What is your opinion regarding imams who do not ask for the straightening of the rows by saying "Straighten up"?
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The questioner : Regarding the imam asking the ma'mum to straighten the rows?
The Shaykh : Yes. As for imams asking to straighten the rows in the prayer of 'Id and the prayer for rain, it is prescribed, just as it is in other prayers. This is because if people are not reminded of it, they may overlook it. So in every prayer where congregation is prescribed, it is prescribed for the imam, if the people are in rows, to remind them and say: "Straighten up," "Be even." As for some imams saying: "Be upright," there is no basis for this, and it was not reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). I have looked into it and asked some of the brothers to look into it, but they did not find a basis for it from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he used to say "Be upright" instead of "Straighten your rows." There is no justification for saying "Be upright," because the meaning of "Be upright" is to be upright in the religion of Allah, and this is not the place for that, because this is the place for ordering people to straighten the rows. For this reason, it was not reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he used to say "Be upright" when straightening the rows, but rather he used to say: "Straighten your rows," "Even out your rows," and the like. Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes. As for imams asking to straighten the rows in the prayer of 'Id and the prayer for rain, it is prescribed, just as it is in other prayers. This is because if people are not reminded of it, they may overlook it. So in every prayer where congregation is prescribed, it is prescribed for the imam, if the people are in rows, to remind them and say: "Straighten up," "Be even." As for some imams saying: "Be upright," there is no basis for this, and it was not reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). I have looked into it and asked some of the brothers to look into it, but they did not find a basis for it from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he used to say "Be upright" instead of "Straighten your rows." There is no justification for saying "Be upright," because the meaning of "Be upright" is to be upright in the religion of Allah, and this is not the place for that, because this is the place for ordering people to straighten the rows. For this reason, it was not reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he used to say "Be upright" when straightening the rows, but rather he used to say: "Straighten your rows," "Even out your rows," and the like. Yes.