Prayer of a Single Man Behind the Row
If the prayer is being performed following the Imam, then the prayer of a single man behind the row is not valid.
Consider the evidences:
Evidence No. ①:
🌸Sayyid Nawbasah bin Ma‘bad (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
إن رجلا صلى خلف الصف وحده، فأمره أن يعيد الصلاة .
“A man prayed alone behind the row, so the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) ordered him to pray again.”
Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) graded it as “Hasan” (good), Imam Ibn Jarood (319) and Imam Ibn Hibban (may Allah have mercy on them) (Al-Mawared: 405) graded it as “Sahih” (authentic).
🌸Ibn Mundhir (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
قد ثبت هذا الحديث أحمد وإسحاق .
“This hadith has been declared authentic by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Imam Ishaq ibn Rahu (may Allah have mercy on them).”
Evidence No. ②:
🌸Sayyiduna Ali bin Shayban (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
رأى رجلا فردا يصلي خلف الصت، فوقف عليه نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم حين انصرف، قال : استقبل صلاتك، فلا صلاة للذي خلف الصت».
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ saw a person praying alone at the back of the row. He stood by him, and when the person finished praying, the Prophet said: Pray the prayer again; the prayer of a person alone at the back of the row is not valid.
🌸Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هو حديث حسن .
“This hadith is Hasan.”
Imam Ibn Khuzaymah (1569) and Imam Ibn Hibban (2206) authenticated this hadith as Sahih. Hafiz Nawawi Rashan (Khalasat al-Ahkam: 2517) classified its chain as “Hasan.”
Evidence Number ③:
🌸Hammad bin Abi Sulayman (d. 120 AH) says:
يعيد الصلاة .
“Such a person should repeat the prayer.”
Evidence Number ④:
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241 AH) and Imam Ishaq ibn Rahwayh (d. 238 AH) may Allah have mercy on them, also hold the belief that a person praying alone behind the row does not have a valid prayer and must repeat it.
Evidence No. ⑤:
🌸Imam Waki’ ibn Jarrah may Allah have mercy on him (d. 197 AH) says:
إذا صلى الرجل خلف الصف وحده، فإنه يعيد .
“If a person prays alone behind the row, then he must repeat the prayer.”
Evidence No. ⑥:
🌸Ibn Mundhir may Allah have mercy on him (d. 218 AH) says:
صلاة الفرد خلف الصت باطل ، لقبوت خبر وابصة وخبر علي ابن الجعد بن شيبان.
“The prayer of a person alone behind the row is invalid; authentic hadiths have been narrated on this matter from Sayyidna Ubaysah and Sayyidna Ali ibn Ja’d ibn Shayban.”
Evidence No. ⑦:
🌸Imam Darimi may Allah have mercy on him (255 AH) says:
أقول به .
“I also issue a fatwa according to the hadith of Sayyidna Ubaysah.”
Evidence No. ⑧:
🌸Allama Ibn Hazm, may Allah have mercy on him (d. 456 AH), writes:
“It has been established that whoever considers the prayer of a person praying alone behind the row and the prayer of one who does not maintain the row as valid, has absolutely no evidence from the Qur’an, Sunnah, or consensus.”
Evidence Number ⑨:
🌸Imam Ibn Khuzaymah, may Allah have mercy on him (d. 311 AH), classifies this hadith under:
باب الزجر عن صلاة المأموم خلف الصف وحده .
“The statement forbidding a person praying alone behind the row.”
He also states:
إن صلاته خلف الصف وحده غير جائزة، يجب عليه استقبالها .
“It is not permissible for a person praying alone behind the row to pray; rather, it is obligatory for him to repeat it.”
Arguments for the permissibility of the prayer of a person praying alone and commentary on them:
The prayer of a person praying alone behind the row is not valid. Some friends consider it permissible. Their reasoning is presented here for review:
Argument Number ①:
🌸Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
صليت أنا ويتيم في بيتنا خلف النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، وأمي أم سليم خلفنا .
“One boy and I prayed at home following the leadership of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. My mother, Umm Salim رضي الله عنها, was behind us.”
Analysis:
This permission is specifically for women; it does not prove the permissibility of a man praying alone.
🌸Refer to Imam Bukhari’s chapter heading:
باب : المرأة وحدها تكون صفا .
“This statement that even if a woman is alone, she counts as a row.”
