Straighten Our Saff and Close The Gaps Between Us

The Prophet Muhammad pbuh reminded:
“Perform your solat as you see me perform mine.”
(HR Bukhari)

Straightening the saff during prayers is a sunnah from the prophet Muhammad pbuh. (Never begins a sentence with ‘and’) As the above hadith has stated, we are urged to perform our prayers the way the Prophet did which we are lacking in especially in how we form our saffs. Consider this analogy, a driver can possibly drive his car even though without properly adjusting his seat, rear mirror and probably turning on his lights at night. There’s a chance he can reach his destination safely without any problems what so ever. He may not even get caught by the police, honked by other concerned road users or tragically get involved in a car accident. Same goes with the prayers in congregation (jamaah prayers), it’s not anyone to decide whether one prayer is accepted by Allah, the jamaah prayer may as well be accepted but would it be the same as when they are performed according to the guidance laid out? The ways shown by the Prophet through his hadiths and the examples shown by his early followers.

Lets share how we could improve this:

1. The role of the imam.

It was said that the Prophet Muhammad pbuh would ensure that the makmum has straightened their saffs before he starts the solat.

Anas bin Malik said,
after the iqamah for solat, Rasulullah would face us with his face and say:
“Straighten your rows and stand closer together, for I see you from behind my back.”
(HR Bukhari)

In normal practice our imams would just say “straighten you saffs”, “straighten your saffs” without even turning back and checking on his makmums and also not to forget those who preach in arabic not knowing that his ma'mum don't understand a thing. Yet there are those who just raise the takbir not the least troubled whether the makmums are ready and have straightened the saff. Take the example of Umar Al-Khattab, he would inspect and ensure each saff was straight and only then he would start the prayer.

Surely, under the leadership of good imams, the ummah is more likely to be united.

2. How should we straighten our saffs?

It also worries us that some people consider that straightening the saff is enough. From the fiqh perspective, straightening the saff is important but once that has been addressed, we should ensure that there are no gaps between the makmums. How this is done?

1. Standing shoulder to shoulder.

2. Standing foot to foot.

From Anas bin Malik, The Prophet said:
“Every one of us used to put his shoulder with the shoulder of his companion and his foot with the foot of his companion.”
(HR Bukhari)

Have we ever heard of the term “let’s join hands and work together”? We have a strong conviction physical bonds will instill closeness of the hearts until we become one strong united ummah.

3. Values gained

It’s a factor to achieve perfection in solat
RasululLah said: “Straighten your rows, because straightening your rows is a part of perfection in solat.” (HR Muslim)
A factor that unites the muslim’s heart as one ummah (as stated by the hadith of the poster)

It prevents disturbance from syaitan upon those who pray.
The Prophet pbuh said: “Straighten your saffs, close the gaps between you...for I see syaitan moving between the gaps like kids (goat’s offspring).” (HR Abu Daud)

InsyaAllah getting ample rewards from Allah.

Unfortunately, these sunnah of straightening our saffs and closing the gaps between our jamaahs has been neglected in Malaysia. Why do we deny ourselves from attaining such good? If the answer is “I’m not aware of this before..,” then there’s no better time to start than now, put these commands into practice in our next prayer and urge others to do the same.

The ummah’s individualistic tendencies have brought forth individuals who see for himself and for himself only. Each one is only concerned with what he owns as an individual, what he does as an individual and even how he obliges himself as individuals to Allah. All that matter is himself/herself and ignoring the fact that he/she is an integral part of this ummah.

Narrated by An-Nu'man bin Bashir: Allah's Apostle said,
“You see the believers as regards their being merciful among themselves and showing love among themselves and being kind, resembling one body, so that, if any part of the body is not well then the whole body shares the sleeplessness (insomnia) and fever with it.”
(HR Bukhari)

Let’s relive the concept of one ummah. It’s not impossible to revive it again; and let us start with how we perform our solat.

Building Integrity from Solat Campaign

broQ: jom kita kejar kesempurnaan dalam solat..lebih2 lagi dalam kita nak bersedia sambut kedatangan Ramadhan~itu pun kalau Allah panjangkan umur sampai ke minggu depan insyaAllah. ya Allah, Kau temukanlah aku dengan Ramadhan yang akan datang..entri kali nih kira kesinambungan khutbah abati (ustaz fuad Abdullah) di masjid 'surau al khauthar'..