Obedience to Allah and His Messenger (saw) or Obedience to the West and its Organizations and Agents?!
(Translated)

News:

The existing systems in Muslim countries still force worshipers to distance themselves between Friday and congregational prayers; in implementation of the directives of the World Health Organization.

Comment:

Bukhari narrated in his Sahih that Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: When the Iqamah had been announced, the Messenger of Allah (saw) turned his face towards us and said: «أَقِيمُوا صُفُوفَكُمْ، وَتَرَاصُّوا، فَإِنِّي أَرَاكُمْ مِنْ وَرَاءِ ظَهْرِي» “Make your rows straight and stand close together, for I can see you from behind my back.”

Also Muslim narrated in his Sahih that Nu’man bin Bashir (may Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (saw) used to straighten our rows (in Salat), as if he was straightening an arrow with their help until he saw that we had learnt it from him. One day he came out, stood up (for Salat) and was about to say: Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest), (marking the beginning of the prayer) when he saw a man, whose chest was bulging out from the row. He said,

«عِبَادَ اللهِ لَتُسَوُّنَّ صُفُوفَكُمْ، أَوْ لَيُخَالِفَنَّ اللهُ بَيْنَ وُجُوهِكُمْ» “Slaves of Allah, you must straighten your rows or Allah would create dissension amongst you.”

Again Muslim narrated in his Sahih that Jabir bin Samurah (may Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (saw) came out to us (once) and said,

«أَلَا تَصُفُّونَ كَمَا تَصُفُّ الْمَلَائِكَةُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهَا؟» “Why do you not stand in rows as the angels do before their Rabb?” We asked: "O Messenger of Allah! how do the angels stand in rows before their Rabb?" He (saw) replied, «يُتِمُّونَ الصُّفُوفَ الْأُوَلَ وَيَتَرَاصُّونَ فِي الصَّفِّ» “They complete each row beginning with the first and filling all the gaps.”

Al-Hakim narrated and said it is authentic according to the condition stated by Muslim, it was reported from 'Abdullah bin 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

«مَنْ وَصَلَ صَفّاً وَصَلَهُ اللَّهُ، وَمَنْ قَطَعَ صَفّاً قَطَعَهُ اللَّهُ» “Whoever completes a row, may Allah be generous to him, and whoever cuts a row, may Allah cut him off.”

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said,

«أَقِيمُوا الصُّفُوفَ فَإِنَّمَا تَصُفُّونَ بِصُفُوفِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَحَاذُوا بَيْنَ الْمَنَاكِبِ وَسُدُّوا الْخَلَلَ وَلِينُوا فِي أَيْدِي إِخْوَانِكُمْ وَلَا تَذَرُوا فُرُجَاتٍ لِلشَّيْطَانِ وَمَنْ وَصَلَ صَفّاً وَصَلَهُ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى وَمَنْ قَطَعَ صَفّاً قَطَعَهُ اللَّهُ»

“Arrange the rows in order, for you are standing by the rows of the angels, stand shoulder to shoulder, close the gaps, be accommodating to your brothers, and do not leave gaps for Satan. Whoever joins up a row, he will be joined to Allah (i.e., to the Mercy of Allah); and whoever cuts off a row, he will be cut off from Allah (i.e., from His Mercy).”

The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, adhered to this, as Malik narrated at Al-Muwatta and Al-Bayhaqi in the great Sunnahs that Umar ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, was “commanding the leveling of the rows, so when they got back to him and told him that they are leveled he will start the prayer with Takbeer” After this complete clarification from the Messenger of Allah (saw) on how to perform congregational prayers, do we follow and imitate the Messenger of Allah, the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him who

(وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَى * إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ وَحْيٌ يُوحَى)

“doesn’t speak of (his own) desire* that [which he conveys to you] is but [a divine] inspiration with which he is being inspired” [An-Najm: 3-4] or do we follow the directives of the colonial disbelieving Western countries, organizations and agents who

(وَدُّواْ لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ كَمَا كَفَرُواْ فَتَكُونُونَ سَوَاء) “they would love to see you disbelieve and deny the truth even as they have disbelieved and denied it, so that you should be like them.” [An-Nisaa: 89]?

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Mohammed Abdul Malik