If a man alone could count as a row, then what would be the meaning of this chapter heading? Moreover, it is necessary for both men and women to form rows behind the Imam.
🌸The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
سروا صفوفكم، فإن تسوية الصفوف من إقامة الصلاة.
“Straighten the rows! Because the straightening of rows is part of the establishment of prayer.”
The formation of a row by a single woman is permissible due to the authentic sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), whereas regarding a single man not forming a row, the sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) are clear. Therefore, there is no evidence to justify the row formation by a single man.
🌸 Imam Ibn Khuzaymah (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
“Those who take the narration of Sayyida Umm Salim (may Allah be pleased with her) as evidence argue that if it is permissible for a woman to stand alone at the back of the row, then it is also permissible for a man. But I consider this incorrect. The procedure for a woman is that if she is alone, she should stand at the back of the row; it is forbidden for her to stand level with the Imam. Similarly, she cannot stand in the men’s row. Whereas if a male follower is alone, he should stand to the right side of the Imam, and if there are multiple followers, they stand behind the Imam in rows until the first row is complete. If a follower is alone, it is not permissible for him to stand behind the Imam. There is consensus that if a follower stands to the right side of the Imam, then it is against the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for the next person to stand alone in the back row.”
🌸Allama Ibn Hazm, may Allah have mercy on him (456 AH), says:
“This hadith is not evidence for those people, because it specifically mentions the special ruling of women behind men; when there are many women, it will also be obligatory for them to form rows. It is not permissible to abandon the hadith of Sayyiduna Wabisah due to this hadith, nor to abandon the hadith of Wabisah based on the hadith about women’s prayer.”
It is understood that this hadith does not prove the permissibility of a man praying alone behind the row.
Evidence number ②:
🌸Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
قام يصلي من الليل، فقمت عن يساره، فتناولني من خلف ظهره، فجعلني على يمينه .
“The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, stood up for prayer at night, I stood on his left side, then he took me from behind and placed me on his right side.”
A similar incident happened with Sayyiduna Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him.
The place of martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is to bring both companions to the right side, and the reason for martyrdom is that when both companions were brought back, they were “Khalf al-Saff,” meaning at the back of the row. Their prayer did not become invalid by doing so; therefore, the prayer of a single man at the back of the row is valid.
Analysis:
The argument that a single man praying behind the row is permissible based on this hadith is not correct, because Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas and Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with them) did not pray behind the row; rather, they only changed their place due to a necessity. Even if it is accepted that these two companions prayed part of their prayer after changing their place behind the row, it does not prove that a man can pray his entire prayer alone behind the row. At most, it would be permissible to do so only due to necessity while changing place. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has generally invalidated the prayer of a man alone behind the row, so this special case of changing place due to necessity would be excluded based on specific evidence. A person praying in the row who changes place will not have to repeat the prayer performed behind his original row, whereas a person coming from outside and praying alone behind the row with the congregation will have to repeat the prayer based on the first evidence mentioned, because that is the command of the Prophet. Thus, all the hadiths in this matter will be acted upon.
🌸 Allama Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
“There is no evidence for them in this hadith, because we have already mentioned that it is not permissible for hadiths to contradict each other. This is mockery and ridicule of the religion. Those who base their argument on the narration of Wabisah and Ali bin Shayban and reject the narration of Jabir and Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them), and those who base their argument on the narration of Jabir and Ibn Abbas and reject the narration of Wabisah and Ali bin Shayban (may Allah be pleased with them) are equal in this matter. All these cases are completely invalid and without evidence. The truth in this matter is that all the hadiths should be acted upon; all of them are true, and it is not permissible to oppose them.”
Also writes:
ما سمي قط المدار عن شمال إلى يمين مصليا وحده خلف الصف .
“A person who is turned from left to right is never called someone who prays alone at the back of the row.” (Also)
Argument Number ③:
🌸Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah رضي الله عنه states:
إنه انتهى إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو راكع، فركع قبل أن يصل إلى الصت، فذكر ذلك للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال : زادك الله حرصا ولا تعد.
“I came to the Prophet ﷺ while he was in Ruku’. He performed Ruku’ before joining the row, then I mentioned this to the Prophet ﷺ, and he said: May Allah increase your eagerness, but do not do this again.”
Analysis:
The same reasoning has been derived from this narration as was done from the previous narration.
