a disbeliever, then the apparent meaning of the author’s words is that his prayer is invalid. This, however, is open to question. Rather, the correct view is that if a disbeliever stands beside him and he does not know of his disbelief, then his prayer is valid. But if he knows of his disbelief, the madhhab holds that his prayer is invalid, because he is praying alone. According to the view we have deemed preponderant, however, we say: if the row is complete, his prayer is valid, because the prayer of one who stands alone behind a complete row is valid. (2) But if the row is not complete and he knows of his disbelief, then his prayer is invalid.

“Or a woman; or one whose state of ritual impurity is known to one of them, ...”

His statement, “or a woman,” means: if no one stands with him except a woman, then he is praying alone, because a woman is not eligible to stand in a row alongside men. If a woman stands with two men, is their prayer, as well as hers, valid?

The answer is: yes, the prayer is valid—especially in cases of necessity, as occurs during the Hajj seasons in the Sacred Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque. Yet in this situation, if you sense anything arising from the woman’s closeness to you, you must move away. Some people cannot bear for a woman who is not one of their unmarriageable relatives to stand beside them, particularly if she is young or wears an alluring fragrance; they may then be unable to concentrate in prayer. In such a case, he must leave and seek another place, out of fear of temptation.

Issue: If the woman is in front of the man—for example, a row of men stands behind a row of women—the prayer is valid. This is why the jurists said: “A complete row of women does not prevent the men behind them from following the imam.”

His statement, “or one whose state of ritual impurity is known to one of them,” means: the one standing and the one beside whom he stands