The imam after he has said the two closing salams – the follower says the salam – but, and Allah knows best, I saw you say the salam before the imam?

The questioner:
Shaykh, according to the previous information I had – that the imam after he has said the two closing salams – the follower says the salam – but, and Allah knows best, I saw you say the salam before the imam.

The Shaykh:
This has no basis – it has no basis at all – rather, the apparent evidence obligates the opposite, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The imam is appointed to be followed, so when he says the takbir, say the takbir, and when he bows, bow, and when he says, "Allah hears the one who praises Him," say, "Our Lord, and to You is the praise," to the end of the hadith. So here, when the imam says the salam...
...the first salam – linguistically – is it said that the imam has said the salam or not? I think you Arabs will agree with me, and I am a non-Arab, that the meaning is: when the imam says the first salam...
...that the imam has said the salam – then at that time – why do we not say: The imam is appointed to be followed, and by analogy with what the Messenger mentioned of some of the parts of the prayer – and its obligations...
...when he says the takbir, say the takbir, and when he bows, bow, and when he says, "Allah hears the one who praises Him"... and to the end of the hadith, why do we not say: when he says the salam, say the salam, especially since there is a sunnah (recommended practice)...
...known among the people of the Sunnah and the community, unknown to most of those who follow some of the schools of jurisprudence, which is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) sometimes would limit himself to...
...one salam – so if I were to lead you in prayer now, for example, and I wanted to revive this sunnah with you – and I said the salam once – "Peace be upon you" – and I stopped – you are waiting for what?
...you are waiting – for the second salam –
...where is the evidence for this, that when the imam says the salam, you say the salam? This waiting is only valid to be adopted – and to be said – in the case where it is our opinion that each of the two salams is...
...a condition or a pillar of the prayer, meaning – the saying of the Messenger (peace be upon him) – "Its prohibition is the takbir, and its permission is the salam" – is the salam here interpreted as the two salams, or...
...is it interpreted as the first salam? There is no doubt that the second interpretation is the correct one, in light of what we mentioned of the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) sometimes...
...would limit himself to the single salam – so as long as the second salam is not a condition, but rather a sunnah (recommended practice) that completes it, and the condition is only the first salam, then when the imam...
...says the first salam, does that permit the exit of the one praying from the prayer? The answer is yes – if its permission is the salam, the first salam, then the condition is the first...
...salam – so when the imam says, "Peace be upon you," we follow him and do not lag behind him. If he adds to that by saying the second salam, which is the practice of most imams...
...we follow him as well. But if we adopt – that the salam of the one being led is to be after the second salam – then perhaps, in addition to the contradiction we mentioned, we might...
...stand waiting for the second salam – so perhaps he does not do it – so that means when he says the first salam, say the salam – and if – I say – that – he says the second salam, say the salam, and if he...
...does not say it, wait. I am with you among those waiting – no – this is what I have, and I think the time has ended, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
He says the closing salam, so wait for me; I am with you among those who are waiting. No, this is all I have, and I think the time is up, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.