Tazahum (crowding, and competing claims)

Tazahum is crowding, people pressing against one another in a place. It is forbidden if it hurts someone or leads to a forbidden act. ¹

In the language, tazahum is people crowding one another, narrowing the place or pushing in a tight space. It is forbidden if it harms someone, as when the strong crowd the weak at the Black Stone, or leads to a forbidden act, as when a woman mixes with men in circumambulation. ¹

If a follower is crowded and cannot prostrate on the ground as the imam does, but can prostrate on a person's back or a beast's, the Hanafis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis hold that he must, on the report: when the crowd is great, let one of you prostrate on his brother's back. The Malikis forbid prostrating on a man's back, and the prayer is repeated if one does. ²

If the crowd prevents a circumambulating pilgrim from kissing or touching the Black Stone, he suffices with a sign, by agreement, on the report that Umar was told he is strong and should not harm the weak. ²

If an insolvent debtor, after being restrained for his creditors, acknowledges a debt he had incurred before, the Hanafis and Hanbalis do not accept the acknowledgement against the creditors; the Malikis accept it only with proof; the sounder Shafi'i view accepts it and lets the new creditor compete. ^{2 3} When bequests compete, the Hanafis put obligation before recommendation when all are for God (duties, then obligations, then voluntary alms), and divide the third among all when the bequests join God's right and people's rights. The Shafi'is do not put the obligatory first; the bequests share, and the obligation is made up from the principal. A bequest of a specific thing to two persons is shared. ^{2 3}

If people crowd at a well, the Kaaba's door or in circumambulation, and then separate from a slain man whose killer is unknown, the Hanafis, Malikis and Hanbalis hold that this is not a sign (lawth) for oath-taking; Ishaq held the same, and it is reported from Umar and Ali. The Hanafis and Hanbalis put the blood-money on the public treasury; the Malikis hold his blood wasted; the Shafi'is hold it a sign. ^{3 4}

Jurists discuss crowding in Friday and congregational prayer, in the chapter on insolvency, and in circumambulation. ⁴