What does one do if he wants to pray but finds no place in the row?
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Q: We ask your Eminence to inform us about a man praying alone behind the row in an obligatory prayer: is it valid? Or must he repeat it, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the man he saw praying alone behind the row to repeat it? Is this hadith authentic, or not authentic, or abrogated, or does it conflict with other hadiths on this matter? We ask for a clear and sufficient explanation, because there has been much debate on this. Also, is it permissible for someone who arrives at the mosque and finds the first row full, and fears missing a rak'ah, to pull a person from the middle of the row? Or should he say the takbir and enter the prayer, or wait? Knowing that if he waits, he fears missing the rak'ah? Please issue a ruling, may Allah reward you.
A: It is not permissible for a Muslim to pray alone behind the row, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Bulugh al-Maram 2:327 And if he prays alone, he must repeat it, due to this hadith and the hadith you mentioned in the question; they are two authentic hadiths.
He is not allowed to pull anyone from the row, because the hadith reported on this matter is weak. He must look for a gap in the row to enter, or line up to the right of the imam if that is possible. If that is not possible, he should wait until someone is available to line up with him, even if he misses a rak'ah. This is the most correct of the scholars' opinions, based on the mentioned hadiths and others that convey this meaning.
It is obligatory for the people of knowledge, in matters of disagreement, to refer them to Allah and His Messenger and not to follow scholars blindly in this, based on the saying of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He): : [Al-Nisa: 59] and His saying (Mighty and Majestic): [Al-Shura: 10] And success is from Allah.
A: It is not permissible for a Muslim to pray alone behind the row, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
The prayer of a person who prays alone behind the row is not accepted.
لا صلاة لمنفرد خلف الصفHe is not allowed to pull anyone from the row, because the hadith reported on this matter is weak. He must look for a gap in the row to enter, or line up to the right of the imam if that is possible. If that is not possible, he should wait until someone is available to line up with him, even if he misses a rak'ah. This is the most correct of the scholars' opinions, based on the mentioned hadiths and others that convey this meaning.
It is obligatory for the people of knowledge, in matters of disagreement, to refer them to Allah and His Messenger and not to follow scholars blindly in this, based on the saying of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He): :
O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًاAnd in anything over which you disagree - its ruling is [to be referred] to Allah.
وَمَا اخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِيهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَحُكْمُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.