Is it permissible for the imam to order the ma'mum to move to the right side if they have shifted to the left side of the row?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : If you are the imam and you see that most of the ma'mum are on the left side of the row and have left the right side, should I say to them: "Straighten the right side of the row"?
The Shaykh : Yes, if you are the imam and you see the people leaning to one side, the right or the left, with a clear difference, say to them: "Come here so that the right and left sides of the row are equal or close to each other."
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Whether it is the left or the right.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes, we say to the ten of you, two of you should move to the right, or three; three is better, because the right side is preferred if it is equal to the left side.
The questioner : And if they do not do that...?
The Shaykh : If he orders them, I do not think they would ever not do it, because he is an obeyed imam. Otherwise, what is the benefit of saying "Straighten up" and "Be even"? What is the benefit of this? Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O noble one.The Shaykh : If the imam says, "Straighten up, may Allah have mercy on me and on you, and fill the gaps, and straighten your rows, for Allah does not look upon a crooked row, and fill the gaps and do not leave openings for Shaytan, and bring your hearts to the prayer, pray the prayer of one who is leaving," are all these words narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), or what is the correct wording with which the imam advises the ma'mum?
The Shaykh : No, repeat, repeat from the beginning, one by one.
The Shaykh : Yes, if you are the imam and you see the people leaning to one side, the right or the left, with a clear difference, say to them: "Come here so that the right and left sides of the row are equal or close to each other."
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Whether it is the left or the right.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes, we say to the ten of you, two of you should move to the right, or three; three is better, because the right side is preferred if it is equal to the left side.
The questioner : And if they do not do that...?
The Shaykh : If he orders them, I do not think they would ever not do it, because he is an obeyed imam. Otherwise, what is the benefit of saying "Straighten up" and "Be even"? What is the benefit of this? Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O noble one.The Shaykh : If the imam says, "Straighten up, may Allah have mercy on me and on you, and fill the gaps, and straighten your rows, for Allah does not look upon a crooked row, and fill the gaps and do not leave openings for Shaytan, and bring your hearts to the prayer, pray the prayer of one who is leaving," are all these words narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), or what is the correct wording with which the imam advises the ma'mum?
The Shaykh : No, repeat, repeat from the beginning, one by one.