How are successive rows determined in a multi-story mosque where the Imam is on the first floor, and some worshippers pray from a ground-level space within the mosque's boundaries while others pray from a roadside outside it, with differences in elevation between these locations?

The fundamental principle for arranging rows is their proximity to the Imam. The first row is the one directly behind him, whether or not there is a passageway or a private enclosure within it, and whether the building is a single structure or has multiple parts, as long as it is considered one mosque. Prayer in a single mosque, even if it has multiple sections like its courtyard, basement, roof, and minaret, is valid provided the worshipper is aware of the Imam's prayer and does not precede him. There is no requirement for continuous rows within a single mosque, as it is considered a single area. The arrangement of rows in other floors is determined by their proximity to the Imam; thus, prayer on the lower floor is closer to the Imam and is preferable.