A man entered the mosque while the people were praying, so he said the takbir and prayed alone behind the row, even though there was space in the row in front of him, but he did not know about it. Then a man came and formed a row with him, but
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
May the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : A man entered a mosque for the Maghrib prayer and found the worshippers in the state of ruku'. The side of the row on the other end was not complete, so he prayed in the second row and did not stand in the middle of the row. Then another man entered after him and prayed beside him, unaware of the first man's situation. When the prayer ended, the imam came to them and asked about the first man, saying: "He must repeat the prayer, because there is no prayer for a person praying alone behind the row." What is your opinion in this matter? May Allah benefit you.
The Shaykh : Yes, my opinion in this is that the man who formed a row alone behind the row, while there was space for him in the row in front of him, has an invalid prayer, especially if he raised his head from ruku' before anyone joined him. If someone joined him before he raised his head from ruku', some scholars have validated his prayer, saying: "This man caught up with the entire prayer with the other man who formed a row with him, so his prayer is valid." But whoever looks at the hadith:Bulugh al-Maram 2:327 will see that it indicates that whoever says the takbir alone without an excuse has an invalid prayer, because the takbir of ihram is a pillar of the prayer.
The questioner : O Shaykh, what if he did not know that the row was not complete?
The Shaykh : No, it is obligatory for him not to form a row alone until he is certain that the row in front of him is complete. He should not come and form a row without knowing; he must know.
The questioner : And now, does he have to repeat the prayer?
The Shaykh : Now, he does not have to repeat it, because the most we can say about him is that he was ignorant.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
May the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : A man entered a mosque for the Maghrib prayer and found the worshippers in the state of ruku'. The side of the row on the other end was not complete, so he prayed in the second row and did not stand in the middle of the row. Then another man entered after him and prayed beside him, unaware of the first man's situation. When the prayer ended, the imam came to them and asked about the first man, saying: "He must repeat the prayer, because there is no prayer for a person praying alone behind the row." What is your opinion in this matter? May Allah benefit you.
The Shaykh : Yes, my opinion in this is that the man who formed a row alone behind the row, while there was space for him in the row in front of him, has an invalid prayer, especially if he raised his head from ruku' before anyone joined him. If someone joined him before he raised his head from ruku', some scholars have validated his prayer, saying: "This man caught up with the entire prayer with the other man who formed a row with him, so his prayer is valid." But whoever looks at the hadith:
The prayer of a person who prays alone behind the row is not accepted.
لا صلاة لمنفرد خلف الصفThe questioner : O Shaykh, what if he did not know that the row was not complete?
The Shaykh : No, it is obligatory for him not to form a row alone until he is certain that the row in front of him is complete. He should not come and form a row without knowing; he must know.
The questioner : And now, does he have to repeat the prayer?
The Shaykh : Now, he does not have to repeat it, because the most we can say about him is that he was ignorant.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.