What is the ruling of the Shari'ah on a person who was praying and, during the prayer, did not follow the imam; for example, the imam prostrated and stood up, but he did not prostrate intentionally, so he prostrated when the imam stood up from the prostration and gave thanks?
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The questioner : What is the ruling of the Shari'ah on a person who was praying and, during the prayer, did not follow the imam; for example, the imam prostrated and stood up, but he did not prostrate intentionally, so he prostrated when the imam stood up from the prostration and gave thanks?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said Therefore, it is obligatory for the Muslim to be a follower of the imam, and the opposite of following is preceding, matching, and lagging behind.
So there are four states for the ma'mum in relation to the imam.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Either he precedes the imam, or he matches him, or he lags behind him significantly, or he follows him, meaning he is immediately behind him. The last state is the prescribed one, which is to be a follower, and anything other than that is not prescribed.
And it is established...
The questioner : Anything other than that, which is preceding, matching, and...
The Shaykh : and lagging behind.
The questioner : and lagging behind.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And it is established in the two Sahihs and others, the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 427a
The questioner : I seek refuge in Allah.
The Shaykh : And this indicates the prohibition of preceding.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So we say: if one precedes his imam intentionally, and he is aware of the prohibition of preceding, then his prayer is invalidated by that, because he did something that corrupts the prayer without an excuse. And if he precedes him out of forgetfulness or ignorance, then he returns to the place from which he preceded the imam, then he follows the imam, and his prayer is valid.
As for matching, matching is disliked, except in the takbir of ihram, in which the scholars mentioned that matching prevents the establishment of the prayer. And it is obligatory for the ma'mum to wait until the imam completes the takbir of ihram, then he says takbir. If he says takbir before his imam finishes the takbir, they say that his prayer is not established.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for lagging behind, it is either disliked or forbidden, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): And "if" is conditional, and the "so" is a connector, and connecting the answer to the condition indicates immediacy, and that the person does not delay.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So if he delays intentionally from the prostration, as in the question, until the imam stands up from the prostration, and he knows that this delay is forbidden, then his prayer is invalidated. But if he delays for an excuse, such as forgetting, dozing off, or something similar, then when his excuse is removed, he follows his imam, meaning he does what he lagged behind in, then he continues in following.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And his prayer is valid.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said
The imam was made to be followed, so do not differ with him. When he says takbir, say takbir, and do not say takbir until he says takbir. When he bows, bow, and do not bow until he bows. When he says "Allah hears the one who praises Him," say "Our Lord, and to You is praise." When he prostrates, prostrate, and do not prostrate until he prostrates. When he prays standing, pray standing, and when he prays sitting, pray sitting.
إنما جعل الإمام ليؤتم به فلا تختلفوا عليه فإذا كبر فكبروا ولا تكبروا حتى يكبر وإذا ركع فاركعوا ولا تركعوا حتى يركع وإذا قال سمع الله لمن حمده، فقولوا ربنا ولك الحمد، وإذا سجد فاسجدوا ولا تسجدوا حتى يسجد، وإذا صلى قائما فصلوا قياما وإذا صلى جالساً فصلوا جلوساSo there are four states for the ma'mum in relation to the imam.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Either he precedes the imam, or he matches him, or he lags behind him significantly, or he follows him, meaning he is immediately behind him. The last state is the prescribed one, which is to be a follower, and anything other than that is not prescribed.
And it is established...
The questioner : Anything other than that, which is preceding, matching, and...
The Shaykh : and lagging behind.
The questioner : and lagging behind.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And it is established in the two Sahihs and others, the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):
Does the man who lifts his head ahead of the Imam (from prostration) not fear that Allah may change his head into the head of an ass
أما يخشى الذي يرفع رأسه قبل الإمام أن يحول الله رأسه رأس حمار أو يجعل صورته صورة حمارThe questioner : I seek refuge in Allah.
The Shaykh : And this indicates the prohibition of preceding.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So we say: if one precedes his imam intentionally, and he is aware of the prohibition of preceding, then his prayer is invalidated by that, because he did something that corrupts the prayer without an excuse. And if he precedes him out of forgetfulness or ignorance, then he returns to the place from which he preceded the imam, then he follows the imam, and his prayer is valid.
As for matching, matching is disliked, except in the takbir of ihram, in which the scholars mentioned that matching prevents the establishment of the prayer. And it is obligatory for the ma'mum to wait until the imam completes the takbir of ihram, then he says takbir. If he says takbir before his imam finishes the takbir, they say that his prayer is not established.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for lagging behind, it is either disliked or forbidden, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
When he says takbir, say takbir.
إذا كبر فكبرواThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So if he delays intentionally from the prostration, as in the question, until the imam stands up from the prostration, and he knows that this delay is forbidden, then his prayer is invalidated. But if he delays for an excuse, such as forgetting, dozing off, or something similar, then when his excuse is removed, he follows his imam, meaning he does what he lagged behind in, then he continues in following.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And his prayer is valid.
The questioner : Yes.