What is the Sunnah for the imam and the ma'mum regarding sitting after the taslim of the prayer, and how should they depart?

The questioner : May Allah bless you. Some people, when the imam says the taslim, before he departs, either sit against a wall or lean against a wall, and some of them may rush to leave.

The Shaykh : No, this is contrary to the Sunnah. The Sunnah is that the ma'mum does not rise from his place until the imam departs, based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): "Do not precede us in departing." The imam's departure is of two types: sometimes he departs by rising from his place and going to a certain direction in the mosque or to the market, and sometimes he departs while remaining in his place. For this reason, it is disliked for the imam to prolong sitting facing the qiblah, because if he does so, one of two undesirable outcomes must occur: either he holds up the people, or the people depart before he does.

The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah preserve you. Is the Sunnah for the imam to remain for a long time after the prayer, or to depart after saying "O Allah, You are Peace and from You comes peace"?

The Shaykh : If he seeks forgiveness after the taslim three times and says "O Allah, You are Peace and from You comes peace, Blessed are You, O Owner of Majesty and Honor," then he departs to the people. This is the best.

The questioner : From Siraq.

The Shaykh : Then he remains in his place remembering Allah. If he wants to address the people with advice or speak about a need, he speaks.

The questioner : Departure means turning to the people. That is it.

The Shaykh : We have mentioned this many times, O 'Abd al-Hamid. Where are you?

The questioner : I mean, he does not go to the extent of bringing up ideas.