Although it is clear that Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him), upon seeing the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in the state of bowing (ruku’), immediately went into bowing from the back row and then walked to join the front row. His walking was to join the row, not to pray alone.
Even if it is accepted that Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed alone behind the row, it still does not serve as evidence, because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade him from doing this again.
🌸Consider the fatwa of Allama Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him):
هذا الخبر حجة عليهم لنا عليهم لنا ……. فقد ثبت أن الركوع دون الصت، ثم دخول الصت كذلك لا يحل .
“This hadith is our proof… From this hadith it is established that bowing behind the row and then joining the row is not permissible (let alone praying one or two rak’ahs or the entire prayer).”
As for the objection that if this act was not permissible, then why did the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ not order Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah رضي الله عنه to repeat the rak’ah in which he had performed rukūʿ behind the row? First, it must be proven that Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah رضي الله عنه did not repeat that rak’ah. The absence of mention is not proof of non-existence. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered the person who prayed alone behind the row to repeat the prayer.
Unverified statements attributed to the Companions and the Successors:
In this regard, some narrations are presented, which should also be examined.
❀ When Sayyiduna Hudhayfah رضي الله عنه was asked about a person who prayed alone behind the row, he said: He should not repeat the prayer.
The chain of narration is weak.
◈ Abu Muawiyah Muhammad bin Khazim Dhareer is a “Mudallis”. He did not clarify the hearing.
◈ Yabr bin Saeed Azdi is very “weak” and “abandoned”.
◈ Dhahak bin Muzahim’s hearing from Sayyiduna Hudhaifah رضي الله عنه is not established.
❀ Attributed to Hasan Basri رحمتہ الله:
“A person like this will have his prayer accepted.”
The chain of narration is weak.
◈ Hafs bin Ghiyas is a fabricator.
◈ Ash’ath bin Sawar is weak.
◈ If Amr refers to Amr bin Ubaid, then he is abandoned.
❀ There is another similar narration about Imam Hasan Basri, may Allah have mercy on him.
(أيضاً)
But the chain of narration is weak due to the fabrication of Yunus bin Ubaid.
It is understood that it is not established from the Companions and the Followers that they permitted a man to pray alone behind the row.
However, Imam Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, permits it and uses the incident of Sayyida Umm Sulaym, may Allah be pleased with her, as evidence that she prayed alone behind the row. A detailed discussion on this has already passed on previous pages. From this hadith, the permissibility of a woman praying alone behind the row is established. The permissibility of a man praying alone behind the row is not established.
If the first row is complete, then?
The hadith of Sayyiduna Wabisah bin Ma‘bad and Sayyiduna Ali bin Shayban رضي الله عنه is very clear that the prayer of any individual praying alone behind the row is not valid, and if someone does so, he should repeat the prayer. From the generality of this hadith, no specific exception can be made without evidence. Saying that if there is no space in the first row, then the prayer of an individual behind the row is valid, holds no status among the scholars.
What should one who comes alone behind the row do?
If a person comes to the mosque for prayer and the row is already complete, and he is alone behind the row, then there are two situations for him:
◈ Pull a man from the next row and bring him along with you. The evidence for this is the hadith of Jabir رضي الله عنه that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم was in prayer. I also stood on your left side. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم took me by the hand during the prayer and, turning me from behind, made me stand on the right side. After that, Sayyiduna Jabir bin Sahar رضي الله عنه came and stood on the left side of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم took both of us and placed us in the back row.
It has been understood that to form a new row, a person can be pulled back from the next row, and such movement is permissible to form a row. The act of pulling a person from the first row is considered breaking the row, and the warnings related to breaking the row apply to it, which is a mistake. Leaving the row due to an excuse is not considered breaking the row; for example, if someone becomes impure during prayer, would he not leave the row? If he does, and certainly he will, then would this act be considered breaking the row? And would the first row become defective in this way? Absolutely not.
◈ If a person coming later does not want to or cannot pull a worshiper from the next row for some reason, then he should wait until another worshiper arrives. If waiting poses the risk of missing the congregation, then he should not pray alone behind the row, because praying alone behind the row is not permissible in any case. Waiting might cause only the congregation to be missed due to compulsion, but if he prays alone behind the row, then the prayer itself will be invalid, and it will be necessary to repeat the prayer.
