Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

In the name of Allah

Assalam Wa Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu

Burhan Bhai,

I have a quetion, when only two musallihs are performing salah (one of them Imam and the other Mukhtadi) what should be the standing position of them? Should they be standing next to each other as if they are Mukhtadis or should there be a gap between them (Imam little front and Mukhtadi couple of feet behind)? Please clarify this to me.

Allah Hafiz

Assalam Wa Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu

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Answer:

Congregation of two people

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Ibn Abbas says: "I stayed with my Aunt Maimunah and the Prophet (saws) got up to pray during the night. I got up to pray with him and stood on his left and the Prophet (saws) took me by my hand and put me on his right side."

When there are only two believing men and they wish to offer their prayers in congregation together, one amongst them should be chosen as the ‘imam’ to lead the prayers, and the other (muktadi) should stand on his right hand side. There is evidence in the Sunnah for two types of formations between the ‘imam’ and the ‘muktadi’ when only two believing men are praying in congregation:

1. The ‘muktadi’ stands side by side on the right hand side of the ‘imam’; or
2. The ‘muktadi’ stands a short step (6-18 inches) behind the ‘imam’ on the right hand side.

When there are two or more believing women and they wish to offer their prayers in congregation together, one amongst them should be chosen as the ‘imam’ to lead the prayers, and the woman ‘imam’ stands in the same row, side by side, with the other women in the prayers. If a woman ‘imam’ leads the prayers of one or more believing woman, she is not to stand ahead of the other women.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan