Q469 :Why do people change their places after a
congregational prayer is over in a mosque in order to offer voluntary
prayers? I personally prefer to stay in the same place. Is it
acceptable?
A469 : It is perfectly appropriate if you offer your
voluntary prayer in the same place where you offered your obligatory
one with the congregation in the mosque. Indeed, there is no
restriction on the places where you can offer your prayers, since the
Prophet has told us that the whole earth is considered a place for
prayers for the nation of Islam. However, it is more convenient to
change places in order to leave a free passage for those who have
finished and want to go out. If all people in the congregation were to
offer their voluntary prayers in the position where they offered the
obligatory one, there will remain no gap for anyone who has already
finished and wants to leave, or for those who wish to go out
immediately, either because they have some work or because they wish to
attend voluntary prayers at home, as renetmended by the Prophet. Some
people, however, do not change places and they are at no fault.
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )