Salaamun'Alaikum,
I work in an Educational Institution which takes in thousands of students each year. Naturally, we have many muslim students. Alhamdulillah, all over campus, and even that of other institutions, we can find Musollahs for our five daily prayers. There's 2 rather disturbing situations i came across whilst working here.
First was around 2 years back. The musollah nearest to my office is just at the top of a staircase landing. if it's packed, normally i just wait. one fateful day, i needed to pray and quickly go off, so i took a mat and laid down at somewhere nearby that's rather clean. Then came a group of students who laid their mats in the SAME row as mine and asked if I want to join them for jemaah prayers. I asked, "how do you do jemaah prayers in the same row as the imam?". One of them replied "can..". And I wasn't even in the middle. I refused eventually. But a few weeks back I saw it actually happened. Jemaah prayers in 1 row.
The other situation happened just moments ago. there's initially 4 persons. And they almost started with 1 jemaah on the right of the imam, and the other two behind. picture it like it's almost a square where the 4 persons are at the corners. i stopped them and said "how can he (the jemaah on the imam's right) stand there?". Eventually we changed and made 3 rows in total as some other students joined in.
I didn't go through full time madrasah in my younger days so i'm currently feeling that probably my knowledge is limited. but can someone enlighten me or show a book that states jemaah prayers can be done in a single row when there's more than 2 persons? imam and all his jemaah in the same row to his left and right. if it was done before, there may be a possibility that there's a book detailing such a possibility depending on situation. though in my situation, the space does permit forming of rows behind...
would be delighted if anyone can share because i've not come across this knowledge.
i've accepted the "Speeding Imams" issue and after all the reading from books and replies from this site, i've decided to Tawakkal.
But this issue of differences in Jemaah prayers, i'd just hope for an answer whether it's permissible or not and from which hadith. thank you.
Salaam Hidayat.
I hope this answer is not too late.
Well, for your first scenario.
Yes, you are right. The imam and the makmum cannot be in one straight line. However, from what i learnt, the minimum distance is that the imam's ankle should be just above the other makmum's ankle. if like that, the jemaah is vaild.
Maybe due to space constrains at stairs, there could not be enough space for a clear distinction between the safs. However, this minimum must still be met.
For your second scenario...
Really gets my attention...
ok.. so far from my limited knowledge, the two people behind the other 2 is considered not to be completing the saf if there is enough space.
However, for its ruling of whether it is haram or makruh, i will get to you back
Salam.
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