When The Imaam Should Make The Announcement To Straighten The Sufoof

We wish to discuss two Mas’alahs here. The first being (even though you have not queried this, we will mention it for your benefit) when should the Muqtadis/Congregants stand up in preparation for Salaah. The second Mas’alah is in reply to your query with regard to when the Imaam should make the announcement of  straightening the Sufoof (before, during or after the Iqaamah).

The First Mas’alah: 

Standing up for Salaah in the Sufoof should be done at the time of Iqaamah.

عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ، سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ: أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلَاةُ، فَقُمْنَا، فَعَدَّلْنَا الصُّفُوفَ، قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ إِلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
( ج ١ ص ٤٢٢ – صحیح مسلم – باب متى يقوم الناس للصلاة)

Translation; Hadhrat Abu Hurairah Radhiyallah Anhu says, ‘The Iqaamah for Salaah would begin then we would stand and straighten the Sufoof (rows) before the Messenger Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam would come to us.

From this Hadeeth we come to know that people should get up for Salaah whilst the Iqaamah would be going on. The following are amongst the etiquettes that Allaamah Haskafie Rahimahullah has mentioned,

(وَالْقِيَامُ) لِإِمَامِ وَمُؤْتَمَ ( حِينَ قِيلَ حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ خِلَافًا لِزُفَرَ؛ فَعِنْدَهُ عِنْدَ حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ ابْنُ كَمَالٍ إِنْ كَانَ الْإِمَامُ بِقُرْبِ الْمِحْرَابِ وَإِلَّا فَيَقُومُ كُلُّ صَفَ يَنْتَهِي إِلَيْهِ الْإِمَامُ عَلَى الْأَظْهَرِ وَإِنْ دَخَلَ مِنْ قُدَّامٍ حِينِ يَقَعُ بَصَرُهُمْ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا إِذَا أَقَامَ الْإِمَامُ بِنَفْسِهِ فِي مَسْجِدٍ فَلَا يَقِفُوا حَتَّى يُتِمَّ إِقَامَتَهُ ظَهِيرِيَّةٌ
(ج١ص٤٧٩ – كتاب الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار)

Translation“And the Imaam and the followers should stand up when it is said: “Come to success (Hayaa ala al-falah)”…if the Imaam is close to the  prayer niche (Mihrab), or else (if the Imaam is not sitting close to the Mihrab) people in each row should stand up when the Imaam reaches them. If  the Imaam enters from the front, they will stand up when their sight falls on the Imaam. If the Imaam himself gives the call to prayer (Iqaamah) in the Masjid, then they should not stand up until he completes the Iqaamah.”

If the Imaam is in the Masjid as is usually the case, then according to our A’immah, standing and forming the Saffs at the time when the Mu’adhin says حي على الفلاح is Mandoob (commendable).

يَقُومُ الْإِمَامُ وَالْقَوْمُ إِذَا قَالَ الْمُؤَذِّنُ حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ عِنْدَ عُلَمَائِنَا الثَّلَاثَةُ
( ج ١ ص ٤٧٩ – كتاب الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار)

However, this does not mean that they could or should not stand before that, rather it means that they should not still remain seated when the Mu’adhin says حي على الفلاح as still remaining seated at that point (and not standing up) will be against etiquettes.

والظاهر انه احتراز عن التأخير لا التقديم حتى لو قام اول الاقامة لا بأس

Translation; (Imaam Tahtaawi mentions) the objective of this is so that there is no delay in standing after the Mu’adhin say  it does not mean that  the Muqtadees should not stand before حي على الفلاح. Hence, there is no problem in standing at the beginning of the Iqaamah.

In fact, in today’s times as people are lax in coming into the rows and forming them, it would be better for them to stand up in preparation for Salaah when the Iqaamah commences.

The Second Mas’alah:

1. Usually the Iqaamah would commence only once they would see Rasulullahصلى الله عليه وسلم. Therefore, the announcement by Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم could not be made before the Iqaamah.

عن جابر بن سَمُرَةَ، قَالَ: كَانَ بِلَالٌ فَلَا يُقِيمُ حَتَّى يَخْرُجَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَإِذَا خَرَجَ أَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ حِينَ يَرَاهُ
( ج ١ ص ٤٢٣ – صحیح مسلم – باب متى يقوم الناس للصلاة)

Translation; Jaabir Bin Samurah Radhiyallahu Anhu mentions that Hadhrat Bilaal Radhiyallahu Anhu….would not give Iqaamah until Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم would come out. When Rasulullah صلى الله عليه و سلم would come out, then the Iqaamah was pronounced on seeing him.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ : أَنَّ الصَّلَاةَ كَانَتْ تُقَامُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَيَأْخُذُ النَّاسُ مَصَافَهُمْ، قَبْلَ أَنَّ يَقُومَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَقَامَهُ
( ج ۱ ص ٤٢٣ – صحيح مسلم باب متى يقوم الناس للصلاة)

Translation; narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Huraira Radhiyallahu Anhu that whenIqaamah was said for the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم of Allah, the people occupied their places in the rows before the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم of Allah stood up at his place.

