Correct Row Arrangement (Saff-Bandi) in Congregational Prayer
Question: What are the ranks of row arrangement (Saff-Bandi) in prayer? Meaning, in what order will the followers (Muqtadi) praying with the congregation form their rows? Can children stand in the first row? Also, if a person leads a congregation with his wife and children at home, in what order will they stand? Furthermore, is a congregation valid for a lone woman with a Non-Mahram (unrelated) man?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah:
The correct method of row arrangement in prayer is that adults and people of intellect should stand near the Imam, then those near them, then those near them. This is out of consideration for individuals, because the reason for standing men near the Imam is so they can prompt him if he forgets, remember the manner of prayer, and act as a substitute if the Imam’s prayer is broken.
Adults and people of intellect should stand in the first row near the Imam.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Mas’ud (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
لِيَلِنِي مِنْكُمْ أُولُو الْأَحْلَامِ وَالنُّهَى ، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ”
“Let those of you who are mature and possess understanding be near me (in the row), then those who are next to them, then those who are next to them.”
(Sahih Muslim: Hadith No-432)
(Sunan Abu Dawood: Hadith No-674)
Imam Al-Khattabi (Rahimahullah) states in its commentary:
“انما امر صلي الله عليه وسلم ان يليه ذووالاحلام والنهي ليعقدوا عنه صلاته ولكي يخلفوه في الامامة حدث به في صلاته ”
“The Prophet (ﷺ) commanded adults and people of intellect to be near him only so that they may learn his prayer from him and so that they may succeed him in Imamate if an occurrence (breaking of wudhu etc.) happens to him in his prayer.”
(Ma’alim al-Sunan 1/437)
Young boys should stand in the back row.
Abu Malik Al-Ash’ari (RA) said:
Should I not tell you about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?
فَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَصَفَّ الرِّجَالَ وَصَفَّ خَلْفَهُمُ الْغِلْمَانَ ثُمَّ صَلَّى بِهِمْ۔۔۔۔۔۔قال صَلَاةُ أُمَّتِي
He (ﷺ) stood for prayer, arranged the rows of men, and arranged the boys behind them, then he led them in prayer… and said, “This is the prayer of my Ummah.”
(Sunan Abu Dawood: Hadith No-677)
Allama Albani has called this narration weak, while some other Muhaddithin have called it Hasan (Good).
(Ibn al-Mulaqqin Tuhfat al-Muhtaj 1/459 • Its chain is Hasan)
(Al-Bayhaqi Al-Sunan Al-Kubra 3/97 • Its chain is stronger)
However, if a sensible and understanding child stands in the men’s row, he should not be pushed back from the row.
It is narrated from Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) that he said:
أَقْبَلْتُ رَاكِباً عَلَى حِمَارٍ أَتَانٍ , وَأَنَا يَوْمَئِذٍ قَدْ نَاهَزْتُ الاحْتِلامَ , وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ بِمِنًى إلَى غَيْرِ جِدَارٍ ، فمَرَرْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ بَعْضِ الصَّفِّ فَنَزَلْتُ , فَأَرْسَلْتُ الأَتَانَ تَرْتَعُ ، وَدَخَلْتُ فِي الصَّفِّ , فَلَمْ يُنْكِرْ ذَلِكَ عَلَيَّ أَحَدٌ ”
“I came riding on a female donkey, and I was nearing puberty at that time. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was praying with the people at Mina facing no wall. I passed in front of part of the row, dismounted, sent the donkey to graze, and entered the row. No one objected to this against me (i.e., no one scolded or rebuked me).”
(Sahih Bukhari Hadith No – 493, 861, 1857, 4412)
From this Sahih Hadith of Bukhari, it is known that a child can stand in the row with men.
From the aforementioned Sahih Ahadith, it is known that mature, intelligent individuals should stand near the Imam, and children should not be removed from the rows in other places because if children are removed from the rows, their training cannot take place. If they stand in the row, they will learn the method of prayer, but if they are scolded and shooed away, they will not be trained; rather, they might accept a negative influence.
If a woman prays in congregation, she will stand in the very last row, and the best row for women is the last one, and the best row for men is the first.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
خَيْرُ صُفُوفِ الرِّجَالِ أَوَّلُهَا، وَشَرُّهَا آخِرُهَا. وَخَيْرُ صُفُوفِ النِّسَاءِ آخِرُهَا، وَشَرُّهَا أَوَّلُهَا “.
