Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (3/11)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

to align the shoulders and ankles in the case of a person with a hunched back. Rather, the ankles are taken into consideration, because they are on the vertical support upon which the body rests. The ankle is at the bottom of the shin, and the shin is the body’s supporting column; therefore, this is the point of reference. The ends of the feet, however, are not taken into account, because they vary: some people have long feet, while others have short feet. Hence, the ankle is the point of reference.

Moreover, the straightening of the row for which a warning has been issued against neglecting it is alignment. There is no difference whether the row is behind the imam or alongside him. Accordingly, if an imam and a follower stand together, the imam should stand in line with the follower and should not stand ahead of him, contrary to the view of those scholars who said that the imam should stand slightly ahead of the follower in order to distinguish the imam from the follower.

It is said in response: this is contrary to the apparent meaning of the text. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) related that the Prophet ﷺ took him by the head from behind and placed him on his right. It was not reported that he moved him slightly back. (1) Furthermore, the imam and the follower are regarded as a row; and if they are regarded as a row, then what is prescribed is that the row be straightened.

There is another sense of straightening, namely perfection—that is, being even in the sense of being complete—as Allah Almighty says: “And when he reached his full strength and maturity” [al-Qasas 28:14], meaning, he became complete. Thus, if we understand the straightness of the row as its completeness, it is not confined to alignment; rather, it encompasses several matters:

(1) Reported by al-Bukhari, Book of the Adhan, chapter: If a man stands to the left of the imam and the imam moves him to his right, their prayer is not invalidated, no. 698; and Muslim, Book of the Prayer of Travelers, chapter: The Prophet's prayer and supplication at night, no. 673 (181).

أن تتساوى المناكبُ والأكعُب مع الحَدَب، وإنما اعتُبرت الأكعب؛ لأنها في العمود الذي يَعتمد عليه البدنُ، فإن الكعب في أسفل السَّاق، والسَّاقُ هو عمودُ البَدَن، فكان هذا هو المُعتبر. وأما أطراف الأرجُل فليست بمعتبرة؛ وذلك لأن أطراف الأرجُلِ تختلف، فبعض الناس تكون رِجْلُه طويلة، وبعضهم قصيرة، فلهذا كان المعتبر الكعب. ثم إن تسوية الصَّفِّ المتوعَّد على مخالفتها هي تسويته بالمحاذاة، ولا فَرْقَ بين أن يكون الصَّفُّ خلف الإِمام أو مع الإِمام، وعلى هذا؛ فإذا وقف إمامٌ ومأموم فإنه يكون محاذياً للمأموم، ولا يتقدَّم عليه خلافاً لمن قال من أهل العلم: إنه ينبغي تقدُّم الإِمام على المأموم يسيراً؛ ليتميَّز الإِمامُ عن المأموم. فيقال: إنَّ هذا خِلافُ ظاهرِ النَّصِّ، فابن عباس ﵄ أخَذَ النبيُّ ﷺ برأسه مِن ورائِه، وجعله عن يمينه. ولم يُنقل أنه أخَّره قليلاً (١)، ثم إن الإِمامَ والمأموم يُعتبران صفًّا، فإذا اعتبرناهما صفًّا كان المشروعُ تسويةَ الصَّفِّ. وهناك تسوية أخرى بمعنى الكمال؛ يعني: الاستواء بمعنى الكمال كما قال الله تعالى: ﴿وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَاسْتَوَى﴾ [القصص: ١٤] أي: كَمُلَ، فإذا قلنا: استواءُ الصَّفِّ بمعنى كماله؛ لم يكن ذلك مقتصراً على تسوية المحاذاة، بل يشمَل عِدَّة أشياء:

(١) أخرجه البخاري، كتاب الأذان، باب إذا قام الرجل عن يسار الإمام فحوله الإمام إلى يمينه لم تفسد صلاتهما (٦٩٨)؛ ومسلم، كتاب صلاة المسافرين، باب صلاة النبي ﷺ ودعائه بالليل (٦٧٣) (١٨١).