What is the restriction on separating two people on Friday?
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The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : How is it restricted...
The questioner : He said: Do not separate two people on Friday.
The Shaykh : This is a clarification of the reality; other days are like it, and even days other than Friday are like Friday.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : In gatherings? Even in gatherings. That is why the warning came regarding the one who sits in the middle of a circle, because people are annoyed by it, unless he asks for their permission. Yes.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : As for if he is passing through, we do not say that he must stop and pray. But if he is staying in the town and does not want to travel until after the Friday prayer, he must attend.
The questioner : ...the rows ahead, there is actually a gap between two people, and he wants to step over the rows to fill this gap. He will harm the people in the rows ahead.
The Shaykh : He will harm the people he steps over, but they also have no right to delay filling this gap, so they are the ones who erred. But as I told you, every person has the right to move forward. He should move forward calmly and ask for permission, because we see that when a person does this and says to his companion, "Please," he finds that the person smiles at him and allows it. But if he comes forcefully, people get angry about it.
The questioner : Some people sit cross-legged on Friday, and their companion also sits cross-legged. Then, with sitting and boredom, each of them sits with their legs folded, and a gap opens up from this one and a gap opens up from that one. A person from three or four rows behind sees this gap and moves forward to it.
The Shaykh : What do you say about this? It is said that sometimes, with the length of time, a person gets tired, and you find them shifting their sitting, sometimes cross-legged and sometimes with legs folded. A person comes in the state of having his legs folded and finds an opening. Does he move forward, or do we say this is like the courtyard of a house, which is respected? Does a well not have a protected area? If you own a well, its protected area that is needed is respected. I have doubt about this, but what do you see?
Yes, it is for you and for others.
It appears, and Allah knows best, as you said, that the closest thing to say is that it is obligatory... so as not to harm them. But when the prayer is called, nothing remains but to fill the gaps in any case.
The Shaykh : How is it restricted...
The questioner : He said: Do not separate two people on Friday.
The Shaykh : This is a clarification of the reality; other days are like it, and even days other than Friday are like Friday.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : In gatherings? Even in gatherings. That is why the warning came regarding the one who sits in the middle of a circle, because people are annoyed by it, unless he asks for their permission. Yes.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : As for if he is passing through, we do not say that he must stop and pray. But if he is staying in the town and does not want to travel until after the Friday prayer, he must attend.
The questioner : ...the rows ahead, there is actually a gap between two people, and he wants to step over the rows to fill this gap. He will harm the people in the rows ahead.
The Shaykh : He will harm the people he steps over, but they also have no right to delay filling this gap, so they are the ones who erred. But as I told you, every person has the right to move forward. He should move forward calmly and ask for permission, because we see that when a person does this and says to his companion, "Please," he finds that the person smiles at him and allows it. But if he comes forcefully, people get angry about it.
The questioner : Some people sit cross-legged on Friday, and their companion also sits cross-legged. Then, with sitting and boredom, each of them sits with their legs folded, and a gap opens up from this one and a gap opens up from that one. A person from three or four rows behind sees this gap and moves forward to it.
The Shaykh : What do you say about this? It is said that sometimes, with the length of time, a person gets tired, and you find them shifting their sitting, sometimes cross-legged and sometimes with legs folded. A person comes in the state of having his legs folded and finds an opening. Does he move forward, or do we say this is like the courtyard of a house, which is respected? Does a well not have a protected area? If you own a well, its protected area that is needed is respected. I have doubt about this, but what do you see?
Yes, it is for you and for others.
It appears, and Allah knows best, as you said, that the closest thing to say is that it is obligatory... so as not to harm them. But when the prayer is called, nothing remains but to fill the gaps in any case.