Refutation of the claim that offering the prayer in the open area was due to the mosque’s limited capacity

Such is what they have asserted, yet the matter is plainly disputable; for had things been as they allege, the Prophet—may peace and blessings be upon him—would not have consistently performed the prayer at the musalla, since he persevered only in what is superior.

To maintain that he did so merely because the mosque was too small is an unfounded claim. Supporting this is the fact that he ﷺ prayed the Friday congregational prayer in the mosque, and people would come to him from the outlying districts of Madinah and elsewhere; he would lead them in Jumu‘ah there. No difference is apparent between the number of Companions who attended Jumu‘ah and those who attended the two ‘Eids, such that one could argue the mosque accommodated the former but not the latter. Whoever contends otherwise bears the burden of proof, and I doubt he could furnish it.

What we have stated is further corroborated by the fact that, had the two ‘Eid prayers been