If the space is not sufficient to straighten the rows, should each group pray separately?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. We are from Kuwait, and sometimes we go out on a boat in the sea, and we are a group of seven people, O Shaykh. When it is time to pray, our rows are not straight, so some of us are in front and some are behind. Is it permissible for us to form two congregations, or should we pray individually?
The Shaykh : I mean, because the boat is small?
The questioner : Yes, it is small; it does not have enough space.
The Shaykh : Can not even two people fit?
The questioner : Can two or three people pray in congregation, and the rest of the people pray in congregation or individually?
The Shaykh : But they are not praying individually.
The questioner : Like the pool, may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : The pool.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, why don't they pray in this pool?
First, if possible, they must face the qiblah so that there is enough space for more rows!
The questioner : But O Shaykh, the row is not enough; it becomes a bit smaller.
The Shaykh : The imam is not opposed in his position, and there are two people behind him.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Is that right?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Does it have enough space for two more people?
The questioner : No, on the side, the other two would be slightly in front or slightly behind, meaning there would be some irregularities.
The Shaykh : It does not oppose, meaning there is a separation between him and the others.
The questioner : There is a gap, or this person is slightly in front of the row among the ma'mumin (those praying behind the imam); the ma'mum is slightly in front of the row.
The Shaykh : As for the issue of a gap, it does not harm. As for straightening the rows, there is something in the soul about it, because straightening the rows is obligatory according to many scholars. So, it is not a problem for the one who does not find a place in the row to pray, even if he is offset from the row, just as if a person came to ordinary mosques and found the row full, he would be allowed to pray behind the row with the congregation.
The questioner : O Shaykh, I mean, does he pray alone?
The Shaykh : No, he prays with the congregation in the place where he is.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : I mean, because the boat is small?
The questioner : Yes, it is small; it does not have enough space.
The Shaykh : Can not even two people fit?
The questioner : Can two or three people pray in congregation, and the rest of the people pray in congregation or individually?
The Shaykh : But they are not praying individually.
The questioner : Like the pool, may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : The pool.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, why don't they pray in this pool?
First, if possible, they must face the qiblah so that there is enough space for more rows!
The questioner : But O Shaykh, the row is not enough; it becomes a bit smaller.
The Shaykh : The imam is not opposed in his position, and there are two people behind him.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Is that right?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Does it have enough space for two more people?
The questioner : No, on the side, the other two would be slightly in front or slightly behind, meaning there would be some irregularities.
The Shaykh : It does not oppose, meaning there is a separation between him and the others.
The questioner : There is a gap, or this person is slightly in front of the row among the ma'mumin (those praying behind the imam); the ma'mum is slightly in front of the row.
The Shaykh : As for the issue of a gap, it does not harm. As for straightening the rows, there is something in the soul about it, because straightening the rows is obligatory according to many scholars. So, it is not a problem for the one who does not find a place in the row to pray, even if he is offset from the row, just as if a person came to ordinary mosques and found the row full, he would be allowed to pray behind the row with the congregation.
The questioner : O Shaykh, I mean, does he pray alone?
The Shaykh : No, he prays with the congregation in the place where he is.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.