Where does the woman pray when being led?
Question:
We live far away from the masaajid, so I pray behind my husband at home while he leads, so if I pray behind him by myself, is my prayer valid due to the hadeeth:
لا صلاة لمنفرد خلف الصف
There is no prayer for the one who prays by himself behind the row.
And if not, then is it sufficient if I make a seven year old boy stand next to me whilst praying, so that i don’t enter into the hadeeth?
Answer:
If the questioner is a woman then her prayer is valid as this is where she is supposed to be when praying behind the Imaam so she shouldn’t align with the Imaam and stand next to him, she should stand behind him as it has come in the hadeeth of Anas – may Allah be pleased with him – said
صَلَّيْتُ أَنَا وَيَتِيمٌ، فِي بَيْتِنَا خَلْفَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأُمِّي أُمُّ سُلَيْمٍ خَلْفَنَا
One night an orphan and I offered the prayers behind the Prophet (ﷺ) in my house and my mother (Um Sulaim) was standing behind us (by herself forming a row).
[Narrated by bukhaari]
So, whether she is by herself or with someone else then she is considered a row.
So, she shouldn’t align herself with her husband and pray by his side even if he isn’t foreign to her, this is her legislated place when praying there is no doubt about this, that you must make your own row behind your husband even if you are by yourself.
The hadeeth is only in regards to a man leading another man or a woman leading another woman:
لا صلاة لمنفرد خلف الصف
There is no prayer for the one who prays by himself behind the row.
So this is the affair of the man
لا صلاة لمنفرد خلف الصف
There is no prayer for the one who prays by himself behind the row.
And also the woman who is being led by another woman then she is to align with her if she is by herself, however if there are other women then she is to join them in the row and if she makes her own row behind the women then:
لا صلاة لمنفرد خلف الصف
There is no prayer for the one who prays by himself behind the row.
Answered by: Shaykh Abu Bilaal Al-Hadhramy – may Allah preserve him
Source: https://t.me/abubilalhami/2931
Answered on: 9th Rabee’ul Awwol 1441
Translated by: Abu Huthayfah Saamy Al-hindy