Social Distancing While Praying Behind an Imam

By our Shaykh, the ‘Allāmah, the Trustworthy Advisor, Abu ‘Abdirrahman Yahya bin ‘Ali Al-Hajūri – may Allāh preserve him –

“And from the prayer of single person behind the row; to be between a man and another a far alignment, like a meter between this one and that one for example, and some of them exaggerate two meters, what kind of congregation is this?

I mean between a man and another an alignment of two meters; for what?

They said: If he sneezes the particles will not reach to here. He wears a mouth mask or (uses) a handkerchief and that is sufficient. So this alignment is not correct, the meaning of this is everyone prays alone behind the imām, there is no praying in congregation, you pray alone and this one prays alone, and that one prays alone behind the imām, and all of you are alone behind the row, and the prayer of a single person behind his imām.

It’s not for a man to pray behind his imam alone, and the row in front like that and the row behind like that, this is not correct, it’s wrong, and I think and Allāh knows best it is better for him to pray in his house and not pray with this alignment, because his prayer in his house would be correct, even if he missed out on the reward of 27 ranks as is in the hadith, as for his prayer with that alignment in the rows between one and another that amount; this one prays by himself behind the row, and the majority of the people of knowledge are on the opinion that the prayer of a single person behind the row is not correct, so this action should be avoided, he prays in his house and doesn’t go to pray in the masjid upon this alignment, this is not congregation; this is singular, everyone is praying alone behind the imām, the imām is praying and noone is praying in congregation behind him, he is by himself and they are by themselves, his prayer is correct and their prayer Allāh knows best about it; the majority of the people of knowledge are upon its invalidity.

To sum up O brothers: This Corona, may Allāh suffice us from its evil, people have done amazing things concerning it, they have come with amazing things, we ask Allāh for well-being.

They said to some people why don’t you pray in congregation?
They said: The organizations are not pleased to give us anything unless we close the masājid, the organizations are not pleased to give us anything unless we close the masājid!?”

Transcribed to Arabic and summarised by : Abul-Majd bin Muhammad (may Allah reward him with good – on the 19th, Ramadhān, 1441H)

Translated by : Abu ‘Abdillah ‘Omar bin Yahya Al-‘Akawi

Click on the link for the audio : https://t.me/sh_yahia_duroos/6778

Click on the link to view the Arabic : https://t.me/sh_yahia_duroos/6788