Q234: What is the relied-upon standard for establishing the prayer rows (Sufūf)? Is it prescribed for the worshiper to join his ankle to the ankle of the person next to him? Give us a ruling, may you be rewarded.

Answer (الجواب)

The correct view is that the standard relied upon for straightening the row is the alignment of the ankles with one another, not the tips of the toes.

That is because the body is built upon the ankle, and the feet vary in their toes—there is the long foot and the short foot—so equality cannot be properly ensured except by the ankle.

As for joining the ankles together, there is no doubt that it was reported from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), for they used to straighten the rows by joining their ankles to one another. That is, each one of them would join his ankle to the ankle of his neighbor to ensure the alignment and straightening of the row.

Therefore, it is not an objective in itself, but rather an objective for the sake of something else (i.e., straightening the row), as some scholars have mentioned. Thus, when the rows are complete and people are standing, it is incumbent upon each person to join his ankle to the ankle of his neighbor to achieve linearity.

This does not mean that one should hold on to this joining and remain adhered to it throughout the entire prayer.

Among the extremism (ghuluw) regarding this issue is what some people do: they join their ankle to the ankle of their neighbor but spread their feet apart in between, to the extent that a gap is created between their shoulders and those of their neighbor, thereby contravening the Sunnah in that.

The intended outcome is that the shoulders (manākib) and the ankles are aligned.

To begin: The services and benefits that a Muslim obtains through a contract of sale, purchase, exchange, or utilization must be paid for.

This applies whether it is in the field of health, water, electrical power, environment, or otherwise. And it applies whether these services were obtained from a Muslim or from an original disbeliever (kāfir aṣlī) or from an apostate (murtadd).

This is because these services are public services belonging to all Muslims. Therefore, the fact that apostates are in charge of them does not mean that it is permissible to steal them or evade paying for them, especially since these are contracts of benefits or sales that must be fulfilled.

As for the wealth of the apostate, it becomes fay’ (a communal asset) for the Muslims (the state) in the event of his killing or his death while upon apostasy. However, his ownership of what is under his control is not immediately nullified merely upon his apostasy, due to the possibility of his return to Islam.

وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّلامُ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَركاتُه

މަރުވެފައިވާ މައިންބަފައިންނަށް ދުޢާ ކޮށްދިނުމާއި އެވެރިންގެ ނަން މަތީ ޞަދަޤަތް ކުރުމުގައި އެވެރިނަންނަށް އޭގެ ލާބަ އާއި ދަރުމަ ލިބޭނޭ ކަމީ އިޖުމާޢުގެ މަތިން ޘާބިތު ދެކަމެވެ. އަދި އެވެރިން ނަން މަތީ ޞަދަޤާތް ދޭ ނަމަ ، މިއީ މިވެނި ފަރާތެއްގެ ނަން މަތީގައިއޭ ދުލުން ބުނުން މިއީ ލާޒިމުނޫން ކަމެކެވެ. އެހެނީ ނިޔަތަކީ ހިތުގައި ކަނޑައެޅޭ އެއްޗެއް ކަމުންނެވެ. މިދެކަންތައް ފިަޔަވައި، ގެއްލިފައިވާ ރޯދަ ހިފައި ދިނުމާއި، ޢުޛުރެއްގެ ސަބަބުން ޙައްޖު ނުކުރެވި ވާނަމަ ތިމާގެ ވާޖިބު ޙައްޖަށް ފަހު އެވެރިންނަށް ޙައްޖު ކޮށްދިނުންވެސް ޝަރުޢުން ޘާބިތެވެ.
އެހެނަސް ޢިލްމުވެރިން ޚިލާފު ވެލެއްވީ އޭގެ އިތުރުން ވާ ކަންކަމުގައެވެ. އޭގެ ތެރޭގައި އެންމެ ބޮޑު ޒުވާބެއް އޮތީ ޤުރުއާން ކިޔަވައި އޭގެ ޘަވާބު އެވެރިންނަށް އުއްމީދު ކުރުމުގެ ކަންތަކުގައެވެ. އަދި އައްޝާފިޢީގެފާނު މިކަމާއި ވަރަށް ބޮޑަށް ދެކޮޅެވެ. އަދި ވިދާޅުވަނީ އެކަން ޞައްޙަ ނަމަ އަޞްޙާބު ބޭކަލުންގެ އަރިހުން އެކަން ކުރެއްވީތީ އެނގޭން އޮންނާނޭ ކަމެވެ. އަދި އެކަލޭގެފާނުގެ ރައުޔަކީ ދުޢާ އާއި ޞަދަޤާތުގެ އިތުރުން ނައްޞުން ޘާބިތު ކަމެއް ނޫނީ މަރުތިބީންނަށް ނުފޯރާނޭކަމެވެ. ވީމާ އެއީ ދުޢާ އާއި ޞަދަޤާތާއި އިހުބުނެވުނު ގޮތަށް ޙައްޖާއި ރޯދައެވެ.
އެހެނަސް އިންބުލް ޤައްޔިމް މިއާއި ޚިލާފުވެލެއްވިއެވެ. އަދި އެކަމުގައި ދިގު ބަޙުޘެއް އެކަލޭގެފާނުގެ ކިތާބުއް ރޫޙް ގައި ގެންނެވިއެވެ. އައްޝެއިޚް ސުލައިމާން އަލްޢަލްވާން ވިދާޅުވަނީ އިބްނުލް ޤައްޔިމްގެ ރައުޔު ދަލީލުގެ ގޮތުން ވަރުގަދަކަމެވެ. (އަދި މިއީ އުސޫލީ ތަފްޞީލަކަށް ވުމުން ކުރުކޮށްލަމެވެ.) އެހެނަސް ސަޢޫދީ ޢަރަބިއްޔާގެ ޢިލްމުވެރިން ތެރެއިން އިބްނު ބާޒާއި އެނޫން ބޭކަލުން އަދި އިސްލާމް ސުވާލާއި ޖަވާބުގެ ސައިޓުގެ ރާޖިޙު ޤަޥްލަކީ ޤުރުއާން އޭގައި ނުހިމެނުމެވެ. ﷲ اعلم.