Question:
If we attend a funeral prayer and are obliged to pray with gaps in the rows, is the prayer correct?
Answer:
Having gaps in the rows is an obvious and clear disunity.The soundness of this prayer is questionable.
These are things which are inconsistent. They (the people) enter the Masjid in crowds and leave in crowds (while they are in close proximity with each other), yet during the prayer it is a must that they separate!? They also sit close together around the deceased whilst in contact with each other, yet during the prayer it is prohibited! Likewise in the money exchange places, they are close together in contact, but in the obligatory prayer they are distant from one another. Also during (their) journeys, whether it be by air or by land for verily they arrive together as a large group in one car. Rather you might find those who hold others accountable (i.e, police officers) coming in the same car (while in close proximity with each other). You won’t see an official come with his guards each one in a (separate) car rather they are all together. So why is it like this during the prayer with this restrictiveness and extremeness?!
The Prophet ﷺ said “The one that is extreme in his religion will be ruined”.
So therefore if the rows are close together then they are valid rows. As for those that are separated, then don’t pray with them and Allah knows best.
Answered by: Shaikh Abu Abdillah Muhammad Ba Jamaal (May Allah preserve him)
Source: https://t.me/OfficialChannelShaykhBaajammaal/95
Translated by: Abu Musa Jamaal al-Britāni