2. In some narrations, it is clearly mentioned that the announcement of ‘Straighten the Sufoof’ was made when Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلمwas about to say the Takbeer to commence the Salaah (i.e. after the Iqaamah).

In Saheeh Muslim the following narration is recorded:

قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النُّعْمَانَ بْنَ بَشِيرٍ، يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُسَوِي صُفُوفَنَا ثُمَّ خَرَجَ يَوْمًا …. فَقَامَ حَتَّى كَادَ يُكَبِّرُ فَرَأَى رَجُلاً بَادِيًا صَدْرُهُ مِنَ الصَّفِّ فَقَالَ ” عِبَادَ اللَّهِ لَتُسَوُّنَّ صُفُوفَكُمْ أَوْ لَيُخَالِفَنَّ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ وُجُوهِكُمْ “
(صحیح مسلم – رقم : ٤٣٦)

Translation; Nu’man bin Bashir Radhiyallahu Anhu reported: The Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم of Allah used to straighten our Saffs……..One day he came out, stood up (for prayer) and was about to say the Takbeer (commence Salaah), when he saw a man, whose chest was bulging out from the row, so he said: “Servants of Allah, straighten your rows or Allah would create dissension amongst you.” The narrator saying, ‘was about to say the Takbeer (commence Salaah)’ shows that the command of ‘straighten your rows’ was given just before the Salaah commenced (after  Iqaamah)..

In Bukhari Shareef the following narration is mentioned:

حدَّثنا أَنَسٌ قَالَ أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنا رسولُ الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم فَقَالَ أَقِيمُوا صُفُوفَكُمْ وتَرَاصُوا فَإِنِّي أَرَاكُمْ مِنْ وَرَاءِ ظَهْرِي
(صحيح البخاري – رقم : ٧١٩)

Translation; Narrated by Anas bin Malik Radhiyallahu Anhu: Once the Iqaamah was given, the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم of Allah Ta’aala faced us  and said, “Straighten your rows and stand closer together, for I see you from behind my back.

3. Imaam Bukhari (Rahmatullahi Alaih) in his Saheeh Al Bukhari (chapter seventy one) has a chapter which he titled as باب تسوية الصفوف عند الاقامة وبعدها The chapter regarding the straightening of the rows during Iqaamah and after Iqaamah). Imaam Bukhari (Rahmatullahi Alaih) then mentioned a narration but the narration does not support the heading of the chapter and there are no other Riwayaat brought under this chapter that show or prove that the straightening of the Sufoof should be done after Iqaamah.

Allaamah Aini (Rahmatullahi Alaih), says that Imaam Bukhari Rahimahullah by mentioning the word ‘بعدها ‘after Iqaamah is indicating towards another Riwayaat which is found in Muslim Shareef (the narration of Nu’man bin Bashir Radhiyallahu Anhu, which we have already mentioned above. Allaamah Aini  Rahmatullahi Alaih) saying that Imaam Bukhari (Rahmatullahi Alaih) is indicating towards that other Riwayaat, this in itself shows that according to Allaamah Aini Rahimahullah, Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم made the announcement of ‘straighten the Saffs’ after Iqaamah. Furthermore, Allaamah Aini Rahimahullah at another place gave a commentary under the following Riwayat:

حدَّثنا أَنَسٌ قَالَ أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلاةُ فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنا رسولُ الله صلى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم بِوَجْهِهِ فَقَالَ أَقِيمُوا صُفُوفَكُمْ وَتَرَادُّوا فَإِنِّي أَرَاكُمْ مِنْ وَرَاءِ ظَهْرِي (صحيح البخاري – رقم : ٧١٩)

Translation; Narrated Anas bin Malik: Once the Iqaamah was pronounced, the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم of Allah Ta’aala faced us and said, “Straighten your rows and stand closer together, for I see you from behind my back.

After mentioning this Riwayaat Allaamah Aini Rahimahullah says the following;

وَمِمَّا يُسْتَفَاد مِنْهُ: جَوَاز الْكَلَام بَين الْإِقَامَة وَبَين الصَّلاة، وَوُجُوبِ تَسْوِيَة الصُّفُوف
( ج ٥ ص ٢٥٥ – كتاب عمدة القاري شرح صحيح البخاري – باب الصف الأول )

Translation; from this Hadeeth one comes to know, that speaking between Iqaamah and Salaah is
permissible, and that the straightening of the Sufoof is obligatory.

