Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh

وَ رَوَى اَلْحَلَبِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «لاَ أَرَى بِالصُّفُوفِ بَيْنَ اَلْأَسَاطِينِ بَأْساً.

Al-Halabi narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) that He said: "I see no harm in rows (of prayer) being between the columns (pillars)."

وَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «أَتِمُّوا صُفُوفَكُمْ إِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ خَلَلاً وَ لاَ يَضُرُّكَ أَنْ تَتَأَخَّرَ وَرَاءَكَ إِذَا وَجَدْتَ ضِيقاً فِي اَلصَّفِّ اَلْأَوَّلِ إِلَى اَلصَّفِّ اَلَّذِي خَلْفَكَ وَ تَمْشِيَ مُنْحَرِفاً.

Imam (a.s) said: "Complete your rows when you see a gap, and it does not harm you to move back if you find tightness in the first row to the row behind you, walking at an angle."

وَ رَوَى زُرَارَةُ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «يَنْبَغِي لِلصُّفُوفِ أَنْ تَكُونَ تَامَّةً مُتَوَاصِلَةً بَعْضُهَا إِلَى بَعْضٍ وَ لاَ يَكُونَ بَيْنَ اَلصَّفَّيْنِ مَا لاَ يُتَخَطَّى يَكُونُ قَدْرُ ذَلِكَ مَسْقَطَ جَسَدِ إِنْسَانٍ إِذَا سَجَدَ.

Zurarah narrated from Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s) that He said: "The rows (in prayer) should be complete and continuous, one row connected to another, and there should not be a gap between the rows that cannot be crossed, such that it should only be the space of a human body when in prostration”.

وَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِنْ صَلَّى قَوْمٌ بَيْنَهُمْ وَ بَيْنَ اَلْإِمَامِ مَا لاَ يُتَخَطَّى فَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ اَلْإِمَامُ لَهُمْ بِإِمَامٍ وَ أَيُّ صَفٍّ كَانَ أَهْلُهُ يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلاَةِ إِمَامٍ وَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَ بَيْنَ اَلصَّفِّ اَلَّذِي يَتَقَدَّمُهُمْ مَا لاَ يُتَخَطَّى فَلَيْسَ تِلْكَ لَهُمْ بِصَلاَةٍ وَ إِنْ كَانَ سِتْراً أَوْ جِدَاراً فَلَيْسَ تِلْكَ لَهُمْ بِصَلاَةٍ إِلاَّ مَنْ كَانَ حِيَالَ اَلْبَابِ» قَالَ وَقَالَ «هَذِهِ اَلْمَقَاصِيرُ إِنَّمَا أَحْدَثَهَا اَلْجَبَّارُونَ وَ لَيْسَ لِمَنْ صَلَّى خَلْفَهَا مُقْتَدِياً بِصَلاَةِ مَنْ فِيهَا صَلاَةٌ» قَالَ وَقَالَ «أَيُّمَا اِمْرَأَةٍ صَلَّتْ خَلْفَ إِمَامٍ وَ بَيْنَهَا وَ بَيْنَهُ مَا لاَ يُتَخَطَّى فَلَيْسَ لَهَا تِلْكَ بِصَلاَةٍ» قَالَ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ جَاءَ إِنْسَانٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ وَ هِيَ إِلَى جَانِبِ اَلرَّجُلِ قَالَ «يَدْخُلُ بَيْنَهَا وَ بَيْنَ اَلرَّجُلِ وَ تَنْحَدِرُ هِيَ شَيْئاً.

Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s) said: "If a group prays with a gap between themselves and the Imam that cannot be crossed, then that Imam is not considered an Imam for them. Any row whose members are praying following the prayer of an Imam but are separated from the row before them by a gap that cannot be crossed, that is not a valid prayer for them. If there is a barrier or a wall, their prayer is also invalid unless one is directly aligned with the door." Imam (a.s) also said: "These enclosures (maqasir) were introduced by tyrants, and there is no valid prayer for anyone who prays behind them, following the prayer of those within." Furthermore, Imam (a.s) said: "Any woman who prays behind an Imam but with a gap between her and him that cannot be crossed, her prayer is invalid." I (the narrator) asked: "If a person comes and wishes to pray, what should they do if She is beside the man?" Imam (a.s) replied: "He should enter between her and the man, and She should move slightly."

وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: «أَقَلُّ مَا يَكُونُ بَيْنَكَ وَ بَيْنَ اَلْقِبْلَةِ مَرْبِضُ عَنْزٍ وَ أَكْثَرُ مَا يَكُونُ مَرْبِطُ فَرَسٍ.

In the narration of Abdullah ibn Sinan from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) said: "The minimum distance that should be between you and the Qibla is the space of a goat's resting place, and the maximum distance is the tethering place of a horse."

