Important question about the rows during salat

[Street Scholar]

Salaam,

Tonight during taraweeh prayer, I was praying outside of the Masjid with some other brothers because it was full inside. During the prayer, people would come and go, but I couldn't really see inside the Masjid as to how much space was available. A brother came out and told us there is plenty of space inside, and that we have to come in because our prayers wouldn't count...this is the part that I have concerns about.

1. Does this type of situation mean that the taraweeh prayer (or any prayer with these circumstances) is not accepted because we started our own rows unknowingly?

2. Also, what if one prays in a row, and people in your row leave, and nobody fills in the gaps. Does this prayer become nullified or deficient?

Jazkallah Khair

[Husain]

Please explain where exactly your rows where, how much space was there between them and the masjid, where they joined to the rows in the masjid etc

[ENIGMA]

Mufti Sahib, a question related to this. For example, a person in the row infront leaves the prayer due a need, and the speace left is directly infront of you. I know we should move to complete the row, and have been told that the people in the row where the psace is should move themselves, either from the right of left.

but i want to know, that if the row does not complete the saff, then how do i physically move myself to complete that saff? do i just walk like normal? do i take one stride and then slide the other foot on the ground. so mnay differing versions ive heard. if yuo could clarify for me, it would be much appreciated.

[Street Scholar]

Mufti Saheb, there are three areas that prayer was taking place,
1. the inside of the masjid (musallah area),

2. then the area between the outside and the musallah where people would take their shoes off at (about 10 feet long),

3. and then outside of this 10 foot area (outside of the masjid) brothers would also pray.

I would estimate there was about 30 feet between our last row (3) outside of the masjid and the entrance to the musallah (1). During the beginning of the salat, everything was packed in (1) and (2), and we had about 4 rows where we were at. But towards the end of salat, people would leave, and there was maybe a space of about 20 feet between us and the brother in the musallah (although I did not realize they had space).

JazakAllah khair, please let me know if you need anything else.

[Husain]

If there is a gap of two rows or more, from the end of the musallah, to the first row outside the masjid, then the salah of those outside would not be correct.

I would advise asking some of your local scholars there to comment, after seeing the setup.

And Alah Ta'ala knows best

[Street Scholar]

JazakAllah Khair Mufti Saheb for your reply, insha'Allah I will ask local scholars about it. Another similar situation was brought up by a brother at work, what happens in a masjid with 2 floors, where the overflow goes to the second floor, and they cannot see the main floor with the Imam in order to tell if the rows have cleared?