The Imam Standing in the Mihrab

Question

The inner part of the mosque has room for two rows; the mihrab is so spacious that the imam can easily perform ruku‘ and sajda in it. (1) If the imam stands inside the mihrab, the followers face no difficulty at all, but the imam says that the prayer will not be valid? (2) If the imam keeps only his heels outside the mihrab, then in the sitting position (qa‘da) the imam’s body ends up inside the mihrab; so the prayer will not be valid? (3)

Answer

It is wrong to say that in cases (1) and (2) the prayer will not be valid. However, in case no. 1 it is makruh for the imam to stand in the mihrab. In case (2) there is difficulty neither for the followers nor for the imam, so case (2) should be adopted. When space is scarce and cramped and the worshippers are many, standing in the mihrab itself is not makruh. In case (3)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.