Assalamualaikum Mufti saheb Do any of the ahadiths regarding the straigthening of the saffs mention how this must be done? Is it specifically mentioned whether the heels or toes must be kept in line. Please provide a detail response and also mention what the Ulema over the ages have mentioned regarding this. The straigthening of saffs is supposed to unit the Ummah and the members praying in a particular community. Unfortunately this issue of “Toes in line” versus “Heels on the line” is creating divisions amongst the musallees? What advice would you offer when this issue is brougth up. (It usually is brougth up as we are preparing to straigthen the saffs for the salaat.) Jazaakalaah Khair
During Salaah, the straightening of saffs (rows) has been emphasised in many
Ahadith. There is no hadith specifying the heels online or toes online. The
administration of the masjid should adopt a method to ensure the
straightening of the saffs. Generally the procedure of heels on line is
adopted as in that method the differences of the length of feet will not
have any bearing on the straightening of the saffs. On the contrary, if the
emphasis is on the “toes on line.” due to differences in the length of
people’s feet, it will have a bearing on the staightening of the saffs.
And Allah Ta’ala knows best
Mufti E. Desai