the Hanabilah, for they hold that the Sunnah is to separate between the two feet with a distance that equals about four fingers [nearly 10 cm.] no more- as is mentioned in “Al-Fiqh ‘Alal Math?hib Al-’Arba’ah” (vol. 1/p. 207). This view is, however, baseless; it is just a mere opinion. Were it authentic, it would be applied only to the Im?m and the Munfarid so as not to contradict the authentic Sunnah -as is well established in the science of ’Us?lul Fiqh”.

To conclude, I urge all my muslim brothers, especially the Im?ms, who are keen to follow the prophet’s ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) Sunnah and gain the reward of reviving it, to apply this Sunnah earnestly and teach it to other muslims to escape All?h’s ( - عز وجل -) threat of exciting enmity amongst them’. (1)

I believe that unless muslims apply that which ’Anas and An-Nu‘m?n described in their narrations, and hence alot of space available for other muslims, rows would still be disconnected and; accordingly,

(a) They would fail to apply the Sunnah.

(b) And would incur All?h’s ( - عز وجل -) punishment on them as mentioned in the prophet’s had?th narrated by Ibn ‘Umar: ‘Straighten the rows, stick shoulders together and fill in the gabs; never leave slits through which Shait?n could pass. Whoever connects a row; All?h ( - عز وجل -) would keep close to him. And whoever disconnects a row, All?h ( - عز وجل -) would keep away from him’. (2)

(c) Enmity would be excited amongst them (3) for the internal decay echoes with the external decadence and vice versa, this is