The Shaykh’s (may Allah have mercy on him) remarks on the obligation of following the imam, even if he adds a rak'ah in the prayer.

The Shaykh: On this occasion, it comes to mind that a person, as you know, and this is a very important aspect, bases his issuance of rulings in his dealings with his Lord, with his friend, and his companion, and so on, within the limits of the methodology he follows. So we say of ourselves that we are Salafis, meaning we look to the righteous Salaf and seek their help in understanding certain principles or rules, like this hadith . Do you see this command as general or specific? Is it from the category of a narrow, small scope, or a broad, large scope? My intention is not for us to bring up an incident narrated by al-Bukhari in his "Sahih" where one of the governors—his name was perhaps al-Walid or 'Uqbah al-Walid...

The questioner: al-Walid ibn 'Uqbah...

The Shaykh: al-Walid ibn 'Uqbah led the people in prayer as imam, and he was the governor. He prayed Fajr while intoxicated. He prayed Fajr with them for four rak'ahs. Oh teacher, Fajr is four rak'ahs? Then, after he finished the taslim, he said: "Shall I add to you? Shall I add to you?" What is supposed to happen in such a situation for those praying behind him? Must they not follow him when he stands for the third rak'ah, and not follow him for the fourth either? Follow him, my lord, why? This is practical evidence that the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): is a general text. And this hadith itself, in its entirety, contains a very great indication that following is general, and it is . Here, a pillar of the prayer is dropped for what? For following. Here, what the jurists call, as is well known, "a fortiori analogy" (qiyas awla) applies. When He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: , it is a fortiori that you do not strike them with your hand. This is a fortiori analogy. If the command of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to those praying behind the imam is that if they find the imam sitting, they sit with him, then what about ? Yes, this is in a situation other than this one. Yes, here the pillar was dropped to achieve following. So if a pillar was dropped, do you see that the sitting for rest (jalsat al-istirahah) is not dropped? It is dropped.