574. When Praying Behind An Imaam, From Where Should The Row Start?

By Asma bint Shameem 

QUESTION

*When praying behind an Imaam, from where should the row start?*

*From right BEHIND the Imaam or from the RIGHT side?*

ANSWER

You should start the row from right *BEHIND* the Imaam. 

And then as more people come, they should stand to the right and the left, trying to balance out the distribution of the people. 

And if the row is pretty much balanced out, with people on both the right and left sides of the row, behind the Imaam, then the right side is preferred. 

Imaam an-Nawawi said:

“It is recommended for the Imaam to stand in the middle and for them to spread to either side.”

 Al-Manaawi said:

“...put him (i. e. Imaam) in the middle of the row so that everyone on his right and left can have a share of hearing him and being close to him.”  (Fayd al-Qadeer)

But I heard that the row should start from the right side!

Yes it’s true that it’s the right side of the row is preferred. But this depends on the situation. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen explains this beautifully. 

He said:

“Straightening the rows also means preferring the right side to the left, but that is not to be taken in ABSOLUTE terms..., because if it were in absolute terms...the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam would have said, “Complete the rows from the right hand side” but he said: “Complete the first row, then the next.” 

If the right and the left are more or less equal, then the right side is given preference, such as if there are five on the left and five on the right, and an eleventh man comes, we would tell him to go to the RIGHT, because the right is BETTER than the left when both are equal or almost equal, and there is no obvious difference between the right and the left of the row. 

But if one side is further away, then there is no doubt that joining the left, if it is closer, is BETTER than joining the right, if it is far away. 

This is indicated by the fact that if there is a group of three, it is prescribed for the imam to stand between the other two. 

This indicates that the right is NOT better in ABSOLUTE terms, because if it were better in absolute terms, it would be better for BOTH people to be to the right of the Imaam. 

But it is prescribed for one to be on the RIGHT of the Imaam and one on his LEFT, so that the Imaam will be in the MIDDLE and there will be no imbalance between the two sides.”  [al-Sharh al-Mumti’ (3/10)]

What about women praying with the Imaam?

When a sister is starting a row, she should align herself with the Imaam in such a way that she’s standing right behind the Imaam even if she’s all the way back in the women’s section. 

Then as more sisters join her, they should stand to the right and left of her. And extend on each side this way. 

Conclusion

So when you’re starting a new row behind the Imaam, stand right “*behind*” him. 

Then the next person should join you on the right. 

And the next should join on your left. 

And so on. 

Try to follow these GENERAL guidelines. 

This way the row would be considered balanced out on both sides, even if there are slightly more people to the right. 

And Allaah knows best