An imam who leaves off rak'ahs of a four-rak'ah prayer by mistake and the validity of the prayer of the followers
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Question:
He says: We prayed in one of the mosques, and the imam led us in the four-rak'ah prayer for three rak'ahs. He sat for the first tashahhud after the first rak'ah, and when he finished the recitation, he was reminded. So he stood up and performed three more rak'ahs. When he was questioned about it afterward, he said this is the legal ruling. Is our prayer valid? Are we required to repeat it? And is there a word of guidance for an imam like this?
Answer:
I do not know of any basis for this imam's action at all. If one leaves off something from the prayer by mistake, a rak'ah or more, then if he is reminded, he stands up and performs only what he left off. He stands, faces the qiblah, then stands as he was in the prayer, then performs what he left off, then prostrates for forgetfulness.
This is what is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When he said the taslim after the two rak'ahs of the four-rak'ah prayer and was reminded, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came and sat in his place, then stood up, and his Companions stood up with him. So he completed the prayer with them and prostrated for forgetfulness.
And he guided his Companions to that. This is the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): that one performs what he left off from the prayer and prostrates for forgetfulness, on the condition that the interval does not become long. If the interval becomes long or his wudu' is broken, he repeats the prayer from the beginning. But as long as the interval has not become long and he is in the mosque, it is as we mentioned: the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood from his place and went to a side of the mosque and sat, then they informed him, and he asked his Companions, "Is it correct?" They said, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up, completed the prayer, and prostrated for forgetfulness.
This is the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). As for him saying that this is prescribed, or that he heard that he said, "I read it in a book," I do not know of a book on this subject in this form. It is required of the imams of mosques and others not to issue fatwas to people out of ignorance; they should verify. As for the prayer of the followers, the one to whom this mistake is reported must repeat the prayer. The one to whom this mistake is reported must repeat the prayer. But the one who left and did not know is excused, if Allah wills. Yes.
He says: We prayed in one of the mosques, and the imam led us in the four-rak'ah prayer for three rak'ahs. He sat for the first tashahhud after the first rak'ah, and when he finished the recitation, he was reminded. So he stood up and performed three more rak'ahs. When he was questioned about it afterward, he said this is the legal ruling. Is our prayer valid? Are we required to repeat it? And is there a word of guidance for an imam like this?
Answer:
I do not know of any basis for this imam's action at all. If one leaves off something from the prayer by mistake, a rak'ah or more, then if he is reminded, he stands up and performs only what he left off. He stands, faces the qiblah, then stands as he was in the prayer, then performs what he left off, then prostrates for forgetfulness.
This is what is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When he said the taslim after the two rak'ahs of the four-rak'ah prayer and was reminded, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came and sat in his place, then stood up, and his Companions stood up with him. So he completed the prayer with them and prostrated for forgetfulness.
And he guided his Companions to that. This is the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): that one performs what he left off from the prayer and prostrates for forgetfulness, on the condition that the interval does not become long. If the interval becomes long or his wudu' is broken, he repeats the prayer from the beginning. But as long as the interval has not become long and he is in the mosque, it is as we mentioned: the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood from his place and went to a side of the mosque and sat, then they informed him, and he asked his Companions, "Is it correct?" They said, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up, completed the prayer, and prostrated for forgetfulness.
This is the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). As for him saying that this is prescribed, or that he heard that he said, "I read it in a book," I do not know of a book on this subject in this form. It is required of the imams of mosques and others not to issue fatwas to people out of ignorance; they should verify. As for the prayer of the followers, the one to whom this mistake is reported must repeat the prayer. The one to whom this mistake is reported must repeat the prayer. But the one who left and did not know is excused, if Allah wills. Yes.
Source
لقاء مفتوح [الزلفي] — alfawzan.live (57:15)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.