What does the one who is late for the prayer and is alone in the second row do?
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The questioner : What should a person do if he arrives at the prayer late and finds that he is the only one in the second row? What does he do?
The Shaykh : If a person comes to the mosque and does not find a place in the row, he prays alone, meaning he prays behind the row following the imam, and there is no blame on him for that, and his prayer is valid. This is because he did what he was able to do of the obligatory, and Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said:[Al-Baqarah 2:286].
And this man who found the row full, his situation is not free from four states:
Either he stands alone behind the row.
Or he pulls someone to him to form a row with him.
Or he moves forward to the imam and prays with him.
Or he leaves the prayer with the congregation and prays alone.
So let us look at which of these is more preferable?
We say: As for pulling someone from the row, this is a mistake and it has a danger, indeed dangers. If he pulls him so that he is delayed, he has deprived him of remaining in the virtuous row, he has disturbed his prayer, and he has opened a gap in the row that will not be closed except by the movement of the whole row to close it. This is one.
And if he moves forward to the imam and forms a row with him, if the rows are many, it necessitates that he step over the necks of people and disturb them. And if there is only one row, this row will be harmed by him if he wobbles between the men to be with the imam. Then, his standing with the imam is contrary to the Sunnah, because the Sunnah is that the imam is alone in his row. Then, if he stands with the imam and another comes after him and we say to him: Move forward and be with the imam, they become three. Then if another comes, they become four. Then if another comes, five, and so on until the imam remains as if there is no imam in this congregation.
But now two states remain for us:
The first state: That he leaves the prayer with the congregation, which is the third state regarding the total, and at that time the virtue of the congregation is missed by him.
Or he stands alone in the row following his imam, and at that time he catches up with the congregation and the formation of the row is missed by him because he is unable to do it. And Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said:[Al-Baqarah 2:286] And He the Exalted said: [At-Taghabun 64:16].
And this which I said is the stronger position, and it is the choice of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), and our Shaykh Abd al-Rahman ibn Nasir al-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him), and it is also the madhhab of the three Imams, and a narration from Imam Ahmad.Bulugh al-Maram 2:327 as negating perfection.
But the correct view is that forming the row is obligatory, and that if a person prays alone behind the row while he is able to stand in the row, his prayer is invalid, and he must repeat it. But if it is for an excuse, such as the row being full, the obligation of forming the row is dropped from him.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.
The Shaykh : If a person comes to the mosque and does not find a place in the row, he prays alone, meaning he prays behind the row following the imam, and there is no blame on him for that, and his prayer is valid. This is because he did what he was able to do of the obligatory, and Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said:
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity
لا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَاAnd this man who found the row full, his situation is not free from four states:
Either he stands alone behind the row.
Or he pulls someone to him to form a row with him.
Or he moves forward to the imam and prays with him.
Or he leaves the prayer with the congregation and prays alone.
So let us look at which of these is more preferable?
We say: As for pulling someone from the row, this is a mistake and it has a danger, indeed dangers. If he pulls him so that he is delayed, he has deprived him of remaining in the virtuous row, he has disturbed his prayer, and he has opened a gap in the row that will not be closed except by the movement of the whole row to close it. This is one.
And if he moves forward to the imam and forms a row with him, if the rows are many, it necessitates that he step over the necks of people and disturb them. And if there is only one row, this row will be harmed by him if he wobbles between the men to be with the imam. Then, his standing with the imam is contrary to the Sunnah, because the Sunnah is that the imam is alone in his row. Then, if he stands with the imam and another comes after him and we say to him: Move forward and be with the imam, they become three. Then if another comes, they become four. Then if another comes, five, and so on until the imam remains as if there is no imam in this congregation.
But now two states remain for us:
The first state: That he leaves the prayer with the congregation, which is the third state regarding the total, and at that time the virtue of the congregation is missed by him.
Or he stands alone in the row following his imam, and at that time he catches up with the congregation and the formation of the row is missed by him because he is unable to do it. And Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said:
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity
لا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَاSo fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْAnd this which I said is the stronger position, and it is the choice of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), and our Shaykh Abd al-Rahman ibn Nasir al-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him), and it is also the madhhab of the three Imams, and a narration from Imam Ahmad.
The prayer of a person who prays alone behind the row is not accepted.
لا صلاة لمنفرد خلف الصفBut the correct view is that forming the row is obligatory, and that if a person prays alone behind the row while he is able to stand in the row, his prayer is invalid, and he must repeat it. But if it is for an excuse, such as the row being full, the obligation of forming the row is dropped from him.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.