Question 008: I am deeply concerned about some Muslimahs not forming a complete row in congregational prayers. They always stand isolated in 3 or 4 family groups. They do not come forward, however, we tell them every night during Taraweeh. Even if some come forward out of compulsion they quietly split the rows, thus they are invalidating our prayers. Can you please tell me if my prayers are valid if they do not form complete rows?

Answer 008: Tarawih prayer is a recommended (mustahab) prayer. Performing mustahab prayers with a congregation (jama’ah) is not valid, according to some Shia scholars. It should be offered individually (i.e. Furada).

Therefore, if you are a Shia Muslim, you shouldn’t perform it with jama’ah. Otherwise, if performed in congregations, whether or not the rows are connected to each other, your prayer is not valid.
It should be noted that if the distance between the follower and the Imam or between him and another follower, who maintains connection with the Imam, is less than the size one person (one dhera) in the state of prostration, there would be no objection. However, if the gap is more than that, the jurists have different fatwas. Some scholars of the view that others’ prayers turn into individual prayers (furada).

According to the author of Urwatul Wuthqa, if those individuals, who are standing in the first row and have finished their prayers, stand up immediately and offer another prayer, others’ congregational prayers would be in order.[i]

[i]. Tawzih al-Masail of Imam Khomeini (with connotation), vol.1, Pg.774, issue No.1417;  Al-Yazdi, al-Sayyid Muhammad Kazem, al-Urwatul Wuthqa (with annotation), vol.3, pg.148, issue No.15, Islamic Publications Institute, Qom, 1419 A.H.

– Related Link: Tarawih Prayer, answer 013.