If the imam is unable to stand, should those behind him pray sitting?
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The questioner : The listener Khalid Khalil from the Matrouh Governorate in the Arab Republic of Egypt says: If the imam is unable to stand, should those behind him pray sitting?
The Shaykh : Yes, if the imam is unable to stand and prays sitting from the beginning of the prayer, then those behind him pray sitting, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)Sahih al-Bukhari 1236 until he said Sunan Ibn Majah 1238Sahih (Darussalam). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) once prayed with his Companions while sitting, and they were standing, so he gestured to them to sit down. This indicates that the ma'mum is commanded to follow his imam, even in this situation. We drop the standing from him, which is a pillar, in order to achieve following the imam. Similarly, the obligatory act is dropped from him if the imam stands up from the first tashahhud out of forgetfulness; in that case, the ma'mum follows him, and the first tashahhud is dropped from him in this situation. By this, it is known that if the imam does not sit for rest, it is not prescribed for the ma'mum to sit for rest, because sitting for rest involves a type of lagging behind the imam. What is prescribed for the ma'mum is to follow his imam immediately after he finishes the pillar he moved from and reaches the pillar he moved to, without lagging behind. By this, the following is completed, so the pillar of standing is dropped from the ma'mum if the imam prays sitting, and the obligatory act is dropped if the imam leaves the first tashahhud out of forgetfulness, and the recommended act is dropped if the imam leaves it and does not consider sitting for rest to be recommended. In that case, what is prescribed for the ma'mum is to follow him and not sit. If the imam considers sitting for rest to be recommended, and you ask: Is it the same if the imam considers not raising the hands at ruku', when rising from it, and when standing up from the first tashahhud, while the ma'mum considers it recommended? Do we tell the ma'mum not to raise his hands like the imam? The answer is that we say: No, raise your hands.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because raising your hands does not necessitate contradicting the imam, for you will bow with him, prostrate with him, and stand with him, unlike what necessitates contradiction. Therefore, if the imam does not perform the turuk sitting in the final tashahhud, or if he performs the turuk sitting in every tashahhud followed by taslim, and the ma'mum considers that the turuk sitting is performed in the final tashahhud if the prayer is three or four rak'ahs, then we tell the ma'mum to do what he considers to be the Sunnah, even if he contradicts his imam in the manner of sitting, because this is not considered a difference from the imam.
The important point is to say in the answer to the question: If the imam prays sitting, then the ma'mums pray sitting.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Due to the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to do so, and because he actually applied this when the Companions prayed behind him standing, so he gestured to them to sit down. This is if he began the prayer sitting. But if the imam began the prayer standing and then an ailment occurred and he sat down, then the ma'mums complete their prayer standing. This is how the report established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is understood, when he came during his illness and Abu Bakr was praying with the people standing, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sat to the left of Abu Bakr and completed the prayer with them, while they remained standing. The explanation for this is that they began the prayer standing with their imam, and the ailment occurred to him during the prayer, so he sits, while they pray the rest of their prayer standing, based on the beginning of the prayer.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, Shaykh Muhammad, and may He magnify your reward for what you have clarified for us in this episode. Thank you, you are our noble brothers. This episode of the program Nur 'ala al-Darb has ended. Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : Yes, if the imam is unable to stand and prays sitting from the beginning of the prayer, then those behind him pray sitting, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
The Imam is to be followed
إنما جعِل الإمام ليؤتم بهand if he prays sitting down then pray sitting down.
وإذا صلى قاعدا فصلوا قعودا أجمعينThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because raising your hands does not necessitate contradicting the imam, for you will bow with him, prostrate with him, and stand with him, unlike what necessitates contradiction. Therefore, if the imam does not perform the turuk sitting in the final tashahhud, or if he performs the turuk sitting in every tashahhud followed by taslim, and the ma'mum considers that the turuk sitting is performed in the final tashahhud if the prayer is three or four rak'ahs, then we tell the ma'mum to do what he considers to be the Sunnah, even if he contradicts his imam in the manner of sitting, because this is not considered a difference from the imam.
The important point is to say in the answer to the question: If the imam prays sitting, then the ma'mums pray sitting.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Due to the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to do so, and because he actually applied this when the Companions prayed behind him standing, so he gestured to them to sit down. This is if he began the prayer sitting. But if the imam began the prayer standing and then an ailment occurred and he sat down, then the ma'mums complete their prayer standing. This is how the report established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is understood, when he came during his illness and Abu Bakr was praying with the people standing, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sat to the left of Abu Bakr and completed the prayer with them, while they remained standing. The explanation for this is that they began the prayer standing with their imam, and the ailment occurred to him during the prayer, so he sits, while they pray the rest of their prayer standing, based on the beginning of the prayer.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, Shaykh Muhammad, and may He magnify your reward for what you have clarified for us in this episode. Thank you, you are our noble brothers. This episode of the program Nur 'ala al-Darb has ended. Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.