Is it correct that the imam does not perform the prostration for forgetfulness after the closing salam so as not to disturb the people?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : The manner of prayer; most people nowadays [discuss] the manner of prayer after it.
The Shaykh : That is, it means that the prostration is only after the closing salam.
The questioner : After the closing salam, not before the closing salam.
The Shaykh : Before the closing salam.
The questioner : I say after the closing salam, before the closing salam. He says: We are afraid that if we apply the Sunnah too much, the people who do not know what is what [will be confused]. Yes.
The Shaykh : This is a mistake. Some imams say we do not [prostrate] after the closing salam so as not to disturb [the people], but as for before the closing salam, I have not known anyone to fear it except a person who wants the people not to say that he forgot or made a mistake. However, what we see is that the Sunnah is clarified and that he prostrates after the closing salam, and then he tells them when he is finished, he tells them: This is the Sunnah, and he clarifies it. And for that reason, the people used to deny the prostration for forgetfulness after the closing salam strongly. And when this Sunnah became widespread and appeared, praise be to Allah, they became reassured by it.
The Shaykh : That is, it means that the prostration is only after the closing salam.
The questioner : After the closing salam, not before the closing salam.
The Shaykh : Before the closing salam.
The questioner : I say after the closing salam, before the closing salam. He says: We are afraid that if we apply the Sunnah too much, the people who do not know what is what [will be confused]. Yes.
The Shaykh : This is a mistake. Some imams say we do not [prostrate] after the closing salam so as not to disturb [the people], but as for before the closing salam, I have not known anyone to fear it except a person who wants the people not to say that he forgot or made a mistake. However, what we see is that the Sunnah is clarified and that he prostrates after the closing salam, and then he tells them when he is finished, he tells them: This is the Sunnah, and he clarifies it. And for that reason, the people used to deny the prostration for forgetfulness after the closing salam strongly. And when this Sunnah became widespread and appeared, praise be to Allah, they became reassured by it.
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، 1278- هل من الصواب ألا يسجد الإمام للسهو بعد السلام لِئَلَّا يشوش على الناس؟ - الشيخ ابن عثيمين — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.