When the imam finished the recitation of the Qur'an, he said
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The questioner : He says:The questioner : When the imam, may Allah reward him with good, finished the recitation of the Qur'an, he said: Allahu Akbar. So I prostrated while they were bowing, and I did not know
The Shaykh : The imam bowed while he was prostrating
The questioner : Yes, I prostrated while they were bowing, and I did not know. Then he said: Allah hears the one who praises Him, so I stood up with them. Then they prostrated, so I prostrated with them. And now I do not know what I should do?
The Shaykh : And he did not bow.
The questioner : He did not bow, yes.
The Shaykh : The obligatory thing is that if this happens—and it may happen in the obligatory prayer—that if a person knows that the imam is bowing, he should stand up from prostration to bow with the imam. If the imam rises from bowing before he stands up from prostration, meaning he did not know that the imam was bowing until the imam said: Allah hears the one who praises Him, then we say: stand up, bow, rise, and follow the imam. This is because you lagged behind the imam for an excuse, and the one who lags behind the imam for an excuse performs what he lagged behind in and continues to follow his imam. However, if the follower lags behind the imam in bowing without an excuse, his prayer is invalid, just as if he intentionally delayed bowing until the imam said: Allah hears the one who praises Him, then his prayer is invalid.
The Shaykh : The imam bowed while he was prostrating
The questioner : Yes, I prostrated while they were bowing, and I did not know. Then he said: Allah hears the one who praises Him, so I stood up with them. Then they prostrated, so I prostrated with them. And now I do not know what I should do?
The Shaykh : And he did not bow.
The questioner : He did not bow, yes.
The Shaykh : The obligatory thing is that if this happens—and it may happen in the obligatory prayer—that if a person knows that the imam is bowing, he should stand up from prostration to bow with the imam. If the imam rises from bowing before he stands up from prostration, meaning he did not know that the imam was bowing until the imam said: Allah hears the one who praises Him, then we say: stand up, bow, rise, and follow the imam. This is because you lagged behind the imam for an excuse, and the one who lags behind the imam for an excuse performs what he lagged behind in and continues to follow his imam. However, if the follower lags behind the imam in bowing without an excuse, his prayer is invalid, just as if he intentionally delayed bowing until the imam said: Allah hears the one who praises Him, then his prayer is invalid.