“The best of the men’s rows is the first, and the worst is the last. And the best of the women’s rows is the last, and the worst is the first.”
(Sahih Muslim: Hadith No-440)
(Sunan Abu Dawood: Hadith No-678)
Meaning, when men and women pray together, the very last row in the women’s rows behind the men is more virtuous. The purpose of this was for women to remain far from men, forming rows behind, so that there is no fear of Fitnah.
It is narrated from Anas bin Malik (RA):
“عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رضي الله عنه أَنَّ جَدَّتَهُ مُلَيْكَةَ دَعَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِطَعَامٍ صَنَعَتْهُ له , فَأَكَلَ مِنْهُ , ثُمَّ قَالَ : قُومُوا فَلأُصَلِّ لَكُمْ قَالَ أَنَسٌ : فَقُمْتُ إلَى حَصِيرٍ لَنَا قَدْ اسْوَدَّ مِنْ طُولِ مَا لُبِسَ , فَنَضَحْتُهُ بِمَاءٍ , فَقَامَ عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّه صلى الله عليه وسلم وَصَفَفْتُ أَنَا وَالْيَتِيمُ وَرَاءَهُ , وَالْعَجُوزُ مِنْ وَرَائِنَا . فَصَلَّى لَنَا رَكْعَتَيْنِ , ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ”.
“His grandmother Mulaykah invited the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for a meal she had prepared for him. He ate from it and then said: ‘Stand up so I may pray for you.’ Anas said: ‘I stood up towards a mat of ours that had turned black from long use. I sprinkled it with water. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood on it, and the orphan and I formed a row behind him, and the old woman was behind us. He prayed two rak’ahs for us and then left.'”
(Sahih Bukhari Hadith No-380, 727)
(Sahih Muslim Hadith No-658)
(Sunan Abu Dawood Hadith No-612)
Meaning, if there are two males besides the Imam, they will stand behind the Imam, and the woman will stand alone behind them.
If there is one man and one woman besides the Imam, the man should stand to the Imam’s right and the woman should stand alone behind.
Anas (RA) says that:
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَمَّهُ وَامْرَأَةً مِنْهُمْ، فَجَعَلَهُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَالْمَرْأَةَ خَلْفَ ذَلِكَ.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led him and a woman from his household in prayer, so he placed him (Anas RA) on his right and the woman behind that.
(Sunan Abu Dawood Hadith No-609)
When there are only two male worshippers, one will be the Imam and one the follower; the follower should stand to the right of the Imam, and the Imam will be on the left.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) that: “I spent the night at my maternal aunt’s (Sayyida Maimuna RA) house. At night, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood to pray, so I also joined him in prayer and stood on his left side.
He (ﷺ) held my head and made me stand on his right side.”
(Sahih Bukhari: Hadith No-699)
Sayyiduna Jabir (RA) also stood on the left of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), so the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) held him by the hand, turned him around, and made him stand on his right side.
(Sahih Muslim: Hadith No-3010)
The Leader of Imams, Imam Ibn Khuzaimah said:
“والمأ موم من الرجال إن کان واحدًا فسنتہ أن یقوم عن یمین إما مہ”
“If the follower is a single man, his Sunnah is to stand to the right of the Imam (to pray with him).”
(Sahih Ibn Khuzaimah 31/3 H 1570)
From these Ahadith, it is also known that the follower will stand right next to the Imam on the right. Some people who say the follower should stand slightly back from the Imam, their statement is baseless. It is clear in the Ahadith that the Sahaba stood with the Prophet (ﷺ).
It is also proven from these two Ahadith that if a man is performing prayer and a latecomer joins him in prayer, the congregation can be established.
As Imam Bukhari (RA) established a chapter in Sahih Bukhari: “كِتَاب الْأَذَانِ” (Book of Adhan).
. بَابُ إِذَا لَمْ يَنْوِ الإِمَامُ أَنْ يَؤُمَّ ثُمَّ جَاءَ قَوْمٌ فَأَمَّهُمْ:
Chapter: If the Imam did not intend to lead, then some people came and he led them (what is the ruling?).
