(2) It is affirmed through many ah?d?th -such as the one narrated by Ibn ‘Abb?s ( - رضي الله عنه -) - that the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) said to him: ‘what is the matter! I’am trying to make you stand beside me but you are retreating backwards’ (1) It was also narrated in the two Sah?hs of Bukh?r? and Muslim that the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) once turned J?bir to his right side when the later stood to his left side. Im?m Muslim said: ‘The Sunnah as narrated by Ibn ‘Abb?s is that the Ma’m?m should stand to right side of the Im?m, not to his left’ (2) if he was the only one to be led by the Im?m.

Ibn Dawy?n stated the same thing relating the aforementioned two ah?d?th. (3)

(3) This Sunnah was earnestly followed and practiced by the Sah?bah such as: Abdull?h Ibn ‘Utbah Ibn Mas‘?d who said: ‘I entered ‘Umar’s house at noon and found him performing Sal?t, I joined him and stood behind him. He ( - رضي الله عنه -) then pulled me and made me stand exactly to his right side’. (4)

Abdir Razz?q related that Ibn Juraij asked ‘At?’: ‘If there was one Ma’m?m with the Im?m, where should the former stand? ‘At?’ said: ‘To the Im?m’s right’.

Ibn Juraij asked: ‘Should he stand exactly beside him not a step backward or forward?

‘At?’ said: ‘Yes’.

Ibn Juraij then asked: ‘Very close to him, that no gab is to exist between them?’.

‘At?’ said: ‘Yes, Indeed’. (5)