- Does straightening the rows entail that the men should stand forward and the boys stand behind?
Some scholars (1) have said: This is part of straightening and perfecting the rows: the adult men should be the ones nearest to the imam, while the boys should be at the back. Thus, if we have one hundred men who would fill one row, and one hundred boys who would fill half a row, we place the one hundred men in the first row and the one hundred boys in the second row. Even if a boy came forward into the first row, we would move him back, because a properly ordered row requires that the adult men be placed in front.
They cite as evidence the Prophet’s saying, peace and blessings be upon him: “Let those among you who are mature and discerning stand nearest to me.” (2)
However, this view is open to question. Rather, we say: if boys arrive first at a place, they have more right to it than anyone else, in light of the general proofs that whoever reaches something before anyone else has the greater right to it. Mosques are the houses of Allah, in which the servants of Allah are equal. Thus, if a boy comes forward to the first row, for example, and sits down, let him remain in his place.
Moreover, were we to say that boys should be moved away from the more virtuous place and gathered together in one place, this would lead to their playing, because they would occupy a row by themselves. There is also a further problem: if men enter after the congregation has formed its rows, are the boys to be moved back while they are in prayer? And if they remain as a complete row, they will distract the men behind them.
Furthermore, moving them back from the first row after they had been in it leads to two harmful consequences: