A Latecomer Pulling a Muqtadi Back

Question

(1) Zayd was the imam and Bakr prayed behind him. After that ‘Umar came and joined; Bakr moved back, but ‘Umar did not know this mas’ala and remained standing [in place]. Thereupon Bakr moved him back with his hand and made him stand alongside himself. Did this act of Bakr invalidate the prayer or not? (2) Was it necessary for Bakr to do so? (3) If the joining muqtadi does not move back, should the first muqtadi then return to his original place or remain standing where he is?

Answer

(1) It is better for the muqtadi who comes later and joins to pull [back] the muqtadi who joined earlier. If he does not pull him, there is no harm in that muqtadi moving back by himself. And if that second one came and stood level with the first, it is also correct for the imam to give both a slight sign to move back, and it is also correct for the imam himself to move…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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