FatwaFederal TerritoriesPrayer (Salah)
IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE-738 : KEDUDUKAN MAKMUM SAMA DENGAN IMAM, ADAKAH SAH SOLAT MAKMUM?
Is the prayer valid for a follower who stands level with the imam in the same row because the prayer room is cramped?
Short answer
The prayer of a follower standing level with the imam is valid, and position is judged by the heel, not the toes or ankle.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Irsyad al-Hukum (Umum)
- Topic
- Prayer (Salah)
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
The prayer of a follower standing level with the imam is valid, and position is judged by the heel, not the toes or ankle. Standing level is normally disliked, but where circumstances prevent the follower from standing behind the imam, such as a cramped space, it is permitted and not considered disliked. If the follower doubts whether his heel went ahead of the imam's, the prayer remains valid because by default nothing invalidating has occurred. The prayer is invalid if the follower's heel is ahead of the imam's heel.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Sah solat makmum yang kedudukannya sama dengan kedudukan imam. Kedudukan makmum dan imam itu dikira dengan kedudukan tumit seseorang.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE-738 : KEDUDUKAN MAKMUM SAMA DENGAN IMAM, ADAKAH SAH SOLAT MAKMUM?”, 19 December 2022. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-hukum/umum/5481-irsyad-al-fatwa-siri-ke-738-kedudukan-makmum-sama-dengan-imam-adakah-sah-solat-makmum. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-follower-standing-level-with-imam/