Delaying the Salaah so that the Rows may be Straightened

Q: Salaah- 604: How much time can be taken between the time that the Khutbah ends to the time that the Jumu'ah salaah starts? There are many Musallis in our Masjid and since the Masjid is not large enough for all of them, much time is taken to straighten the rows. Should the lqaamah be commenced immediately after the Khutbah or can the salaah be delayed to straighten the rows?

Answer: The Musallis should sit facing the Qibla as soon as they enter the Masjid so that the rows may be straightened without delay. Majaalisul Abraar (Pg.296) states that although it is Mustahab to face the Imaam when he is delivering the Khutbah, people now face the Qibla because of the difficulty in straightening the rows afterwards due to the large crowds.

After the Khutbah ends, the lqaamah should be called out immediately and delaying it is Makrooh. Imaam Shaami RAH. Yet explains that the end of the Khutbah should be linked to the beginning of the Iqaamah and the lqaamah should end when the Imaam reached the place where he performs the salaah.

However, if the rows have not been straightened after the Iqaamah has ended, the salaah may be delayed until the rows are in order. A narration of Tirmidhi states that Hadhrat Umar RADI. used to appoint someone to straighten the rows and would call out the Takbeer Tahreema only once the person informed him that the rows were straight. During their reigns as Khalifah. Hadhrat Uthmaan RADI. and Hadhrat Ali RADI. would also pay attention to this and always reminded the people to straighten their rows.

Another narration states that it seldom occurred that Hadhrat Uthmaan RADI. did not mention in his Khutbah, "When the Imaam stands up to deliver the Khutbah on the day of Jumu'ah, then be silent and listen attentively because the one who remains silent even though he cannot hear anything will receive the same rewards as the one who is silent and listening. Then when the lqaamah is called out, straighten your rows and keep your shoulders together because straightening the rows lends to the perfection of the salaah." Hadhrat Uthmaan RADI. would then not start the salaah until the people he had appointed to straighten the rows reported to him that they had been straightened. Only then did he call out the Takbeer Tahreema.' And Allaah knows best what is most correct.

Fatawa Rahimiyyah vol.2