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He was also asked:
When worshippers do not straighten their rows, but each person prays on his own, is it permissible for them to pray like this in the marketplaces?
He replied:
No one may pray alone behind the row; rather, people must pray in rows. It is reported in the Sunan collections that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
“The prayer of one who stands alone behind the row is not valid.”
Their prayer in the marketplace is not valid unless the rows are connected. Rather, they must keep the rows close together and fill the first row, then the next. And Allah knows best.
وَسُئِلَ
عَنْ الْمُصَلِّينَ إذَا لَمْ يُسَوُّوا صُفُوفَهُمْ بَلْ كُلُّ إنْسَانٍ يُصَلِّي مُنْفَرِدًا وَهَلْ تَجُوزُ صَلَاتُهُمْ هَكَذَا فِي الْأَسْوَاقِ " أَمْ لَا؟ .
فَأَجَابَ:
لَيْسَ لِأَحَدِ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ مُنْفَرِدًا خَلْفَ الصَّفِّ؛ بَلْ عَلَى النَّاسِ أَنْ يُصَلُّوا مُصْطَفِّينَ.
وَفِي السُّنَنِ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ:
{لَا صَلَاةَ لِفَذِّ خَلْفَ الصَّفِّ}
وَلَا يَصِحُّ لَهُمْ أَنْ يُصَلُّوا فِي السُّوقِ حَتَّى تَتَّصِلَ الصُّفُوفُ؛ بَلْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يُقَارِبُوا الصُّفُوفَ وَيَسُدُّوا الْأَوَّلَ فَالْأَوَّلَ وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.