Praying Alone in the Last Row of Prayer

[Umm Yoosuf]

Praying Alone in the Last Row of Prayer
AUTHOR: Imaam Muhammad Naasir-ud-Deen Al-Albaanee
SOURCE: Al-Asaalah Magazine (Issue # 10)
PRODUCED BY: Al-Ibaanah.com

Question: If you enter the masjid and the first row of prayer is complete, can you pull someone from it behind so that he can pray with you (in the second row) or should you just pray by yourself?

Answer: If the hadeeth about pulling someone back from the first row so that one would not pray alone in the second row were authentic, it would be obligatory to base the opinion on it. However, its chain of narration is not authentic, as I have explained in Irwaa-ul-Ghaleel and As-Silsilah Ad-Da'eefah (second volume). Therefore so long as this hadeeth is not authentic, then the person who enters the masjid and the row of prayer in front of him is complete, he must try to squeeze into the row that is before him.

This is possible in most cases, during this era in which a majority of Muslims have abandoned the act of joining tightly (by squeezing together) in the lines of prayer, for many of them do not stand close together in the lines of prayer. So if he finds that the row is complete, he should try his best to find an empty space in it, even if he has to gesture to the one he wants to pray next to, to make some space for him to enter. But if he is not able to do this, either because the people in the row are closely packed together or because some of the people praying do not make room for him, then he could stand in the second row by himself, and his prayer will be valid. This is because the Prophet's (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) saying, "There is no prayer for the one who prays in the row by himself" is only in reference to the extent of one?s ability and adequacy as when performing all the rest of the acts of worship.

We know, for example, that standing for the obligatory prayer is a pillar (of the prayer). Therefore, if someone prays sitting while he has the ability to stand, his prayer is not valid. However, if he is not able to stand, then he could pray sitting, as the Prophet (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "Pray standing. But if you are not able to, then (pray) sitting. But if you are not able to, then (pray) on your bed." This goes the same for the case of the individual who prays behind the row by himself, in that his condition is that he is not able to join into the row that is before him. So the hadeeth, "There is no prayer for the one who prays alone behind the row", is most likely applicable to the person that takes this issue lightly or to the one who turns away from this legal ruling. As has been done by many people, especially those mu'addhins who do not join into the rows, but rather pray by themselves in places near to the door (of the masjid). So these individuals are the ones whom the hadeeth is directed to.

As for the man who enters the masjid and tries to join into the row but is not able to, nor does anyone come that will join him (in the second row), then he can pray by himself. And Allaah does not burden a soul with a responsibility, except that He has given it the ability to fulfill the responsibility. This is the view of Shaikh-ul-Islaam Ibn Taimiyyah.
http://www.al-ibaanah.com/articles.php?ArtID=51

[Skillganon]

Jazakallah Khair sis,

Good site also.

[Umar001]

A Student of knowledge who gives classes told us bout something similar, about how in Saudi I think it was, like some shop owners hear the athan, they close the shop and then pray in front of the shop, but they are not joined with the Congragation but they follow the Imam lol SubhanAllah.

[Mawaddah]

^ But their prayer would be invalid like that right?

Jazakillah Khair sis for posting this article! I was wondering about this myself as just a few days ago when I went to the masjid I was the only one in the second row, and alhamdulillah at our masjid the muslims practise the Sunnah of staying ankle to ankle and shoulder to shoulder.
Well I was really unsure of what to do so I just prayed by myself :-\ but have been feeling uncomfortable about it.

Alhamdulillah I know about this now! :)

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[Al_Imaan]

Jazak Allah for sharing.....
i've never been in a situation like that, but there was a time when i went in the masjid and like 3 old women started from the second row just because one of the ladies had a wheel chair and didnt wanna move up....so they told me to join them, but instead i went to the first row, but luckily other sisters came in later and joined me.......if the other sisters didnt join me, would i have been able to pray alone? :?.....that would make me feel awkward.....

[Umm Yoosuf]

Waiyyakum.

People don't understand that 1stly one must complete the first row before starting the seconf or third row, in some Masjids this is the case, and people seem divided :(

If the first row is completely full, if starting the second row, onw has to understand where to start from? From the right? or left? or the middle? People never think about that they just start from anywhere they please.

[Al_Imaan]

the old ladies might have thought that i was disrespectful.....but i couldnt just skip the first row and join them in the second.....thats not rite....^^ur rite...they do as they plz...

[Umar001]

Jazak Allah for sharing.....
i've never been in a situation like that, but there was a time when i went in the masjid and like 3 old women started from the second row just because one of the ladies had a wheel chair and didnt wanna move up....so they told me to join them, but instead i went to the first row, but luckily other sisters came in later and joined me.......if the other sisters didnt join me, would i have been able to pray alone? :?.....that would make me feel awkward.....

That is confusing sister, you joined the first row, but then if other sisters didnt join the first row then you'd been alone in the first row?? Am baffled.

And Sis Mu'minah, are you gonna answer the question you asked? About which side you start from?

[Umm Yoosuf]

:sl:

Insha Allah once I find the dalil :)

[IbnAbdulHakim]

:salamext:

sry if im not understanding, but say theres an imam and due to there only being two people the imam and the person pray side by side, then a third person comes and the person moves behind the imam to create a row behind the imam. Whats said about this? Also many times brothers tug my jumper to beckon me behind, whats said about this? (this is while im already praying)

[al-hasan]

:sl:

What about the following hadeeths from Abu Dawud;

Book 2, Number 0682:

Narrated Wabisah:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) saw a man praying alone behind the row. He ordered him to repeat. Sulayman ibn Harb said: The prayer.

Book 2, Number 0574:

Narrated Sa'id al-Khudri:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) saw a person praying alone. He said: Is there any man who may do good with this (man) and pray along with him.

If you have any asnwers let me know. Jazakallah

[Maimunah]

subhanallah the masjid i go to sometyms, the women stay away from u as if u have a sickness or somethin. sometyms a person will pray on the last row while knowing that the first row is incomplete. may Allah guide us all ameen

jazakaAllah khayr sis

:w:

[Al_Imaan]

That is confusing sister, you joined the first row, but then if other sisters didnt join the first row then you'd been alone in the first row?? Am baffled.

And Sis Mu'minah, are you gonna answer the question you asked? About which side you start from?

:sl:

well, i was in the first row alone...some old ladies were in the second row. They wanted me to sit in the second row with them because they thought it was disrespectful that I was sitting infront of them. When I asked them to join me in the first row, they were just being stubborn. But then, my aunt, cuzin, and some other girls came in and the first row was filled.....I was asking if no one had joined me, and if I was the only one in the first row, with a bunch of ladies behind me, would I have been able to pray like that?

[.:Umniyah:.]

:sl:
:) JazakAllahu khair. Interesting article and cleared up some doubts and concerns i had. Thanks for the post:thumbs_up