among the scholars. Al-Tirmidhi said: “Some of the people of knowledge regarded forming rows between the pillars as disliked; this was likewise the view of Ahmad and Ishaq, while other scholars permitted it.” End quote.
Al-Nakhaʿi also held it to be disliked. Saʿid ibn Mansur recorded in his Sunan a prohibition of it on the authority of Ibn Masʿud, Ibn ʿAbbas, and Hudhayfah. Ibn Sayyid al-Nas commented: “No Companion is known to have disagreed with them.”
Abu Hanifah, Malik, al-Shafiʿi, and Ibn al-Mundhir, however, allowed it by analogy with the imam and with the solitary worshipper. Ibn al-ʿArabi said: “There is no dispute about its permissibility when space is tight; but when there is ample room it is disliked for the congregation, whereas for an individual there is no objection. The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—prayed inside the Kaʿbah between its pillars.” End quote.
This shows that the hadith of Anas cited in the chapter occurred in a situation of crowding, for he said: “The people pressed us.” One might still say that the necessity mentioned in the report did not reach the level that completely removes liability.
As for the report of (Muʿawiyah ibn) Qurrah, it merely mentions the prohibition of arranging rows between the pillars; it does not say, “We were forbidden to pray between the pillars.” This indicates a distinction between congregational prayer and individual prayer.
Yet the hadith of Anas that al-Hakim related contains an absolute ban on praying between the pillars; therefore, the unrestricted wording must be interpreted in light of the restricted. Supporting this is the fact that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—prayed between two pillars. Accordingly, the prohibition applies only to those following the imam in congregation, not to the imam himself or to someone praying alone, and this is the best explanation.
The earlier attempt to draw an analogy between the followers and the imam or the solitary worshipper is invalid, for it conflicts with the hadiths in this chapter. Thus ends al-Shawkani’s words, in abridged form.
All of this is sound and beyond reproach, except for his statement that “the hadith of Anas in al-Hakim…”