The Virtue of Arriving Early for the Friday Prayer
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Some people reserve spots in the mosques on Friday while they are still at home. Is this permissible?
Answer:
This is not permissible. What is prescribed is for the worshipper to go to the mosque himself and sit in it, waiting for the Friday prayer after he has prayed whatever Allah has decreed for him. Then he should occupy himself with reciting the Qur'an, or with glorifying, praising, magnifying, and declaring the oneness of Allah, and with supplication, until the imam comes out. As for what some people do of reserving spots by placing sandals, a jacket, or something else, and then leaving, this is not permissible. The mosque belongs to whoever arrives first, and likewise the first row and the rows after it belong to those who arrive first. Whoever arrives first has the stronger right to it. As for reserving it with sandals or other things, or a prayer mat, this is not permissible.
Some people reserve spots in the mosques on Friday while they are still at home. Is this permissible?
Answer:
This is not permissible. What is prescribed is for the worshipper to go to the mosque himself and sit in it, waiting for the Friday prayer after he has prayed whatever Allah has decreed for him. Then he should occupy himself with reciting the Qur'an, or with glorifying, praising, magnifying, and declaring the oneness of Allah, and with supplication, until the imam comes out. As for what some people do of reserving spots by placing sandals, a jacket, or something else, and then leaving, this is not permissible. The mosque belongs to whoever arrives first, and likewise the first row and the rows after it belong to those who arrive first. Whoever arrives first has the stronger right to it. As for reserving it with sandals or other things, or a prayer mat, this is not permissible.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.