The Ruling on Praying Between Columns and Pillars

Question:
Our brother the questioner, may the Shaykh be respected, says: In some mosques, there are columns between the rows that cause them to be cut off and divided into more than one row. So, what is better in such a case: for a person to pray next to the column, thereby leaving the row broken, or is it better to complete the row by placing the column behind him? Knowing that in this case the row would be complete, but slanted because the worshipper steps slightly out of the row. Please rule on this, and may you be rewarded.

Answer:
The Sunnah is for the rows to be straight and connected, with the columns behind them. The columns should be behind them, and the row should be straight in front of the columns. Do not break the rows except out of necessity, if the mosque becomes crowded and narrow, and people line up between the pillars; in that case, there is no harm out of need. For this reason, Anas said: They avoided standing between the pillars, meaning: when there is no need for it.
So the Sunnah is: for the followers to move forward, and for the columns to be behind them. It does no harm if one moves forward slightly toward the column to place it behind him. But it is recommended for those between two columns to move forward slightly, so that the row is straight, so that the one who has a column behind him and the others are equal, straight in the row, with no one moving ahead of another. Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.