What is meant by your statement when leading people in prayer: "Each person should look to his right and left"?
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The questioner : I heard you on some tapes, when you are about to lead some people in prayer, saying to them, "Each person should look to his right." What do you mean by this statement?
The Shaykh : To his right and to his left. If you mean that I specified only the right, then this is either a shortcoming on my part, or a shortcoming on the part of the listener of my tape.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : I mean to the right and to the left. Whoever is to the right of the imam should look to his left.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And whoever is to the left of the imam should look to his right. The intention is to address the masses of worshippers who do not know how to straighten the rows. You find one of them looking between his feet and the feet of his neighbor to his right and left. This does not help them straighten the row. Rather, he should turn his head to the right or left according to his position relative to the imam, so that he sees the chest of the person behind the imam, without lowering his head, but raising it as Allah made him a human being in the best of creation. He turns his head like this to the right and left, and thereby the row becomes straight. As for looking only at the feet to his right and left, this is not sufficient. This is what is meant.
The questioner : So the criterion for straightening the rows is following the person behind the imam?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : To his right and to his left. If you mean that I specified only the right, then this is either a shortcoming on my part, or a shortcoming on the part of the listener of my tape.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : I mean to the right and to the left. Whoever is to the right of the imam should look to his left.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And whoever is to the left of the imam should look to his right. The intention is to address the masses of worshippers who do not know how to straighten the rows. You find one of them looking between his feet and the feet of his neighbor to his right and left. This does not help them straighten the row. Rather, he should turn his head to the right or left according to his position relative to the imam, so that he sees the chest of the person behind the imam, without lowering his head, but raising it as Allah made him a human being in the best of creation. He turns his head like this to the right and left, and thereby the row becomes straight. As for looking only at the feet to his right and left, this is not sufficient. This is what is meant.
The questioner : So the criterion for straightening the rows is following the person behind the imam?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.