Moving Those Standing in the Row After They Have Begun the Prayer to Make Room

Question

The imam began the prayer and started the recitation (qira’a). A man came, saw some space behind one of the followers, and, before beginning his own prayer, moved about six people — that is, he shifted them — because in the middle, beside one person, there was some empty space, due merely to that person’s ignorance or negligence. The newcomer, seeing the empty space, moved six or five worshippers and only then began his own prayer.

Answer

If the space was small, with no room to stand in it, then five or six people should not have been moved, since this disturbed the humility (khushu‘) of the prayer of all of them and also caused them discomfort.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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