- A lone woman may validly stand as a single row; if there are several women, they must form a proper line.
- It is permissible to perform voluntary prayers in congregation, even though congregation is not legislated for them, provided it is not turned into a continual habit.
- It is lawful to pray with the aim of teaching—or for any other beneficial religious purpose.
- The Prophet’s ﷺ humility and his noble character.
- It is recommended to accept an invitation, especially when one’s presence will heal hearts and put minds at ease; an invitation to a wedding feast, however, is obligatory to accept.
On such occasions one should consider the circumstances and purify one’s intention; by doing so the invitee attains great benefit, all the more so if he enjoys high status.
The Fourth Hadith
Abd Allah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I spent the night with my aunt Maymunah. The Prophet ﷺ rose to pray during the night, so I stood to his left. He then took hold of my head and placed me on his right.”
Overall meaning
This eminent Companion—the scholar of the ummah and interpreter of the Quran—was tireless in seeking and verifying knowledge. His pursuit led him to spend the night with his maternal aunt, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ, so that he could witness the Prophet’s night worship firsthand.
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood to pray, Ibn Abbas rose to join him and, as the lone follower, took his place on the Prophet’s left. Because the right side is more honorable and is the appropriate spot for a single congregant, the Prophet ﷺ took him by the head and moved him to his right.
Scholarly disagreement
The well-known position in the Hanbali school, attributed to Imam Ahmad, is that the follower’s prayer is invalid if he stands to the left of the imam while the right side is vacant. The majority of scholars—including the three imams Abu Hanifah, Malik, and al-Shafi‘i—hold that his prayer remains valid even when the imam’s right side is free; this is also the second narration from Imam Ahmad and was chosen by