The general habit of Allaamah Aini Rahimahullah is to defend the Hanafi Madhab whenever Imaam Bukhari Rahimahullah mentions a Tarjumatul Baab that goes against the Hanafis. Hence, if this chapter which Imaam Bukhari mentioned was going against the Hanafi Madhab then Allaamah Aini Rahimahullah would have mentioned that Imaam Bukhari (Rahmatullahi Alaih) is hinting towards a rebuttal of the Hanafis……. If one has to say that the silence of Allaamah Aini Rahimahullah cannot be used as a proof, our answer to that is, we are using that as a secondary proof and the actual proof is that we find Allaamah Aini Rahimahullah mentioning, ‘that from this Hadeeth we come to know speaking between Iqaamah and Salaah is permissible’. The commentary that Allaamah Aini Rahimahullah mentioned under this Riwayaat shows that according to Allaamah Aini Rahimahullah the instruction of ‘straightening the Saffs…’ was done after Iqaamah and before Salaah.

Objection; in the Fiqh Kitaabs it is mentioned that the Imaam should commence the congregational Salaah when the Mu’adhin reaches ‘ قد قامت الصلاة. If the Imaam makes the announcement of ‘straighten the Saffs’ after the Iqaamah then not only did he not start at the juncture of قد قامت الصلاة but even after the Iqaamah he delayed the Salaah by saying, ‘straighten the Sufoof’.

Answer – The preferred view is that the Imaam should commence the Salaah when the Mu’adhin completes the Iqaamah. In this way the Mu’adhin will not miss the Takbeer Tahrimah. It also gives leeway for the Imaam to make his announcement of “Straighten the Sufoof.”

وَشُرُوعِ الْإِمَام (فِي الصَّلَاة ( مُذْ قِيلَ قَدْ قَامَتْ الصَّلَاة وَلَوْ أَخَرَ حَتَّى أُتِهَا لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ إِجْمَاعًا، وَهُوَ قَوْلُ الثَّانِي وَالثَّلَاثَةِ؛ وَهُوَ أَعْدَلُ الْمَذَاهِبِ كَمَا فِي شَرْحِ الْمَجْمَعِ لِمُصَنَّفِهِ . وَفِي الْقُهُسْتَانِيَ مَعْزِيًّا لِلْخَلَاصَةِ أَنَّهُ الْأَصَحُ. (قَوْلُهُ إِنَّهُ الْأَصَحُ) لِأَنَّ فِيهِ مُحَافَظَةً عَلَى فَضِيلَةِ مُتَابَعَةِ الْمُؤَذِنِ وَإِعَانَةً لَهُ عَلَى الشُّرُوعِ مَعَ الْإِمَامِ
( ج ١ ص ٤٧٩ – كتاب الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار)

We have already stated that Allamah Aini (Rahmatullahi Alaih) has mentioned that it is permissible to speak between Iqaamah and Salaah.

4. A logical reason: The Iqaamah is actually an announcement to the congregation for them to stand up for Salaah in the Sunnah manner (by standing correctly in the Sufoof) and the Imaam’s announcement of straightening the Sufoof is by way of Ta’leem. And if Ta’leem has already been made, then by way of Nahy Anil Munkar, i.e. it is addressed to those individuals of the congregation who did not fulfil the dictates of the Iqaamah by standing up and forming straight rows. Hence, the Iqaamah should be given first, thereafter the announcement of straightening the Sufoof should be made (especially if it is intended to rebuke and remind someone who is not standing correctly in the Saff).

Conclusion: Iqaamah is made in order to announce that the commencement of Salaah is imminent and that the congregation must stand up and fill in the Sufoof in accordance with the Sunnah method; hence if the congregants are already standing correctly in their Sufoof, there is no need to make a separate announcement regarding straightening the Sufoof etc. for every Salaah, rather this announcement should be made (by way of Nahy Anil Munkar) when the Imaam notices that the Sufoof are not in conformance to the Sunnah, and the announcement should be after the Iqaamah. In order to fulfil this, the Imaam should be facing the audience whilst the Iqaamah is going, and checking if the Sufoof are in accordance to the Sunnah.

Generally if there is a large congregation and many Sufoof, then it becomes difficult for the Imaam to check if all the Sufoof are in accordance to the Sunnah method. In such a situation, the Imaam should occasionally make the announcement of straightening the Sufoof. However, if the congregation is generally lax in straightening the Sufoof, then the Imaam should make the announcement for every Salaah, until they are properly educated about this and begin to conform to the Sunnah method of forming and standing in the Sufoof.