Question:
When three people are praying in congregation, how should the rows be arranged? If a third person arrives late, should he go to the front or behind? Is it the imam’s responsibility to adjust the rows, or is it the responsibility of the followers?
Answer:
The hadith teach that the rows should be straightened and arranged properly. The command is given to the congregation: “Straighten your rows” (Bukhari 717, 718). It is the responsibility of the followers, not solely the imam, to ensure the rows are correct.
The ruling for that is well-known; no need to elaborate. Then another person comes and joins him in congregation, coming close to him to pray. What happens? The person who came, where does he stand? He stands on the right side of the Imam. Does he stand? Okay, there’s no issue with two people; they stand side by side. Then a third person comes.
What is the ruling then? The first two people are behind the Imam. When the third comes, they should be in one row? Actually, the Imam is in one row, the two should be in a row behind? No, that’s not correct. When there is one person, they stand like this. When there are two, they stand like this. When a third person comes, these two should move back? A row formation needs to be established: one row in front and one behind. This is the ruling when a third person comes.
A person comes late, the third one joins. When the third joins, do the ones behind move further back, or do they move forward in front of the Imam? There was a decision that they should stand for two or two and a half years? Who implements this decision? Does the Imam push them back? Or do those behind move forward themselves? Or does the Imam grab and push them forward? Or does he give a signal, tap some times, indicating “I have come, you go forward”? That is the question he is asking.
So, what should the Imam do? He is in the TNTJ (Tamil Nadu Jamath) in Ooty, what did they say? They said the Imam must push the person behind forward. The Imam should push the person behind? Moving forward is not something the Imam does. That’s what they say. He is asking what the ruling on this is.
First thing, regarding how the rows should be arranged, there is a ruling in Islamic law. What is the ruling? If there is one person, they can stand however? No, they stand to the right. For two people, they stand like this (side by side). For three people, it should change to one and two (one row of two and one row of one). The ruling up to that point is okay.
Now, regarding implementing this ruling, what did Prophetﷺ do? He was praying in a house. Ibn Abbas (RA) was there. He joined Prophetﷺ in prayer. What happened? He went and stood on the left side of Prophetﷺ. One person stood. What did he do? He went and stood on the left side of Prophetﷺ. Then Prophetﷺ made him stand on the right side. This indicates that if one person comes, they should stand on the right side of the Imam.
They made him stand on the right. Using this hadith, some argue that the Imam decides. If a person stands on the left, the Imam corrects them and makes them stand on the right. However, in this narration, the person initially stood on the left, not the right. If we assume he stood on the right from the start, then whose authority was it? They did it themselves. What is the command of the Messengerﷺ? “Straighten your rows.” The responsibility of straightening the rows lies with the people in the congregation, not just the Imam.
The command “straighten your rows” is directed at the congregation. The Prophetﷺ would sometimes straighten the rows himself, but the primary responsibility to straighten the rows is not solely the Imam’s. The command “you (the congregation) straighten your rows” is given to us.
So, when I come as the third person, I must know the ruling. For three people, the row formation should be: one row of two? Actually, one person should go forward (to the Imam’s row), and two should stand behind. That is the ruling I have understood.
Now, I must straighten this row. The people behind are the ones who must do it. Now that I have come, what should I do? I and the person who was there would end up standing behind (the Imam would be in front, and the two of us behind).
Who has the duty to straighten the row? The command “you straighten your rows” is directed at the congregation. This is in Bukhari, Hadith 717. Similarly, the command is not “I will straighten them” said by the Prophet, but the instruction to the people: the ruling for the rows has been given to you, so straighten them yourselves. This is in Bukhari, Hadith 718.
Based on this, if a third person comes when two people are already praying, what is the duty of the person who was already there (the second) and the newcomer? It is our duty to straighten the row we are in. So, the person standing next to the Imam should gently pull the other and they should both step back to form the second row.
The congregation must correct it themselves. The Imam might be saying something, but the responsibility of those who follow is to straighten the row. How do we do that? We should not stand attached (in the same row as the Imam when we are three). If one person is attached to the Imam, and another comes, both should step back together.
Both stepping back is the act of straightening the row. The authority to correct the row is given to the followers, the people in the congregation. Based on this, what should the person behind do? They should gently pull. The other person will understand. If someone was standing in the first row, and you nudge them slightly or pull their hand, what will they do? They will realize that the row needs to be corrected and step back. This is the duty.
Sometimes, there might be obstacles. The Imam himself might be standing close to a wall. Suppose the Imam is standing, and two people are standing attached to him. What happens? The person behind might not be able to step back because of lack of space. There might be space directly in front. In that case, should the person move forward? No, the row must be corrected.
The responsibility to correct the row lies with the followers. When correcting, if there isn’t enough space for the two to step back and pray, and the Imam is standing close to the wall, and there is no space behind to form another row, then what should the two do? They must move the person forward. If there is space in front, and the Imam pushes them forward, then that person moves ahead.
This is also a form of correcting the row. So, the duty to correct the row lies with the followers. The order is given to them: “You straighten your rows.” They will do it in a way that suits the circumstances. Both stepping back is one form of correction. If there is no space to step back, and the Imam moves forward, that is also correction.
Everyone in the congregation collectively decides what is appropriate to correct the row. The command is to correct the row collectively. How do the followers do it? They look at where the gap is, those nearby think and decide what to do, and they act collectively. If some people are standing apart, some may move to close the gap. Those behind can do it. Then they should correct it.
So, in this scenario, if a third person comes, it is their duty, along with the second person. What is the duty? To correct the row we are in. How do we correct it? There are two ways to correct it correctly: One way is to move the Imam (if space allows), and the other is to step behind the Imam. Both are valid methods of correction. We must see which is possible. If both are possible, either can be done. Which one should be the decision?
The correct answer is that the followers have the authority.