The Regular Imam When He Arrives and Someone Has Already Taken the Lead
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
The first question: May Allah protect you all. I prayed the 'Isha' prayer once in one of the mosques in Riyadh. When the person who I believe was the mu'adhdhin stepped forward, recited, and began reciting a surah from the Qur'an, a person came from the direction of the mihrab in a large mosque. When the imam saw him, he stepped back and left the leadership of the prayer to this person. Is this action correct? And the second question, if you please. Wait, the Shaykh is answering the question. Go ahead. Go ahead, Shaykh Salih. Shaykh Salih, I heard the question. May Allah protect you.
The Shaykh:
What does he say? Okay, repeat the question one more time. May Allah protect you, and raise your voice, my brother.
The questioner:
Okay, once I prayed the 'Isha' prayer in a famous mosque in Riyadh. When a person stepped forward, whom I believe was the mu'adhdhin, and he recited al-Fatihah, then began a surah after al-Fatihah, a person came from the direction of the mihrab. When the imam saw him, he stepped back and left the leadership to him. I believe the imam was the one who stepped back. Is this action correct?
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good. He says: He prayed 'Isha' in a famous mosque, O Shaykh. And when the mu'adhdhin stepped forward to lead the worshippers, he recited al-Fatihah and a surah after it. Then a person came from the direction of the mihrab, and it appears he was the official imam. So this mu'adhdhin stepped back, and this person who entered stepped forward. O Shaykh, is this action correct?
The Shaykh:
Repeat the question.
The questioner:
He says that he prayed 'Isha' in one of the mosques, O Shaykh. And when the mu'adhdhin stepped forward after the iqamah was called, the mu'adhdhin stepped forward and recited al-Fatihah. Then a person came from the direction of the mihrab, and it appears he was the official imam. So the mu'adhdhin stepped back again, and the one who entered from the mihrab led the worshippers.
The Shaykh:
If the one who came and stepped forward, and the mu'adhdhin stepped back, if he is the official imam, then there is no harm in that. This has happened to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was delayed.
The presenter:
Yes, Shaykh.
The Shaykh:
So Abu Bakr led the people in prayer. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) arrived, and Abu Bakr wanted to step back. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gestured to him to remain in his place. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came and sat to the left of Abu Bakr. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) led the people, and Abu Bakr conveyed his takbir to them. This indicates that there is no harm if the imam arrives during the prayer and enters the leadership. Either the imam steps back and becomes a ma'mum, or he remains and conveys the imam's takbir if his voice does not reach the people. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you.
The first question: May Allah protect you all. I prayed the 'Isha' prayer once in one of the mosques in Riyadh. When the person who I believe was the mu'adhdhin stepped forward, recited, and began reciting a surah from the Qur'an, a person came from the direction of the mihrab in a large mosque. When the imam saw him, he stepped back and left the leadership of the prayer to this person. Is this action correct? And the second question, if you please. Wait, the Shaykh is answering the question. Go ahead. Go ahead, Shaykh Salih. Shaykh Salih, I heard the question. May Allah protect you.
The Shaykh:
What does he say? Okay, repeat the question one more time. May Allah protect you, and raise your voice, my brother.
The questioner:
Okay, once I prayed the 'Isha' prayer in a famous mosque in Riyadh. When a person stepped forward, whom I believe was the mu'adhdhin, and he recited al-Fatihah, then began a surah after al-Fatihah, a person came from the direction of the mihrab. When the imam saw him, he stepped back and left the leadership to him. I believe the imam was the one who stepped back. Is this action correct?
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good. He says: He prayed 'Isha' in a famous mosque, O Shaykh. And when the mu'adhdhin stepped forward to lead the worshippers, he recited al-Fatihah and a surah after it. Then a person came from the direction of the mihrab, and it appears he was the official imam. So this mu'adhdhin stepped back, and this person who entered stepped forward. O Shaykh, is this action correct?
The Shaykh:
Repeat the question.
The questioner:
He says that he prayed 'Isha' in one of the mosques, O Shaykh. And when the mu'adhdhin stepped forward after the iqamah was called, the mu'adhdhin stepped forward and recited al-Fatihah. Then a person came from the direction of the mihrab, and it appears he was the official imam. So the mu'adhdhin stepped back again, and the one who entered from the mihrab led the worshippers.
The Shaykh:
If the one who came and stepped forward, and the mu'adhdhin stepped back, if he is the official imam, then there is no harm in that. This has happened to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was delayed.
The presenter:
Yes, Shaykh.
The Shaykh:
So Abu Bakr led the people in prayer. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) arrived, and Abu Bakr wanted to step back. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gestured to him to remain in his place. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came and sat to the left of Abu Bakr. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) led the people, and Abu Bakr conveyed his takbir to them. This indicates that there is no harm if the imam arrives during the prayer and enters the leadership. Either the imam steps back and becomes a ma'mum, or he remains and conveys the imam's takbir if his voice does not reach the people. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، الإمام الراتب إذا حضر وقد تقدم من يصلي بهم - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com (0:21)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.