Is it permissible to follow the mosque imam in leaving off some of the recommended practices?

Question:
He says: If the mosque imam does not perform some of the recommended practices, is it permissible to follow him in leaving them off, based on the hadith: "The imam is appointed to be followed"?

Answer:
He is to be followed in the actions of the prayer, but not in negligence or laziness. You are understanding the hadith in a way that is not its intended meaning. In the actions of the prayer, the actions of the one praying behind the imam follow the imam's actions: the takbir, the ruku', the sujud, the taslim, and other actions and words. It does not mean that you follow the imam in his laxity or his laziness. Yes.