What is the ruling on lagging behind the imam in prostration, the closing salam, and other matters?

The questioner : The questioner asks: Is it permissible for us to prolong the prostration and not rise with the imam, doing so in the first rak'ah for supplication and seeking forgiveness from Allah, and then rising, reciting al-Fatihah, and following the imam's recitation?

The Shaykh : This lagging behind is not advisable, and it is contrary to what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: , and the meaning of that is that we do not lag behind in following the imam. When the imam rises from the second prostration in the first rak'ah, some people strive and lag behind in prostration, supplicating to Allah the Exalted. But we say that this is an action contrary to the Sunnah, and that the Sunnah commanded by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is to rise immediately when your imam rises and to follow him. This is because you are not free to do as you please with prolonging or shortening, since you are behind the imam. After he says "Subhan Rabbi al-A'la" (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High) in prostration, even once, the single recitation is sufficient. Saying "Subhan Rabbi al-A'la" once is enough. Following the imam is more important than repeating the tasbih. But the problem is that you may not be able to attain tranquility.
The problem is that you may not be able to attain tranquility. In that case, if you pray behind an imam with whom you cannot attain tranquility, it is obligatory for you to separate from him and not follow him. You separate completely and complete your prayer alone, and you advise the imam when he finishes, so that he stops this haste. For the imam's haste, which prevents the ma'mum from doing what is recommended, is forbidden for him. The imam does not pray only for himself, but for himself and for others. The person who acts on behalf of others is a guardian over them, and the guardian over a matter must do the best possible for the one under his guardianship. So for a person to be an imam for people and prevent them from doing the least of the recommended acts is not permissible, because it is contrary to the trust he is responsible for.
As for the sitting of rest, it is better for the ma'mum to follow his imam and not sit for the sitting of rest. This is because the sitting of rest is a recommended practice, and following the imam is more emphatic and preferable. So it is preferable to follow the imam and not sit for the rest. And if the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) dropped the obligatory act, which is the first tashahhud, when the imam forgot it, and the ma'mum remembered it, it is obligatory for the ma'mum to follow the imam and not sit for the first tashahhud, even though it is obligatory. So how much more so for the sitting of rest, which is a recommended practice?
Yes, it is true that the difference between them is that the sitting of rest is light and does not affect the following as the sitting for the first tashahhud does. But we say that it is in reality contrary to the form of the imam's prayer, because the imam's prayer is a prayer in which there is no sitting, as he does not see the sitting, for example. So you, the ma'mum, your prayer is linked to his prayer. And the Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) stated in the Fatawa that it is preferable to follow the imam and not sit for the sitting of rest. And this is what we believe in this issue.

The questioner : Lagging behind the imam.

The Shaykh : Yes, it is preferable to follow the imam, even in the salam; do not lag behind, not even in the salam.

The questioner : This is what he prayed upon.

The Shaykh : As long as the obligatory act is not missed. If the obligatory act is missed, for example, the imam says the salam before you send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or before you seek refuge in Allah from the punishment of the Hellfire, the punishment of the grave, and the trial of the Dajjal and the resurrection, then complete it.

The questioner : If we do not know, or if he sits for the rest, it is obligatory.

The Shaykh : You can tell from his state. Perhaps on some days you know that he does not do it, or you ask him: Do you sit or not?

The questioner : In the neighborhood, we do not know. Yes. In the neighborhood, we do not know.

The Shaykh : You ask him, you ask him if possible.