(Sahih Bukhari Hadith No-699)
When there are two male followers, they should stand behind the Imam.
In a long Hadith of Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (RA), it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was praying alone.
ثُمَّ جِئْتُ حَتَّى قُمْتُ عَنْ يَسَارِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِي فَأَدَارَنِي حَتَّى أَقَامَنِي عَنْ يَمِينِهِ، ثُمَّ جَاءَ جَبَّارُ بْنُ صَخْرٍ فَتَوَضَّأَ، ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَقَامَ عَنْ يَسَارِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِيَدَيْنَا جَمِيعًا فَدَفَعَنَا حَتَّى أَقَامَنَا خَلْفَهُ،
“Then I (Jabir RA) came until I stood on the left side of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He took my hand, turned me around until he made me stand on his right side. Then Jabbar bin Sakhr came, performed ablution, then came and stood on the left side of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) took both of us by the hands and pushed us back until he made us stand behind him.”
(Sahih Muslim: Hadith No-3010)
Imam Ibn Khuzaimah (1535) has bound this chapter on this Hadith:
“باب قیام الإثنین خلف الإمام”
“Chapter on two men standing behind the Imam.”
In the mentioned Hadith, there is mention of the Imam moving the follower back. If the Imam and one follower are praying together and a third joins the congregation, the Imam can also move himself to the forward row.
(See Sahih Ibn Khuzaimah: 1536, and its chain is Sahih, Saeed bin Abi Hilal narrated it before his memory confusion).
In a congregation of only a husband and wife, the husband will stand in front and the wife behind him.
Anas bin Malik (RA) narrates that:
“The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) led him and his mother or maternal aunt in prayer. Anas (RA) says: He made me stand on his right side and the woman behind us.”
(Sahih Muslim, Al-Masajid wa Mawadi’ al-Salah, Hadith No-660)
Here there are only two followers, one woman and one man (i.e., Hazrat Anas RA and his mother or aunt), and the third is the Imam (The Holy Prophet ﷺ).
Now three scenarios could have formed:
- The Prophet (ﷺ) as Imam, and Hazrat Anas (RA) and the mother or aunt as followers (Hazrat Anas and his mother or aunt standing together following the Prophet ﷺ).
OR - The Prophet (ﷺ) as Imam, Hazrat Anas (RA) behind the Prophet (ﷺ), and his mother or aunt standing behind Hazrat Anas (RA).
OR - The Prophet (ﷺ) and Hazrat Anas (RA) together, and Hazrat Anas’s (RA) mother or aunt behind them.
Among these three scenarios, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) adopted the third scenario. This is proof that whenever there is one woman and one man, or two men and one woman, they will act upon this scenario.
Meaning, if there is one man and one woman, the man will stand in front and the woman will stand separately behind, because the woman is a single row. And if there are two men, one man will stand with the Imam on the right side and the woman will stand in a separate row behind.
If there are children with the wife, the husband will stand in front (lead). Even if there is one son, he will stand; if more, the boys’ row will be behind, and behind them the wife/daughters’ row.
It should be clear that if the son knows more Quran than the father, the son will lead the prayer, even if he is still a minor.
As narrated by Abu Mas’ud Al-Ansari (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The people should be led by the one among them who is most well-versed in the Book of Allah. If they are equal in recitation, then the one who is most knowledgeable in the Sunnah. If they are equal in (knowledge of) the Sunnah, then the one who migrated first among them. If they are equal in migration, then the one who is foremost in accepting Islam. No man should lead another man where the other has authority, nor should he sit in his house on his place of honor without his permission.” (Abu Saeed) Ashajj has (foremost) in age instead of accepting Islam in his narration.
(Sahih Muslim Hadith No 673)12
Here, a clarification is necessary: A woman cannot perform prayer alone with a Non-Mahram man.
In the current era, when the force of temptations (Fitnah) is everywhere, there is a huge Fitnah of spreading indecency in the name of religion. Influenced by films and dramas, many of our youth who are engrossed in love and romance commit such absurdities as making their fiancée or girlfriend stand behind them to pray, considering it a great virtue, whereas this is Haram.
In Islamic Sharia, no strange man is allowed seclusion (Khalwah) with a strange woman.
