The imam standing in an archway of the mosque

Question

The imam stood inside, in the middle doorway between two arches of the mosque, while the followers (muqtadis) remained outside. Has any defect occurred in the prayer in such a case? If it is necessary for the imam to stand outside the doorway, what is its measure? A certain person, citing Fatawa Rashidiyya, said that if the doorway is one and a half gaz (a unit of length, about a yard, ≈ 0.9 m) wide or more, then no defect has occurred in the prayer.

Answer

In Fatawa Rashidiyya (Karachi edition, p. 281) the following text appears: “The outer arches also have the ruling of the mihrab: for the imam to stand in them is likewise makruh.”

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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