You have learned that it is not permissible for one to pray alone behind the rows with the congregation.
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The questioner : You have learned that it is not permissible for one to pray alone behind the rows with the congregation, but what is the case if the one praying is behind the row of the congregation and with him is a person who has not reached puberty, meaning he is not an adult? Is that permissible? What should the one praying do at that time? May you be rewarded.
The Shaykh : The prayer of one who is alone behind the rows in the congregational prayer is divided into two categories: a valid category and an invalid category.
As for the valid category, it is when the row is complete. In this case, it is permissible for him to pray alone, because if he does not pray alone, he will miss the congregation. If no one comes to stand with him before the congregation is missed, and if he does not pray alone, he must either pull someone from the row in front of him or move forward to stand with the imam. Both of these are not prescribed.
As for pulling someone from the front row, it is not permissible, because it involves harming the one being pulled and moving him from a superior place to an inferior one. Also, it may disturb his prayer, as some people are quick to be affected, and it may disturb him greatly. Furthermore, it opens a gap in the row, breaking the row after its completion. And it necessitates that the row move from the right or the left, or from both, to close this gap. These are four harms in pulling someone to stand with him.
As for moving forward with the imam, if there is no one coming from the qiblah, and if there is a door in the qiblah of the mosque, he must pass through the rows, which harms the people in the rows. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw a man stepping over the necks of people on a Friday and said: Then, if he moves forward and prays with the imam, he contradicts the Sunnah in that, because the Sunnah is that the imam is alone in his place, because he is the imam. If another stands with him, the other becomes like a second imam. It is not valid to object to this by saying that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), when he began to pray with the people, and then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came and stood to the left of Abu Bakr, does not apply to this, because Abu Bakr had already begun the prayer and could not move back because the row was tight, so he had no choice but to remain in his place. Then, if he moves forward and stands with the imam, and then another comes after him.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And he found the row complete, so we said: move forward, and they became two with the imam. Then a third came, and we said: move forward. This necessitates that there be a complete row with the imam, and no one behind the people. Therefore, we say: if a person comes and finds the row complete, there is no blame on him for standing alone and praying alone. And Allah the Exalted said:[At-Taghabun 64:16] And He said: [Al-Baqarah 2:286].
And as for if a discerning boy stands with him and prays with him, the correct view is that it is permissible, and that the boy’s standing in the row is like the standing of an adult. This is because Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) stood with an orphan behind the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) in voluntary prayer. The principle is that what is established in voluntary prayer is established in obligatory prayer unless there is evidence to the contrary. And because this boy is of sound mind, his prayer is valid, so his prayer is valid. Thus, this adult did not stand alone behind the row, but with someone whose prayer is valid. The correct view is that standing in the row with a boy is the same in obligatory and voluntary prayer, and it is permissible, and it removes the state of being alone. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. We conclude this session with a second question from the questioner, Fayyad Muhammad from Dammam, who says.
The Shaykh : The prayer of one who is alone behind the rows in the congregational prayer is divided into two categories: a valid category and an invalid category.
As for the valid category, it is when the row is complete. In this case, it is permissible for him to pray alone, because if he does not pray alone, he will miss the congregation. If no one comes to stand with him before the congregation is missed, and if he does not pray alone, he must either pull someone from the row in front of him or move forward to stand with the imam. Both of these are not prescribed.
As for pulling someone from the front row, it is not permissible, because it involves harming the one being pulled and moving him from a superior place to an inferior one. Also, it may disturb his prayer, as some people are quick to be affected, and it may disturb him greatly. Furthermore, it opens a gap in the row, breaking the row after its completion. And it necessitates that the row move from the right or the left, or from both, to close this gap. These are four harms in pulling someone to stand with him.
As for moving forward with the imam, if there is no one coming from the qiblah, and if there is a door in the qiblah of the mosque, he must pass through the rows, which harms the people in the rows. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw a man stepping over the necks of people on a Friday and said:
Sit down, for you have caused harm
اجلس فقد ءاذيتThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And he found the row complete, so we said: move forward, and they became two with the imam. Then a third came, and we said: move forward. This necessitates that there be a complete row with the imam, and no one behind the people. Therefore, we say: if a person comes and finds the row complete, there is no blame on him for standing alone and praying alone. And Allah the Exalted said:
So fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْAllah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity
لا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَاAnd as for if a discerning boy stands with him and prays with him, the correct view is that it is permissible, and that the boy’s standing in the row is like the standing of an adult. This is because Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) stood with an orphan behind the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) in voluntary prayer. The principle is that what is established in voluntary prayer is established in obligatory prayer unless there is evidence to the contrary. And because this boy is of sound mind, his prayer is valid, so his prayer is valid. Thus, this adult did not stand alone behind the row, but with someone whose prayer is valid. The correct view is that standing in the row with a boy is the same in obligatory and voluntary prayer, and it is permissible, and it removes the state of being alone. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. We conclude this session with a second question from the questioner, Fayyad Muhammad from Dammam, who says.