The Imamship of the Incompetent
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The first question of Fatwa No. ( 17323 )
Q1: The mosque where I pray has a regular imam who has fallen ill with an illness that prevents him from standing. The worshippers have disagreed about following him: some said that the regular imam should pray with us sitting down and we should pray behind him sitting down, citing the hadith:Sahih al-Bukhari 1236 , and at its end: Sunan Ibn Majah 846Sahih (Darussalam) . Others claimed that the aforementioned hadith was abrogated by his prayer (peace and blessings be upon him) in his illness of death. What is the ruling in this matter?
A1 : If the regular imam falls ill with an illness that is expected to end, and he is unable to stand, and he begins the prayer sitting down, then those behind him pray sitting down, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih al-Bukhari 1236 , up to his saying: Sunan Ibn Majah 846Sahih (Darussalam) . As for the hadith of his prayer (peace and blessings be upon him) sitting down in his illness of death while the people behind him were standing, that is because Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had begun the prayer with them standing, and then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came and completed the prayer with them sitting down. So it is taken from this that if the imam begins the prayer standing and then becomes ill during it and sits down, they
complete the prayer behind him standing. A group of scholars held that their prayer behind him (peace and blessings be upon him) standing in his illness of death indicates the permissibility of standing behind a sitting imam, and the other hadiths indicate that sitting behind him is better if he is sitting. Both positions are sound, and there is no harm in that, if Allah wills. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q1: The mosque where I pray has a regular imam who has fallen ill with an illness that prevents him from standing. The worshippers have disagreed about following him: some said that the regular imam should pray with us sitting down and we should pray behind him sitting down, citing the hadith:
The Imam is to be followed
إنما جعل الإمام ليؤتم بهand if he prays sitting down then all of you pray sitting down.
وإذا صلى جالسًا فصلوا جلوسًا أجمعينA1 : If the regular imam falls ill with an illness that is expected to end, and he is unable to stand, and he begins the prayer sitting down, then those behind him pray sitting down, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
The Imam is to be followed
إنما جعل الإمام ليؤتم بهand if he prays sitting down then all of you pray sitting down.
وإذا صلى جالسًا فصلوا جلوسًا أجمعينcomplete the prayer behind him standing. A group of scholars held that their prayer behind him (peace and blessings be upon him) standing in his illness of death indicates the permissibility of standing behind a sitting imam, and the other hadiths indicate that sitting behind him is better if he is sitting. Both positions are sound, and there is no harm in that, if Allah wills. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.