Placing elderly congregants towards the rear of the Masjid

Question

In some Masaajid here in Melbourne, it is the custom to put the elderly brothers who are praying Salaah on chairs, several rows back from the rest of us brothers praying in Jamaat. Also some Masaajid have a fence (or bollards with rope joining the bollards at the tops) so brothers can walk in front of the “seated brothers” without “disturbing” their “congregational” salaah. Do you have a detailed Fatwa about the maximum distance between Sufuf? Also, is the concept of a fence or bollards clearly putting the seated brothers outside the Jamaat, therefore negating reward of Salaah in Jamaat?

Maulana Ahmed Saeed · Accepted Answer

The entire Masjid is regarded as one place, hence Salaah performed in any section of the Masjid (behind the Imaam) is valid, even though there may be a gap of a few Saffs between the Imaam and the Musallis that are seated on chairs at the rear. However, this in no way means that the elderly congregants performing Salaah on chairs should be placed at the rear of the Masjid as stated in your query.

The Hadith states that the gaps should be filled and no place should be left for Shaytaan. Therefore, no gap should be left between the Sufuf and the elderly congregants performing Salaah on chairs. These elderly people sitting on chairs should be placed at the end of the Sufuf, and the area in between should be filled with the congregants. In doing so, the congregants will have a clear view of the Imaam without any obstruction, whilst the elderly congregants will be part of the Sufuf and positioned in an orderly manner.

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