Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (23/409)

He was asked—may Allah have mercy on him:

An imam leads a congregation, with some people behind him and others ahead of him. Is the prayer of those ahead of the imam valid or not?

He answered:

Praise be to Allah. The prayer of those behind the imam is undoubtedly valid. As for those ahead of him, the scholars hold three views: that their prayer is valid; that it is invalid; and that it is valid if they cannot pray with him except with difficulty. This last view is the strongest. And Allah knows best.

He was asked:

Regarding market traders’ shops adjoining the congregational mosque: if the rows extend to them ن, is it permissible for them to perform the Friday prayer in their shops?

He answered:

For the Friday prayer and other prayers, people must complete the first row, then each successive row, as reported in the two Sahīh collections from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who said:

“

وَسُئِلَ - رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ -: عَنْ إمَامٍ يُصَلِّي خَلْفَهُ جَمَاعَةٌ وَقُدَّامَهُ جَمَاعَةٌ. فَهَلْ تَصِحُّ صَلَاةُ الْمُتَقَدِّمِينَ عَلَى الْإِمَامِ؟ أَمْ لَا؟ . فَأَجَابَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، أَمَّا الَّذِينَ خَلْفَ الْإِمَامِ فَصَلَاتُهُمْ صَحِيحَةٌ بِلَا رَيْبٍ. وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ قُدَّامَهُ فَلِلْعُلَمَاءِ فِيهِمْ ثَلَاثَةُ أَقْوَالٍ. قِيلَ: تَصِحُّ. وَقِيلَ: لَا تَصِحُّ. وَقِيلَ: تَصِحُّ إذَا لَمْ يُمْكِنْهُمْ الصَّلَاةُ مَعَهُ إلَّا تَكَلُّفًا وَهَذَا أَوْلَى الْأَقْوَالِ وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَسُئِلَ: عَنْ الْحَوَانِيتِ الْمُجَاوِرَةِ لِلْجَامِعِ مِنْ أَرْبَابِ الْأَسْوَاقِ، إذَا اتَّصَلَتْ بِهِمْ الصُّفُوفُ ن فَهَلْ تَجُوزُ صَلَاةُ الْجُمُعَةِ فِي حَوَانِيتِهِمْ؟ . فَأَجَابَ: أَمَّا صَلَاةُ الْجُمُعَةِ وَغَيْرِهَا فَعَلَى النَّاسِ أَنْ يَسُدُّوا الْأَوَّلَ فَالْأَوَّلَ كَمَا فِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: {