684. Where Should One Stand If Only Two Men Are Praying In Jama’ah?

By Asma bint Shameem 

If there’s only two men in a Jama’ah, the Imaam and the other person should stand *RIGHT NEXT to each other*, foot to foot, shoulder to shoulder, with the second person standing to the right of the Imaam, aligned in the *SAME* line; not ahead nor behind him. 

The same applies if two women are praying. 

Proof:

Ibn Abbaas radhi Allaahu anhu said:

“I stayed overnight in the house of my maternal aunt Maymoonah, and the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam prayed Ishaa, then he came and prayed four rakahs, then he slept, then he got up and I came and stood on his left, but he put me on his right and prayed five rakahs, then two rakahs, then he fell asleep and I heard his snoring. Then he went out for the prayer.” 

(al-Bukhaari) 

This is further clarified by the following hadeeth:

Ibn Abbaas radhi Allaahu anhu said: 

“I came to the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam at the end of the night and prayed behind him. 

He pulled me until I was *in line with him*, and when the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam 

turned back to his prayer, I went back to my original position behind him. 

The Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam 

prayed, and when he had finished his prayer he said to me, 

“What is going on? 

*I made you stand in line with me and you moved back*”.

I said, 

“O Messenger of Allaah, is it right for anyone to pray alongside you when you are the Messenger of Allaah whom Allaah has blessed?”

(Ahmad, 1/330 ;saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 6060)

Nothing could be clearer than this hadeeth. 

Ibn Abbaas radhi Allaahu anhu 

clearly states that the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam  made him stand *right NEXT to him*, not half a foot behind him or ahead of him. 

And when Ibn Abbaas moved back out of respect for the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam , the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam  pulled him back to where he was, yet once AGAIN right NEXT to him. 

And when the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam  finished his prayer, he admonished Ibn Abbaas radhi Allaahu anhu for stepping back and not standing next to him.  

Shaikh al-Albaani said: 

“From this hadeeth we may understand that the Sunnah is when one man is praying alone following the Imaam, he should stand *alongside him on his right, not in front of him or behind him*.

(Manaar al-Sabeel, 1/128)

Abd-Allaah ibn Utbah ibn Masood said: 

“I entered upon Umar ibn al-Khattaab at midday and found him saying Tasbeeh (in the prayer). I stood behind him and he made me come closer until I was standing in line with him on his right.”

(Al-Muwatta)

And Allaah knows best