Islamic Manual

The rules of the rows on Friday

How to take a place in the rows, fill them in order, keep them straight, and when it is and is not allowed to move forward to an empty gap.

Where you sit in the mosque, and how the rows are filled, has its own rules too.

How the rows fill behind the imam on FridayA bird's-eye view of the prayer hall. The imam stands alone facing the qiblah wall. Row one, directly behind him, is completely full, shoulder to shoulder. Row two is only partly filled, labelled to fill only once row one is complete. Row three is empty and dashed, labelled not started until row two is full. A curved arrow shows a latecomer moving forward from the back of the hall to close a gap in row one, even though the sermon has not yet started. At the end of a row, two smaller figures show that boys are placed at the end, not the middle. Outside the rows, near the wall, a small child is marked as not brought into the rows before the age of seven.qiblah wall (mihrab)imamrow 1: completely fulla latecomer moves forward to close agap even in a full row, before the sermonrow 2: fill only once row 1 is completerow 3: not started until row 2 is fullboys at the endof a row, not the middlea child under sevenis not brought into the rows
How the rows fill up, row by row.

Taking your place

  1. Get to the mosque early and try to sit close to the imam, in the front row.
  2. If there is still space in the front row, don't sit in the second row: fill each row fully before starting the next one.
  3. If a row is full, don't squeeze in between two people and make them uncomfortable.
  4. Whoever sits somewhere first has the right to that spot. If they get up for a moment planning to come straight back, no one else should take it.
  5. Don't make someone get up so you can sit in their spot.
  6. Don't save a place by putting down a prayer mat; let people sit wherever they arrive.
Mustaḥabbgood to do

Before the sermon begins, if there is a gap in a front row, it is good to move forward and fill it, even if that means passing by people sitting in the rows behind, because the people who left the gap empty are the ones at fault, not you.

Makrūhbetter not to

Once the sermon has started, do not walk forward, even if you can see space in the front rows. Sit down in whichever row you reach.

Sunnahthe Prophet’s way

While praying, stand shoulder to shoulder with no gaps, and make sure no one is standing ahead of or behind the line. Shaytan tries to slip into the empty spaces in the rows.

Makrūhbetter not to

Boys should stand at the end of a row, not in the middle of it. Very young children (under about seven years old) should not be brought into the rows at all.

Arriving at the mosque, taking a place, and the order in which the rows fill all have their own etiquette.

How the rows fill behind the imam on FridayA bird's-eye view of the prayer hall. The imam stands alone facing the qiblah wall. Row one, directly behind him, is completely full, shoulder to shoulder. Row two is only partly filled, labelled to fill only once row one is complete. Row three is empty and dashed, labelled not started until row two is full. A curved arrow shows a latecomer moving forward from the back of the hall to close a gap in row one, even though the sermon has not yet started. At the end of a row, two smaller figures show that boys are placed at the end, not the middle. Outside the rows, near the wall, a small child is marked as not brought into the rows before the age of seven.qiblah wall (mihrab)imamrow 1: completely fulla latecomer moves forward to close agap even in a full row, before the sermonrow 2: fill only once row 1 is completerow 3: not started until row 2 is fullboys at the endof a row, not the middlea child under sevenis not brought into the rows
How the rows fill up, row by row.

Taking a place

  1. Arrive at the mosque early and sit close to the imam in the first row; there is particular virtue in proximity to him.
  2. If space remains in the first row, do not sit in the second; only begin filling the second row once the first is complete, and so on for every row after it.
  3. Where a row has no space, do not force yourself between two people, causing them discomfort.
  4. Whoever arrives first at a spot has the right to it; if he steps away briefly meaning to return soon, no one else should take his place.
  5. Do not displace someone from their spot in order to sit there yourself.
  6. Do not reserve a place by spreading a prayer mat or by any other means; let people sit wherever they arrive.
  7. If you arrive late, do not step over people's shoulders to reach the front rows; sit wherever you find space.
Mustaḥabbgood to do

Where space remains in a front row, a latecomer should move to it and close the gap, even if this requires stepping over people in the rows behind, or passing in front of those seated, provided the sermon has not yet started; the fault, in this case, lies with those who left the front rows unfilled, and it is they who bear the blame.

Makrūhbetter not to

Once the sermon has started, someone arriving should sit in the last row even if space remains at the front, since walking forward while the sermon is being delivered is not permitted.

Sunnahthe Prophet’s way

During the prayer the rows should be kept straight, with everyone standing shoulder to shoulder and no one ahead of or behind the line, leaving no gaps: the devil is reported to slip into the empty spaces left in the rows.

Makrūhbetter not to

Boys should not stand in the middle of the rows during prayer, but should be placed at the end of a row. Very young children, those under about seven, should not be brought into the mosque or joined into the rows at all.

Arriving, taking a place, and the order in which the sufuf (rows) fill are all governed by specific adab.

How the rows fill behind the imam on FridayA bird's-eye view of the prayer hall. The imam stands alone facing the qiblah wall. Row one, directly behind him, is completely full, shoulder to shoulder. Row two is only partly filled, labelled to fill only once row one is complete. Row three is empty and dashed, labelled not started until row two is full. A curved arrow shows a latecomer moving forward from the back of the hall to close a gap in row one, even though the sermon has not yet started. At the end of a row, two smaller figures show that boys are placed at the end, not the middle. Outside the rows, near the wall, a small child is marked as not brought into the rows before the age of seven.qiblah wall (mihrab)imamrow 1: completely fulla latecomer moves forward to close agap even in a full row, before the sermonrow 2: fill only once row 1 is completerow 3: not started until row 2 is fullboys at the endof a row, not the middlea child under sevenis not brought into the rows
How the rows fill up, row by row.

Taking a place

  1. Arrive early and take a place in the first row, close to the imam, on account of the particular virtue of proximity to him.
  2. Where the first row still has room, the second is not to be taken up; each row is filled to completion (the first row carries the greatest share of mercy, then the second, then the third, and so on) before the next is begun.
  3. Where no room remains in a row, one should not force oneself between two people to their discomfort.
  4. The first to occupy a place retains the right to it; where he steps away briefly, intending to return promptly, no one else may take his place in the interim.
  5. One should not displace another from his place in order to occupy it oneself.
  6. A place should not be reserved by spreading a mat or by any similar device; people are to sit wherever they arrive.
  7. A latecomer should not step over people's shoulders to reach the front rows, but should sit wherever space presents itself.
Mustaḥabbgood to do

Where a gap remains in a front row, a latecomer should advance to close it, even where this requires stepping over those seated in the rear rows, or passing in front of them, provided the khutbah has not yet begun; the fault in such a case lies with those who left the front rows unfilled, who are consequently deserving of the resulting inconvenience, not the one who fills the gap.

Makrūhbetter not to

Once the khutbah has begun, a latecomer takes the last row regardless of space at the front, since advancing forward during the delivery of the sermon is not permitted; movement of this kind is treated on a par with other acts inconsistent with the stillness owed to the khutbah.

Sunnahthe Prophet’s way

The rows are to be aligned during the prayer (every worshipper standing shoulder to shoulder, none ahead of or behind the line, with no interval left open), since Shaytan is reported to insinuate himself into the gaps left in the rows and to disrupt the prayer through them.

Makrūhbetter not to

Boys are not to be placed in the middle of the rows during the prayer but at their end; children under approximately seven years of age should not be brought into the mosque or incorporated into the rows at all.

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