay, when the one on the left was moved forward on the assumption that he was the first imam, did he change his intention to following, or what did he do? Or did he continue as the imam?
The questioner : He says we prayed and we left.
The Shaykh : In any case, what happened to them is undoubtedly due to ignorance, and ignorance in such matters is excused. Therefore, the prayer of everyone is valid. However, if we suppose that a third person did not come to them and they continued their prayer with the follower on the left and the imam on the right, the prayer is valid, because it is also due to ignorance. The Sunnah is that if there is an imam and a follower, the imam should be on the left of the follower and the follower on the right of the imam. This is the Sunnah.
If someone does the opposite, their prayer is valid, but he should convey that the Sunnah is for the single follower to be on the right of the imam. In this case, their standing positions are equal, and the imam is not ahead of the follower, because they are now in one row, and one row is equal.
When the third person comes, some people are confused about whether to push the imam and move the follower back, or to say the takbir first and then pull the follower forward?
We say: move the follower back, and when he is in his place, you say the takbir. Or we say: move the imam forward, and when you are aligned with the follower, say the takbir. Because sometimes moving the imam forward is easier, as if the space in front of him is wide. And sometimes moving the follower back is easier, as if the space in front of them is narrow and the space behind them is wide. The important thing is that there is no difference between moving the imam forward or moving the follower back.
The questioner : What is the concern if that was done knowingly and he did not change his intention and became the imam?
The Shaykh : The concern here is that the imam might continue with the intention of leading while he has become a follower. As for changing from leading to following, there is no harm in that. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) changed from being an imam to being a follower when he was praying with the people and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came. During the prayer, Abu Bakr moved back and became a follower, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) became the imam.
The questioner : Is there a second question?
The Shaykh : The second question later, if Allah wills.