What is the ruling on following the imam in omitting the resting sitting if the imam does not sit for it and the follower considers it a recommended practice?

The questioner : Shaykh, if I pray behind an imam who does not sit for the resting sitting, and I consider it a recommended practice, is it better for me to sit or to omit it?

The Shaykh : No, it is better to follow; it is better to follow the imam, because following the imam is obligatory, and the resting sitting is a recommended practice. This is in accordance with his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): This is a principle. Some students may think that the completion of the hadith is a specification of the places where the follower must follow the imam, and that this completion of the hadith is a detailing of his saying: In my opinion, that is not a specification or detailing, but rather an illustration with some important examples. Otherwise, there are some branches that I referred to which do not fall under these details mentioned in the hadith: So his saying (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): : This elaboration is not for detailing: but rather it is citing some important examples in which it is necessary to follow the imam. Otherwise, the hadith did not mention: "And when he says the closing salam, say the salam." Is it permissible, because the salam was not mentioned in the hadith, for us not to follow him in the salam?!
Likewise, for example, if the imam forgets the first tashahhud and stands up, what do we do?!
This is undoubtedly a mistake on the part of the followers; do they follow him or do they not follow him?!
They follow him, because there is an explicit text on the matter, but it was not mentioned in the list of details mentioned in the hadith, and so on and so forth. For this important principle, I say: It is not befitting for the follower to contradict the imam by following his own school of thought. I am pleased, on this occasion, with what is in *Sunan Abu Dawud* with a sound chain: "That Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) was present on the day of Uthman ibn Affan's Hajj during his caliphate and stayed in Mina. Uthman completed his prayer (i.e., prayed four rak'ahs), while they all knew that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) prayed in Mina shortened when he performed the Farewell Pilgrimage. As for Uthman, he completed it. Ibn Mas'ud used to disapprove of this completion by him, and yet he would pray his prayer. Some of his companions would say to him: "You disapprove of his completion, yet you complete it?" He would say: "Disagreement is evil." This is as if he took it from a narration in the Sahih in the hadith of Anas mentioned earlier: Do not differ with him.