Performing Salaah in front of the Mehraab

Question:-

Is it permissible for the Imaam to be outside the Masjid boundary and the Musallees within the boundary?

The reason being because the masjid is too small to accommodate everyone for Jumuah Salaah.

Keeping the above in mind, the only solution to make more space available, is that the Imam and first two Saffs move ahead. This would mean that they move pass the Mehraab and as a result, stand outside the Masjid.

So, the Imaam and the first two Saffs will be outside, then the Masjid wall and the third Saff will commence in the Masjid (where the first Saff normally begins).

I hope the above is clear.

This is only for Jumuah Salaah.  N.B. There is no space for Musallees to move further back and the Masjid is filled to capacity.

Answer:-

It is recorded in the Kitaabs of Fiqh that it is Sunnah for the Imaam to stand in line with the Mehraab and moving away from the Mehraab without a valid reason is Makrooh. Secondly, performing Salaah in the actual Masjid is from amongst the Sunnan-e-Huda. Yes, we do understand that with the large number of people attending the Jumuah Salaah, there is a shortage of space, and the only solution is by moving the Imaam forward, out of the boundaries of the Masjid (together with two rows of Musallis). However, this will be carried out at the expense of omitting the Sunnah of standing in the actual Masjid and being directly in line with the Mehraab, hence, we have our reservations in the matter.

 

The trustees should therefore consider extending the Masjid by building a second floor to accommodate the extra Musallis, if there isn’t any room for extension at the rear of the Masjid. In the meantime, carpets or grass mats may be laid out on the outside, either on the eastern and western side of the Masjid, if this is an option. Alternately, if there are Madrasah classrooms attached to the Masjid or independently built, and the gap between the Masjid building and the classrooms is not more than the length of two to three Musallahs, then the overflow may follow the Imaam from the Madrasah building. These are some of the ways of overcoming the issue in the interim until the matter is resolved.

 

If all the Musallahs and Masaajid in the area are filled to capacity for the Jumuah Salaah (and there is absolutely no room to accommodate the huge crowds), then on the basis of such a necessity, having two Jamaats for Jumuah may be considered. However, if space is available at other Masajid, then Musallis should be directed to such venues.

 

وَيَنْبَغِي لِلْإِمَامِ أَنْ يَقِفَ بِإِزَاءِ الْوَسَطِ فَإِنْ وَقَفَ فِي مَيْمَنَةِ الْوَسَطِ أَوْ فِي مَيْسَرَتِهِ فَقَدْ أَسَاءَ لِمُخَالَفَةِ السُّنَّةِ. هَكَذَا فِي التَّبْيِينِ (الفتاوي الهندية ص89 ج1)

 

السُّنَّةُ أَنْ يَقُومَ الْإِمَامُ إزَاءَ وَسَطِ الصَّفِّ، أَلَا تَرَى أَنَّ الْمَحَارِيبَ مَا نُصِبَتْ إلَّا وَسَطَ الْمَسَاجِدِ وَهِيَ قَدْ عُيِّنَتْ لِمَقَامِ الْإِمَامِ اهـ. (رد المحتار 568 ج1)

 

إِنْ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَّمَنَا سُنَنَ الْهُدَى، وَإِنَّ مِنْ سُنَنَ الْهُدَى الصَّلَاةَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الَّذِي يُؤَذَّنُ فِيهِ (مسلم ص232 ج1)

 

وَيَجُوزُ اقْتِدَاءُ جَارِ الْمَسْجِدِ بِإِمَامِ الْمَسْجِدِ وَهُوَ فِي بَيْتِهِ إذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْمَسْجِدِ طَرِيقٌ عَامٌّ (الفتاوي الهندية ص46 ج1)

 

اگر دو تین صف کا فاصلہ درمیان میں خالی نہیں تو نماز ہوگئی (فتاوی محموودیہ ص۴۶ ج۱)

 

ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai

Date: 23 Muharram 1444 / 22 August 2022