وَقَالَ عَمَّارُ بْنُ مُوسَى: سُئِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنِ اَلْإِمَامِ يُصَلِّي وَ خَلْفَهُ قَوْمٌ أَسْفَلُ مِنَ اَلْمَوْضِعِ اَلَّذِي يُصَلِّي فِيهِ قَالَ «إِنْ كَانَ اَلْإِمَامُ عَلَى شِبْهِ اَلدُّكَّانِ أَوْ عَلَى أَرْفَعَ مِنْ مَوْضِعِهِمْ لَمْ تَجُزْ صَلاَتُهُمْ وَ إِنْ كَانَ أَرْفَعَ مِنْهُمْ بِإِصْبَعٍ أَوْ أَكْثَرَ أَوْ أَقَلَّ إِذَا كَانَ اَلاِرْتِفَاعُ بِقَطْعِ سَيْلٍ وَ إِنْ كَانَتِ اَلْأَرْضُ مَبْسُوطَةً وَ كَانَ فِي مَوْضِعٍ مِنْهَا اِرْتِفَاعٌ فَقَامَ اَلْإِمَامُ فِي اَلْمَوْضِعِ اَلْمُرْتَفِعِ وَ قَامَ مَنْ خَلْفَهُ أَسْفَلَ مِنْهُ وَ اَلْأَرْضُ مَبْسُوطَةٌ إِلاَّ أَنَّهَا فِي مَوْضِعٍ مُنْحَدِرٍ فَلاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ» وَ سُئِلَ فَإِنْ قَامَ اَلْإِمَامُ أَسْفَلَ مِنْ مَوْضِعِ مَنْ يُصَلِّي خَلْفَهُ قَالَ «لاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ» وَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ «إِنْ كَانَ اَلرَّجُلُ فَوْقَ بَيْتٍ أَوْ غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ دُكَّاناً كَانَ أَوْ غَيْرَهُ وَ كَانَ اَلْإِمَامُ يُصَلِّي عَلَى اَلْأَرْضِ وَ اَلْإِمَامُ أَسْفَلَ مِنْهُ كَانَ لِلرَّجُلِ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ خَلْفَهُ وَ يَقْتَدِيَ بِصَلاَتِهِ وَ إِنْ كَانَ أَرْفَعَ مِنْهُ بِشَيْءٍ كَثِيرٍ.

Ammar ibn Musa narrated that Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) was asked about an Imam praying while behind him are people at a lower level than where he is praying. Imam (a.s) said: "If the Imam is on something like a platform or at a significantly higher level than their position, their prayer is invalid. However, if he is elevated by a finger's width or slightly more or less, due to a natural rise, or if the land is even but has a raised spot where the Imam stands while those behind him are at a lower level and the land itself is generally flat but sloped in places, then there is no issue." He was asked about an Imam standing lower than those behind him Imam (a.s) said: "There is no issue." Imam (a.s) further said: "If a person is above, on a roof or a platform or any other elevated place while the Imam prays on the ground below, it is permissible for the person to pray behind the Imam and follow his prayer even if the person is significantly higher."

وَ سَأَلَ مُوسَى بْنُ بَكْرٍ أَبَا اَلْحَسَنِ مُوسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنِ اَلرَّجُلِ يَقُومُ فِي اَلصَّفِّ وَحْدَهُ قَالَ «لاَ بَأْسَ إِنَّمَا يَبْدُو اَلصَّفُّ وَاحِداً بَعْدَ وَاحِدٍ.

Musa ibn Bakr asked Abu Al-Hasan Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim (a.s) about a man who stands alone in a row during prayer. Imam (a.s) said: "There is no problem ; indeed, the row is formed one person at a time."

وَ رُوِيَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَلرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ: «إِذَا دَخَلْتَ اَلْمَسْجِدَ وَ اَلْإِمَامُ رَاكِعٌ وَ ظَنَنْتَ أَنَّكَ إِنْ مَشَيْتَ إِلَيْهِ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَكَبِّرْ وَ اِرْكَعْ فَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَاسْجُدْ مَكَانَكَ فَإِذَا قَامَ فَالْحَقْ بِالصَّفِّ وَ إِنْ جَلَسَ فَاجْلِسْ مَكَانَكَ فَإِذَا قَامَ فَالْحَقْ بِالصَّفِّ.

It was narrated from Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Abdullah that He said: "I heard Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) say: "If you enter the mosque and the Imam is in the bowing position (ruku'), and you think that if you walk towards him, he will raise his head, then pronounce the takbir (opening supplication) and bow. When the Imam raises his head, prostrate in your place. If the Imam then stands, join the row. If he sits, remain seated in your place, and when he stands again, join the row."

وَ رُوِيَ: «أَنَّهُ يَمْشِي فِي اَلصَّلاَةِ يَجُرُّ رِجْلَيْهِ وَ لاَ يَتَخَطَّى.

It is narrated: "He should walk during the prayer by dragging his feet and not stepping over (or taking large steps)."

وَ رَوَى اَلْحَلَبِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «إِذَا أَدْرَكْتَ اَلْإِمَامَ وَ قَدْ رَكَعَ فَكَبَّرْتَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَ اَلْإِمَامُ رَأْسَهُ فَقَدْ أَدْرَكْتَ اَلرَّكْعَةَ وَ إِنْ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَرْكَعَ فَقَدْ فَاتَتْكَ اَلرَّكْعَةُ.

Al-Halabi narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) that He said: "If you reach the Imam while he is in the bowing position (ruku') and you say the takbir (opening supplication) before the Imam raises his head, then you have caught the rak'ah (unit of prayer). However, if he raises his head before you bow, then you have missed that rak'ah."