One Joining a Row, Alone in One Row or Away From the Prayer Leader More Than One Step

“I once saw abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), entering Masjid al-Haram during al-‘Asr Salah (prayer), when he was near the rows, they performed Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees). He (the Imam) performed Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) alone and two Sajdah (prostration). He (the Imam) then stood up and walked until he joined the rows.’”

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), ‘Can a man move backward in Salah (prayer)?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he cannot do so.’ I then asked, ‘Can he move forward?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, as much as he wants to al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah).’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who comes to Salah (prayer) and does not find a place in the rows. Can he stand up alone until Salah (prayer) is complete? He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it is not an offense to stand parallel to the Imam.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘If a people perform Salah (prayer) and there is a space between them and the Imam, which cannot be covered by one step, that Imam is not their Imam. Any row which performs Salah (prayer) following an Imam and the space between this and the row in front is more than can be covered by one step it is not of that (row). If there is a barrier or wall in between, it is not a Salah (prayer) for them unless one is in front of a door.’ He (the narrator) has said that he (the Imam) said, ‘These arches did not exist in the time of anyone. The tyrants have invented them. Salah (prayer) of those who perform behind them, following those who perform inside is not valid Salah (prayer).’ Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘The rows must be complete, connected with each other and there must be a space of one step between two rows. The space must be of the length of human body that falls (when in Sajdah (prostration)).”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When you enter a Masjid and the Imam is in Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) and you think that if you walked all the way to join, he raises his head before you join. Say Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) perform Ruku‘, and if he raised his head, perform Sajdah (prostration) where you are, and if he stood up, join the row, and if he sits down sit down in your place, and when he stands up, join the row.’”

“Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘I do not see any problem in the rows between the pillars.”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who finds the Imam in sitting position saying Tashahhud (testimonies of belief) and there is no one behind him except one man on his right side. He (the Imam) said, ‘He does not go ahead of the Imam or behind the man, but sits down behind the Imam; and when the Imam says Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace), the man stands up and completes his Salah (prayer).”

“I once saw abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), performing Salah (prayer) while standing in a corner of his house near the wall, all others on his right side and no one on his left.”

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about a man who performs Salah (prayer) with a people who are in a place lower than his place in which he performs Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) said, ‘If the Imam is in a place which is higher than their place like a raised place, a platform, their Salah (prayer) is not permissible. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful if he is higher by one shibr (8 inches). Or it is more or less in a gully if the land is stretched, or there is a raised place, the Imam stands on a higher place, those behind him in a lower place and the land is extended, except that they are on a sloping place. 5 He (the narrator) has said that he (the Imam) was asked, ‘What happens if the Imam stands below the place where people behind him stand? 5 He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful. 5 He (the Imam) said, ‘If a man is on the roof or so and the Imam is on a place below, it is permissible for one to perform Salah (prayer) behind him to follow his Salah (prayer) even if it is very high. 5”

Al-Husayn has mentioned that he (the Imam), ’Alayhi al-Salam, commanded a man, who was asking him (the Imam) about a man who was performing Salah (prayer) on the side of a man standing on his left. He did not know (that he is to stand on the right side of the Imam) and then he learned in his Salah (prayer) how he is to do. He (the Imam) commanded to turn him to his right.”