Explanation of the Hadith: (When the imam says the ameen, say it; for whoever his ameen coincides with the ameen of the angels, his previous sins will be forgiven)

The Shaykh: And after that:
Imam al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated in their Sahihs from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . In this hadith there is a command with a legal ruling, and an explanation of the reward for one who obeys this noble Prophetic command; namely his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): . The commentators of this hadith differed in explaining the meaning of this noble Prophetic command: . Some held that the meaning is: When the imam begins the ameen, you begin it with him; that is, they understood that the intent of the hadith is that the follower should synchronize his ameen with the ameen of his imam, saying with the imam: at the same time. Others held that the intent is that the follower’s ameen comes after the imam has finished his ameen. And some made a distinction with no basis, saying: Whoever is close to the imam synchronizes with him, and whoever is far from him delays behind him, following up his ameen after the imam’s ameen.
What has become clear to me after reflecting on these differing opinions regarding this authentic hadith over a long period of years is that the second opinion is stronger; namely that the follower’s ameen should be after the imam’s ameen.
First: Because the apparent meaning of the hadith does not indicate anything other than this; where he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . Because the reality of this phrase, "when he says the ameen," means: he said: . So interpreting it according to the opinion of those who hold the first view, "when he begins," is a figurative usage. It is known linguistically and legally that it is not permissible to resort to figurative usage unless the literal meaning is impossible and cannot be interpreted or understood; only then is the figurative usage adopted and the literal meaning left aside. And this condition is absent here; because it is clear that this is a command... when the imam says: ; the follower says: . So it is not appropriate to interpret the text at that time with something other than the literal meaning into figurative usage; because the original is literal. This is one thing.
And a second thing is that his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): is on the same pattern as his saying: , and on the same pattern as his saying: , , . All these texts indicate that what the follower is commanded to say is only after the imam has finished what he was commanded to say. So, based on this hadith, the follower should not say with the imam: , but rather he waits for the imam to finish his takbir, then he immediately begins his takbir. Likewise, he does not bow until the imam has engaged in bowing, and the follower does not prostrate until he sees the imam has engaged in prostration, despite the long distance between the imam’s prostration and the follower’s following of the imam in prostration. As came in Sahih Muslim from the hadith of al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: . So this hadith in particular, and the previous commands in general, confirm that the Sunnah and the course that the follower should follow with the imam in his dhikr and his recitations is not to synchronize with him in them, but to follow him. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) confirmed this by his saying: ; meaning: to be followed. So your saying with him: is not following him, but rather synchronizing with him. And this is for all the pillars. And likewise, finally, your saying with the imam: is not following him, but rather synchronizing with him. So his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): , we said: its apparent meaning, first from the Arabic perspective, and then from the perspective of considering the previously mentioned commands, requires that the follower say the ameen after the imam has finished his ameen, and not that he say it with him, synchronized with his ameen. This is the second thing.