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Fatwa CenterStanding behind the Imaam when praying alone with him
Question
assalamu alaikum, my question is, when two people is making a jamaat, only two people, so should they stand together in one line or should one who is leading the prayer should be a step ahead. plzzz let me know because i hav seen many time tht whn two people making jamaat the one who is leading is a step ahead. thnank you
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
If only one person performs the prayer with the Imaam (the person leading the prayer), then it is desirable for him to stand on his right side. The evidence proving this is that Ibn 'Abbaas 
said: "One night I performed the prayer with the Prophet 
and I stood to his left side, so he took me from the back side of my head and lined me up (exactly) to his right side." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 86550 and 84802.
As regards whether one should stand on the same line with the Imaam or stand a step backward from him, then the scholars 
have two different opinions in this regard. The correct opinion is that he should stand exactly on the same line like him and he should not stand a little bit behind him; this is our view in Islamweb.
With regard to standing a step behind the Imaam, if you mean one walking step long, then there is no scholar who said this, because this is a long distance as this makes the person led in prayer standing behind the Imaam. Even the majority of the scholars who are of the view that he should stand slightly behind him did not say that he should stand behind him this far back.
Allaah Knows best.
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