Do I perform the sitting of rest while I am the imam of a mosque, and new worshippers visit my mosque every day, so I fear that if I perform this recommended practice, they will precede me in standing?

The questioner : Another question, O Shaykh. The sitting of rest. We, as imams, I believe its status as a recommended practice is based on the authentic hadith. But since I am the imam, and the worshippers, if they believe in the regular congregation of the mosque, there is no doubt that people from the mosque come to it every day, including new ones. If I perform the recommended practice of the sitting of rest completely, it happens that some of the worshippers, as you know, precede the imam in standing. So, in this case, is it possible for us to leave the recommended practice?

The Shaykh : It is not permissible for the imam to leave the recommended practice permanently. Rather, he must educate the people permanently, and by that, the recommended practice will live and the religious innovation will die. So, instead of you, who are the imam, following those who follow you, let them follow you. But due to their ignorance, they do not know the recommended practice in the first place. Then, it prevails over them to follow some of the schools of jurisprudence that do not recognize the sitting of rest. This is secondly. Therefore, the imam must remind the worshippers behind him of this recommended practice before he says the takbir of entering the state of consecration. He says to them: "O brothers, do not precede me in bowing, prostrating, or standing, especially since I sit the sitting of rest, and you must follow me in this sitting, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to sit it." If you follow the people with this advice and such a reminder, they will be guided and then follow you. This is how it should be...

The questioner : Okay, may Allah reward you, O Shaykh.

The Shaykh : And you.