QUESTION
If in Jamat prayer a person in the row in front of you leaves for whatever reason, leaving a gap in the saf (row), are you obliged to move forward to fill that gap (while prayer is going on) or can you just remain in your place and leave the row in front with the gap?
And if you do move forward to fill it can you pick up your items such as mobile etc that you’ve placed on the floor while praying?
ANSWER
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful
You should fill the gap that becomes vacant in the front row.
In relation to your items, if you can pick them up without committing ‘amal kathīr (an excessive non-ṣalāh action), then it is fine to pick them up, otherwise leave them.
And if there is fear that the items may go missing if you do not pick them up, but picking them up will involve ‘amal kathīr (an excessive non-ṣalāh action), then you should stay in your place.
And Allah, the Almighty, knows best
Mufti Sufyan ibn Yakub