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:

Assalam Alaikum,

Dear brother,

I am having a question, one of my friend When he went to masjid he saw first row still vacant while people had made another row without completing first row so what he did, he crossed over second row to complete first row. People had objected to him and one of the Mufti told that he should have not crossed the row while they were offering prayer. Please reply ,shall we leave a row incomplete or shall we cross over a row(saf) in order to complete first row.

Jazakallah 

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Answer:

Fill the gaps in prayer

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.

Abu Umamah reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "Straighten your rows, and put your shoulders close to each other, and be gentle with each other, and fill in the gaps, for the Shaytaan passes through what is between you like small sheep [are able to pass through gaps]."

Related by Ahmad and at-Tabarani.

An-Nu'man ibn Bashir says: "The Prophet (saws) would straighten us in our rows as one straightens an arrow, until he (saws) saw that we had learned from him. One day, he (saws) saw a person with his chest sticking out and he (saws) said: 'You had better straighten your rows or Allah will cause differences among you."'

Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

Jabir ibn Samrah says: "The Prophet (saws) came to us and said: 'Why don't you make the rows like the Angels make their rows in the presence of their Lord?' We asked: 'O Messenger of Allah (saws), how do the Angels make their rows in the presence of their Lord?' He (saws) replied: 'They complete the first row and stand closely together, side by side, in the row.'"

Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 666 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘Set the rows in order, stand shoulder to shoulder, close the gaps, be pliant in the hands of your brethren, and do not leave openings for the Shaytaan. If anyone joins up a row, Allah will join him up, but if anyone breaks a row, Allah will cut him off.’

The Messenger of Allah (saws) was so particular about straightening the rows and closing the gaps in prayer, that it was his practice as the ‘imam’ in prayer to not start the prayers until he had confirmation that the rows were straightened and the gaps were filled. Thus it is the responsibility and duty of each and every believer who makes himself available for congregational prayer that he makes sure that the rows are straightened and the gaps are filled.

Your Question: ….one of my friend When he went to masjid he saw first row still vacant while people had made another row without completing first row

It would be the duty to the ‘Imam’ leading the prayer to exhort the believers to straighten and complete the rows before he starts the prayer, and the duty of the brethren in the first row to invite the brothers from the row behind to fill the gaps in the first row, if any; and the duty of the brethren in the second row to move forward and fill the gaps in the first row, if any.

Your Question: ….so what he did, he crossed over second row to complete first row.

If your friend noticed that there were gaps in the first row, and realized that the worshippers in the second row did not move forward and fill the gaps, and he chose to reluctantly cross over the second row and fill the gap in the first row, he was well within his rights to do so.

Ibn 'Umar related that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Whoever connects a row, Allah will join him. Whoever cuts off a row, Allah will cut him off."

Related by An-Nasa'i, al-Hakim, and Ibn Khuzaimah.

But if your friend was say in the third or fourth row, saw a gap in the first row, and did not give a chance to the worshippers in the second row to move forward and fill the gap, but instead rushed and pushed and crossed over the second row to occupy the space in the first row, then obviously the brothers in the second row have a case of complaint against him!

But if your friend gave the worshippers in the second row amply time and chance to move forward and fill the gap, and the believers chose not to do so….and your friend had no choice but to cross over the second row and fill the gap in the first row…..there is absolutely no harm or sin against him in doing so.

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