What is the ruling on following the imam in the qunut of the Fajr prayer?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner: Okay, a question, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh: All right.
The questioner: Some people perform the qunut in the Fajr prayer, so what is our position when we pray behind them? Do we perform the qunut with them, or do we stop?
The Shaykh: Naturally, you do not perform the qunut with them, but you make du'a, meaning you raise your hands while he is making du'a, and you say "Ameen." As for you, you do not perform the qunut with him, because what does qunut mean? It means making du'a. He is making du'a, you are not making du'a, but you say "Ameen." So it is as if you are asking in your question: for example, if he raises his hands, do you raise your hands with him or not? And when he makes du'a, do you say "Ameen" or not? I think that is your question.
The questioner: Yes, that is my question.
The Shaykh: The answer is that it is not permissible for a Muslim to contradict his imam, even if the imam is, in the view of this follower, mistaken or deviating from the Sunnah. Is this answer clear? The Messenger (peace be upon him) said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 921Sahih (Darussalam), until he says: Sahih al-Bukhari 689. He is praying while sitting, and he is excused naturally, but the follower is not excused. He is able to pray standing, right? So why did he (peace be upon him) order him to pray sitting with the imam? So that there would be no difference between him and the imam. This other narration in this hadith confirms this meaning: Sahih al-Bukhari 722 . So if the imam raises his head from ruku' and raises his hands, why would you contradict him? Because he is excused in himself, at the very least.
The questioner: It is not an innovation; we do not consider it an innovation. We agree with them on it.
The Shaykh: You did not understand me. So he is excused in himself; he does not consider this an innovation. Do you understand how? But if he considers it an innovation, then in that case, you do not follow him. Clear? Clear?
The questioner: But if you inform him that it is an innovation.
The Shaykh: Who are you, the Shaykh al-Islam? Even if you inform him, the proof is established against him, and his conviction is his own.
The questioner : How are you?
The Shaykh: Welcome. May Allah bless you. How are you?
The questioner: We are bidding you farewell; we need to go to the clouds.
The Shaykh: To the clouds, and we are with you, if Allah wills.
The questioner : Welcome.
The Shaykh: You are our leader, and we are your followers.
The questioner: We ask Allah to preserve you.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner: And to care for you.
The Shaykh: We see you in good health.
The Shaykh: All right.
The questioner: Some people perform the qunut in the Fajr prayer, so what is our position when we pray behind them? Do we perform the qunut with them, or do we stop?
The Shaykh: Naturally, you do not perform the qunut with them, but you make du'a, meaning you raise your hands while he is making du'a, and you say "Ameen." As for you, you do not perform the qunut with him, because what does qunut mean? It means making du'a. He is making du'a, you are not making du'a, but you say "Ameen." So it is as if you are asking in your question: for example, if he raises his hands, do you raise your hands with him or not? And when he makes du'a, do you say "Ameen" or not? I think that is your question.
The questioner: Yes, that is my question.
The Shaykh: The answer is that it is not permissible for a Muslim to contradict his imam, even if the imam is, in the view of this follower, mistaken or deviating from the Sunnah. Is this answer clear? The Messenger (peace be upon him) said:
The Imam is appointed to be followed, so when he says the takbir, say the takbir
إنما جُعِلَ الإمام لِيُؤتَمَّ به ، فإذا كبَّرَ فكبِّرواand pray standing if he prays standing and pray sitting (all of you) if he prays sitting.
فإذا صلى قائمًا فصلوا قيامًا ، وإذا صلى جالسًا فصلوا جلوسًا أجمعينThe Imam is (appointed) to be followed. So do not differ from him
إنما جُعِلَ الإمام لِيُؤتَمَّ به فلا تختلفوا عليهSo do not differ from him.
فلا تختلفوا عليهThe questioner: It is not an innovation; we do not consider it an innovation. We agree with them on it.
The Shaykh: You did not understand me. So he is excused in himself; he does not consider this an innovation. Do you understand how? But if he considers it an innovation, then in that case, you do not follow him. Clear? Clear?
The questioner: But if you inform him that it is an innovation.
The Shaykh: Who are you, the Shaykh al-Islam? Even if you inform him, the proof is established against him, and his conviction is his own.
The questioner : How are you?
The Shaykh: Welcome. May Allah bless you. How are you?
The questioner: We are bidding you farewell; we need to go to the clouds.
The Shaykh: To the clouds, and we are with you, if Allah wills.
The questioner : Welcome.
The Shaykh: You are our leader, and we are your followers.
The questioner: We ask Allah to preserve you.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner: And to care for you.
The Shaykh: We see you in good health.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.