Best Position for a Single Makmum in Jamaah Prayer: A Complete Guide

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Hi all readers! In this article, I will explain the best position for a single makmum in Jamaah prayer. Specifically, if there are only two people in the congregational prayer—one acting as the imam and the other as the makmum—where should the makmum stand? Should it be on the left side or the right side of the imam?

As always, before I answer this question, I will provide an explanation of the makmum in Jamaah prayer, supported by a hadith directly related to our discussion.

Hadith About the Best Position for One Makmum in Jamaah Prayer

The hadith about the best position for a single makmum in Jamaah prayer is as follows:

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ ؛ صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَقُمْتُ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ ، فَأَخَذَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِرَأْسِيْ مِنْ وَرَائِيْ فَجَعَلَنِيْ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ . مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ

From Ibn Abbas radliyallaahu 'anhumaa, he said, "I once prayed with the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam one night. I stood on His left side, and the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam took my head from behind me and guided me to His right side." This hadith is narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

What Does Jamaah Mean in Prayer?

Key Points From the Hadith

There are several important lessons we can learn from this hadith:

• The hadith confirms that sunnah prayers (recommended prayers) can be performed together.
• It explains that a makmum can follow someone in prayer even if the person leading the prayer does not specifically intend to be the imam.
• The hadith clarifies that the makmum may stand on the left side of the imam during prayer.
• It demonstrates that a slight movement in prayer does not invalidate the prayer.
• Finally, it advises that if there is only one makmum in prayer, it is preferable to stand on the right side of the imam.

Conclusion

That's a brief explanation of the best position for a single makmum in Jamaah prayer. Do you understand? If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

I hope this article has been useful. Amen!

See you in the next article!