Is it obligatory to align the rows by touching the feet?
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The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you, is it obligatory to align the rows?
The Shaykh : Is it?
The questioner : I say: Is it obligatory to align the rows by touching the feet so that no gap remains between them, or is mere alignment sufficient?
The Shaykh : The obligatory thing is alignment. However, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would touch the heel of one to the heel of his companion and his shoulder to his shoulder, in order to achieve two things: alignment and straightness. As for what some observers do now, where they spread their legs apart until they touch the heel of their companion, and sometimes bend their leg so that the heel is touching the heel, but they strain in bending their leg, this has no basis in the Sunnah and is a mistaken understanding. It is an error because we have seen them spread their legs until they touch, but there is a gap between their shoulders, so it looks like a pyramid, wide at the bottom and narrow at the top. Where did this come from? If we understand the text, it says to touch your heel to his heel and your shoulder to his shoulder, which contradicts this action. Therefore, we warn our brothers, the young students of knowledge, we warn them against rushing to understand the texts in a way that contradicts the intent of Allah and His Messenger. And we say: Look to the scholars who are older than you, older than you in age and stronger than you in understanding the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger. Do you understand now?
The questioner : If the feet are not aligned.
The Shaykh : If so.
The questioner : If the feet are not aligned, is this permissible?
The Shaykh : The permissibility is that it is permissible, but there should be no gap, there should be no gap. Because if you touch shoulder to shoulder, the feet might be close together, meaning they are near each other, and this does not harm.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Who is the one asking?
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : No, yes, please go ahead.
The questioner : He mentioned Allah.
The Shaykh : ... I intended to leave, otherwise we would not have been able to let you.
The Shaykh : Is it?
The questioner : I say: Is it obligatory to align the rows by touching the feet so that no gap remains between them, or is mere alignment sufficient?
The Shaykh : The obligatory thing is alignment. However, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would touch the heel of one to the heel of his companion and his shoulder to his shoulder, in order to achieve two things: alignment and straightness. As for what some observers do now, where they spread their legs apart until they touch the heel of their companion, and sometimes bend their leg so that the heel is touching the heel, but they strain in bending their leg, this has no basis in the Sunnah and is a mistaken understanding. It is an error because we have seen them spread their legs until they touch, but there is a gap between their shoulders, so it looks like a pyramid, wide at the bottom and narrow at the top. Where did this come from? If we understand the text, it says to touch your heel to his heel and your shoulder to his shoulder, which contradicts this action. Therefore, we warn our brothers, the young students of knowledge, we warn them against rushing to understand the texts in a way that contradicts the intent of Allah and His Messenger. And we say: Look to the scholars who are older than you, older than you in age and stronger than you in understanding the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger. Do you understand now?
The questioner : If the feet are not aligned.
The Shaykh : If so.
The questioner : If the feet are not aligned, is this permissible?
The Shaykh : The permissibility is that it is permissible, but there should be no gap, there should be no gap. Because if you touch shoulder to shoulder, the feet might be close together, meaning they are near each other, and this does not harm.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Who is the one asking?
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : No, yes, please go ahead.
The questioner : He mentioned Allah.
The Shaykh : ... I intended to leave, otherwise we would not have been able to let you.