A Mu'adhin who Insists on Spreading his Own Musalla

Q: Salaah-636: Our Mu'adhin has injured his foot and is unable to place his right foot down in Qa'dah. He has to sit in a manner that occupies extra space and inconveniences the other Musallis. He now spreads out a Musalla for himself so that no one occupies the space beside him. This however causes a gap to be created in the centre of the row. What is the ruling?

Answer: The Ahadeeth greatly emphasise the importance of keeping the row in order. Rasulullaah SAW. said. "straighten your rows, stand close together and shoulder-to-shoulder because I swear by the Being Who controls my life that I can see Shaytaan creep between the gaps just as a kid would.

Hadhrat Abu Mas'ood Ansaari RADI. reports that Rasulullaah SAW. used to place his hand on their shoulders at the time of salaah and say, "Straighten your rows, otherwise there will be discord between you. A narrator of the Hadith remarks that it is because of this that the Muslims are fighting amongst themselves.
Hadhrat Nu'maan bin Basheer RADI. says that Rasulullaah SAW. would personally straighten the rows. It once occurred that he was about to call out the Takbeer Tahreema when he noticed someone's chest sticking out from the row. Rasulullaah SAW. then remarked, "You will have to straighten your rows, otherwise Allaah will certainly allow discord to prevail between you."'

Hadhrat Anas RADI. reports that Rasulullaah SAW. said, "straighten your rows because straightening of the rows forms part of the establishment of salaah.
Besides these. there are numerous other Ahadeeth emphasising that rows be made very straight and that gaps are not left between the rows. If the Mu'adhin really cannot sit in the Masnoon manner and creates a gap in the manner he sits, he should rather sit at the end of the row or in the last row. He will still, Inshaa Allaah, receive the rewards of salaah in the first row. Shaami (Vol.1 Pg. 532) states that when one fears inconveniencing others, it will be best to stand in the last row because Rasulullaah SAW. said. "The person who forsakes the first row for fear of inconveniencing another Muslim will receive double the reward of being in the first row." This is the opinion of troth Imaam Abu Haneefah RAH. and Imaam Muhammad RAH.

The Mti'adhin may permit someone else to call out the Iqaamah or do so from wherever he is standing. In fact, the Imaam may also call out the Iqaamah and then proceed to his Musalla. It will be Makrooh for the Mu'adhin to spread out his Musalla becauae of the gap it creates thus it will prevent people from practising on the Ahadeeth. And Allaah knows best what is most correct.

Fatawa Rahimiyyah vol.2