Once, the Caliph of Muslims, Umar bin Khattab (RA) stood to deliver a sermon at Jabiyah. Then he said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood among us just as I am standing among you, and he (ﷺ) said:
“أَكْرِمُوا أَصْحَابِي ، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ، ثُمَّ يَظْهَرُ الْكَذِبُ حَتَّى يَشْهَدَ الرَّجُلُ وَلَا يُسْتَشْهَدْ ، وَيَحْلِفَ الرَّجُلُ ، وَلَا يُسْتَحْلَفَ ، فَمَنْ أَحَبَّ مِنْكُمْ بُحْبُحَةَ الْجَنَّةِ فَلْيَلْزَمِ الْجَمَاعَةَ ، فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ مَعَ الْوَاحِدِ وَهُوَ مِنَ الِاثْنَيْنِ أَبَعْدُ ، وَلَا يَخْلُوَنَّ رَجُلٌ بِامْرَأَةٍ ، فَإِنَّ ثَالِثَهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ ، وَمَنْ سَرَّتْهُ حَسَنَتُهُ وَسَاءَتْهُ سَيِّئَتُهُ فَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ ”
‘Honor my companions, then those who are near them, then those who are near them. Then lying will appear until a man will bear witness without being asked to bear witness, and a man will swear an oath without being asked to swear. Beware! Whoever among you likes the center of Paradise, let him stick to the congregation (Jama’ah), for indeed Satan is with the one (who is alone) and he is further away from two. And no man should ever be in seclusion with a woman, for indeed the third among them is Satan. And whoever is pleased by his good deed and displeased by his evil deed, he is a believer.'”
(Sharh al-Sunnah 9/27 (2253))
(Sunan Tirmidhi (2166) Book of Fitan, Chapter on Stick to the Congregation of Muslims)
(Mustadrak Hakim 1/113, 115)
(Musnad Ahmad 1/81)
From this Hadith, it is clearly known that adopting seclusion with a strange woman is completely forbidden.
Imam Baghawi (Rahimahullah) writes in Sharh al-Sunnah:
“خلوة الرجل بالمرأة الأجنبية، والمسافرة بها حرام، فإن كانت من المحارم، فلا بأس بالمسافرة بها” (شرح السنۃ9/28)
“A man’s seclusion with a foreign woman and traveling with her is Haram. If she is from the Mahrams, then there is no harm in traveling with her.”
It is narrated from Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) that: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying:
” لَا يَخْلُوَنَّ رَجُلٌ بِاِمْرَأَةٍ إِلَّا وَمَعَهَا ذُو مَحْرَمٍ, وَلَا تُسَافِرُ اَلْمَرْأَةُ إِلَّا مَعَ ذِي مَحْرَمٍ ” فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ, فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ, إِنَّ اِمْرَأَتِي خَرَجَتْ حَاجَّةً, وَإِنِّي اِكْتُتِبْتُ فِي غَزْوَةِ كَذَا وَكَذَا, قَالَ: ” اِنْطَلِقْ, فَحُجَّ مَعَ اِمْرَأَتِكَ ”
“No man should be in seclusion with a woman unless she has a Mahram with her, and a woman should not travel unless she is with a Mahram.” A man stood up and said: “O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), my wife has set out for Hajj, and I have been enrolled in such-and-such battle.” He (ﷺ) said: “Go and perform Hajj with your wife.”
(Sahih Muslim Hadith No-2/978 (1341))
(Bukhari Fath al-Bari 9/242, 5233)
(Tabarani Kabir, 11/335)
(Musnad Ahmad 1934, 3231, 3232)
From these Ahadith, it is known that when adopting privacy with a Non-Mahram woman is not permissible, and even an obligatory worship like necessary travel and Hajj is not accepted with a Non-Mahram man unless a Mahram is with her, then how can congregational prayer, which is not even obligatory on a woman, be permissible in privacy with a Non-Mahram man? Yes, if there is a Mahram man with her or there are other women, then prayer can be offered behind a Non-Mahram while observing veil (Purdah).
If a woman leads women in prayer, she will stand in the middle of the row.
Sayyida Aisha (RA) led an obligatory prayer and she stood in the middle of the women (in the row).
(Sunan Daraqutni 404/Vol 1 – H 1429)
(And its chain is Hasan)
(And Allah the Exalted knows best what is correct)
Reference: https://alfurqan.info/problems/1318
