When does the ma'mum (one praying behind the imam) say the taslim? After the imam's first taslim or the second?

The questioner : When does the ma'mum (one praying behind the imam) say the taslim? After the imam's second taslim or after his first?

The Shaykh : We believe it is after the first taslim—“And upon you be the peace of Allah and His mercy and His blessings”—because it is established in the Sunnah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sometimes limited himself to a single taslim, and more often he would say two taslims. The intended meaning of his statement (peace and blessings be upon him): is the first taslim; that is, if the one praying says the first taslim, he has exited the prayer. If he wants to perform the better recommended practice, he says the second taslim, and if he limits himself to the first, it is permissible. Therefore, when the imam exits the prayer with the first taslim, the follower must follow him in this detail and not wait for the second taslim, because...

The questioner : The second one.

The Shaykh : ...the second taslim. This is because the ruling of the second taslim is different from that of the first. We have established that the first is a pillar of the prayer; the prayer is not valid without it according to the majority of scholars, contrary to the Hanafis, who hold that the taslim is merely obligatory. As for the second taslim, it is a recommended practice (sunnah).

The questioner : I mean, according to the assumption... according to the Hanafis' assumption and their consideration, if the single... at the end of the tashahhud.

The Shaykh : This is the meaning of my statement.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : This is the meaning of my statement. Therefore, they said: exiting—what did they say?—by itself; that one must intentionally exit. As for the means? The salam. They even said to him... Glory be to Allah! Despite his statement (peace and blessings be upon him): .
The Shaykh: The point is that we see each taslim as distinct, and each taslim has a ruling different from the other. And his statement: to the end of the hadith that we have mentioned repeatedly, one should follow the imam in every dhikr (remembrance). If he says the taslim, we say it with him. If he says the second, we say it with him. If he is content with the first...