and stepping over them is permissible because it is a place of necessity.
Section: If he sits in a place and then a need arises for him, or he needs to perform (29) ablution, he is permitted to leave. Uqbah said: "I prayed behind the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in Medina the Asr prayer, then he gave the taslim and stood up quickly, stepping over people's necks toward the private quarters of some of his wives. He said: 'I remembered something from the gold we had, and I disliked for it to detain me, so I ordered its distribution.'" Recorded by al-Bukhari (30). If he stands up from his seat and then returns to it, he has more right to it, according to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "Whoever stands up from his seat and then returns to it, he is more entitled to it" (31). His ruling regarding stepping over [people] to reach his place is the same as the ruling for one who sees a gap in front of him.
Section: He is not permitted to make a person stand up so that he may sit in his place, regardless of whether the place is designated for a specific person to sit in, or if it is the place of a study circle for someone teaching in it, or a circle for jurists (32) to discuss matters, or if it is not; due to what was narrated by Ibn Umar, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade that...
(29) Omitted from [M]. (30) In: The Chapter on Whoever Leads People in Prayer and Remembers a Need, So He Steps Over Them, from the Book of Adhan; and in: The Chapter on A Man Thinking About Something During Prayer, from the Book of Actions During Prayer; and in: The Chapter on Whoever Likes to Expedite Charity on the Day He Receives It, from the Book of Zakat; and in: The Chapter on Whoever Hastens in His Walking for a Need or Purpose, from the Book of Seeking Permission. Sahih al-Bukhari 1/215, 2/84, 145, 8/76. It was also recorded by al-Nasa'i, in: The Chapter on the Concession for the Imam to Step Over People's Necks, from the Book of Sahw (Forgetfulness). Al-Mujtaba 3/70. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 4/7, 8. (31) In [M] an addition: "Recorded by Muslim". And it was recorded by Muslim, in: The Chapter on If One Stands Up From His Seat and Returns, He Is More Entitled to It, from the Book of Peace. Sahih Muslim 4/1715. And Abu Dawud, in: The Chapter on If One Stands Up From His Seat and Returns, from the Book of Etiquette. Sunan Abi Dawud 2/563. And al-Tirmidhi, in: The Chapter on What Has Been Said Regarding When a Man Stands Up from His Seat... etc., from the Chapters on Etiquette. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 10/210. And Ibn Majah, in: The Chapter on Whoever Stands Up from His Seat and Returns, He Is More Entitled to It, from the Book of Etiquette. Sunan Ibn Majah 2/1224. And al-Darimi, in: The Chapter on If One Stands Up From His Seat and Returns to It... etc., from the Book of Seeking Permission. Sunan al-Darimi 2/282. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 2/263, 283, 342, 389, 446, 447, 483, 527, 537, 3/32, 422. (32) In [A] and [M]: "the jurists".
