Some people insist on praying the two rak’ahs of tawaaf behind Maqaam Ibraaheem even on days when it is crowded

Praise be to Allah.

Those who pray behind Maqaam Ibraaheem and insist on praying there, even though the people who are doing tawaaf need their space, are wronging themselves and wronging others, and they are sinners, trangressors and wrongdoers. They have no right to this space and you have the right to push them and to walk in front of them, and to step over them when they are prostrating, because they have no right to this space at all, and the fact that they are insisting on being in this space undoubtedly stems from their ignorance, because the two rak’ahs of Tawaaf may be done anywhere in the Mosque. A person can move away from the place where people are doing tawaaf and pray two rak’ahs. Even Ameer al-Mu’mineen ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) prayed the two rak’ahs of tawaaf in Dhu Tuwa, which is far away from al-Masjid al-Haraam, and is not even in al-Masjid al-Haraam. 

People have to fear Allaah with regard to themselves and with regard to their brothers, and not pray behind Maqaam Ibraaheem when the people need this space for tawaaf. If a person does that, he has no protection and we may push him or interrupt his prayer, and we may step over him when he is prostrating, because he is the one who is transgressing and doing wrong –Allaah forbid. End quote. 

Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him).