The Shaykh’s response to “Salman al-Oudah” regarding his call for imams to shorten the prayer for the congregation without establishing a criterion for this shortening.

Salman al-Oudah: For example, there is an imam who applies the Sunnah to the people, and he may prolong the prayer for them excessively, which burdens them and may even drive them away from the congregational prayer, even though what is required of the imam in recitation is to consider the condition of the ma'mum (those praying behind him); therefore, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ; so considering the condition of the people is also part of the Sunnah, and the Sunnah is not merely prolonging the prayer in itself, but moderate prolongation is prescribed, and considering the condition of the ma'mum is also prescribed.

The Shaykh : And his approach to this issue, like many of his issues, obscures the truth in it. Yes, we are commanded to make things easy, but what is the criterion for making things easy? He does not address that, because it is not what concerns him; he is only concerned with, as we said, “fill in the gaps and approximate.” I do not know what the exaggeration and lack of care in applying the Sunnah is. So he should have said: Yes, making things easy has limits, because some people might say: My brother, the Fajr prayer—which is the longest of the five prayers—is valid with just the recitation of Surat al-Fatihah, so that is sufficient for you; so what would be the response?