Forming rows in the arched openings of the mosque

Question

Zayd insists that just as it is makruh for the imam to stand in the mihrab of the mosque and in the arched openings of the mosque, so too it is makruh for the muqtadi to stand in the openings of mosques — although in the books of fiqh, Sharh al-Wiqaya, al-Hidaya, 'Alamgiri, al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Radd al-Muhtar and others, makruh tanzihi is recorded only for the imam, and there is no such restriction for the muqtadi.

Answer

If Zayd only needs proof that, when there is need, muqtadis may stand in the openings of mosques, forming small rows of five people, and pray, then there is a specific ruling (juz'iyya) on this in al-Mabsut of al-Sarakhsi: [ar]والاصطفاف بين الأسطوانتين غير مكروه؛ لأنه صف في حق كل فريق وإن لم يكن طويلاً، وتخلل الأسطوانة بين الصف كتخلل متاع موضوع أو كفرجة بين رجلين، وذلك لا يمنع…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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