Where do I stand if I pray with one other person?
If you pray with one other person of the same gender, the follower stands at the imam's right side, level with him or just slightly behind. If a woman prays behind a man, she stands behind him, not beside him.
Two men, or two women
When only two people pray together, the one following stands on the imam's right. This comes from Ibn Abbas, who as a boy joined the Prophet ﷺ in his night prayer. He stood at the Prophet's left, so the Prophet ﷺ took hold of him and moved him round to his right side (Sahih Muslim 763). The same applies to two women praying together.
How close? Most scholars, including the Hanafis and Hanbalis, say stand level with the imam, feet in line. The Shafi'i school recommends the follower stand a little behind, so it's clear who is leading. Either way, keep close and don't step ahead of the imam.
A man and a woman
If a husband leads his wife, or a son leads his mother, the woman stands behind the man, not at his side, even when she is the only follower. Anas described praying with the Prophet ﷺ, with an orphan beside him in the row and an old woman standing alone behind them (Sahih al-Bukhari 380). A man and a woman who are not related shouldn't pray alone together in private, so this usually comes up with spouses and close family.
When a third person joins
- The simple way: the newcomer stands at the imam's left, then the two followers step back together to form a row behind him.
- Or the imam steps forward if there is more space in front than behind.
- A small move is fine. A step or two to fix the rows does not break anyone's prayer.
- If the newcomer is a woman, she simply stands behind, and the man stays at the imam's right.
If you're still learning the positions and words of the prayer itself, see How do I pray as a Muslim?
Everyday situations
This comes up all the time for converts: praying with a Muslim colleague in a meeting room, with a friend on a trip, or in a hotel room with your spouse. See How do I pray in a hotel room? If a friend who isn't Muslim yet wants to join in, they can watch or stand at the side. See Can I pray with Muslims if I'm not Muslim yet?
- One male follower stands at the imam's right, not the left.
- Level with the imam is the majority view; Shafi'is prefer slightly behind.
- A woman praying behind a man stands behind him, even alone.
- When a third person joins, the followers step back to form a row.
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