His statement: (When he prostrates, you prostrate) Does the ma'mum follow the imam who is unable to prostrate in that?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : This is a question, meaning, if the imam is unable to prostrate, is the ma'mum like him? We say: do not prostrate on the ground, because your imam is unable, just as we said regarding standing. It is possible, it is possible, because we say that the generality of his statementSahih al-Bukhari 1236 includes this. So if the imam is praying with us but does not prostrate on the ground, and only gestures, do we gesture? We might say yes, and we might say that the 'illah (operative cause) mentioned by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prevents the analogy, which is standing over him, just as the non-Arabs, the Persians and the Romans, stand. And this is not feasible; this 'illah does not apply, so the analogy is prevented. But the question remains: is it permissible to follow someone who cannot bow or prostrate? Some scholars hold that it is not permissible, and that standing was only excepted because a text came regarding it, and other than that, it is not permissible for the able to follow the unable in any pillar of the prayer. So we now have three possibilities. The first, O Abdullah.
The student: The first...
The Shaykh : Yes, meaning, if they are gesturing.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, what is the response to this?
The student: The response to this is...
The Shaykh : Meaning, if a person wanted to analogize this issue to standing?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, let our brother go, did you let him go? Look, Mansur, you are responsible for him; you suggested a little while ago that he be the deputy, so you must pay attention to him. If you wish, twist his ear, and if you wish, move his foot... Yes...
The questioner : ...just as the non-Arabs stand...
The Shaykh : The kings, and this is not feasible with prostration. Now, the second opinion, O Kamil, what is the second opinion?
The student: The second opinion is that the ma'mum do... if the imam gestures, they do not follow him, but they perform... rather, they prostrate if he is gesturing; they prostrate.
The Shaykh : Yes... Ibn Dawud
The student: ...it is not permissible for them to follow someone who cannot prostrate.
The Shaykh : Now, that is one.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : This is the opinion mentioned by our brother Kamil, and the third?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Who, who, which brother?
The student: Abdullah.
The Shaykh : Abdullah, what? What is it, Abdullah? Wait, wait, may Allah keep you safe, and what is it, Abdullah?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : ...Muta'ir.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : He did not say.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Now, we have three possibilities, brothers. The first opinion, the first possibility: which is the madhhab (school of jurisprudence), that it is not valid for them to follow him in any case. The second opinion, the second possibility, what is the opinion? I do not know if it is an opinion or a possibility. The second possibility is that they follow him and follow his gesture. This possibility is not correct, and you know that it is not valid to analogize it to standing. The third is that they follow him, that they follow him as imam, but they prostrate. And this is the closest of the opinions. Yes.
The Shaykh : This is a question, meaning, if the imam is unable to prostrate, is the ma'mum like him? We say: do not prostrate on the ground, because your imam is unable, just as we said regarding standing. It is possible, it is possible, because we say that the generality of his statement
The Imam is to be followed
إنما جعل الإمام ليؤتم بهThe student: The first...
The Shaykh : Yes, meaning, if they are gesturing.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, what is the response to this?
The student: The response to this is...
The Shaykh : Meaning, if a person wanted to analogize this issue to standing?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, let our brother go, did you let him go? Look, Mansur, you are responsible for him; you suggested a little while ago that he be the deputy, so you must pay attention to him. If you wish, twist his ear, and if you wish, move his foot... Yes...
The questioner : ...just as the non-Arabs stand...
The Shaykh : The kings, and this is not feasible with prostration. Now, the second opinion, O Kamil, what is the second opinion?
The student: The second opinion is that the ma'mum do... if the imam gestures, they do not follow him, but they perform... rather, they prostrate if he is gesturing; they prostrate.
The Shaykh : Yes... Ibn Dawud
The student: ...it is not permissible for them to follow someone who cannot prostrate.
The Shaykh : Now, that is one.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : This is the opinion mentioned by our brother Kamil, and the third?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Who, who, which brother?
The student: Abdullah.
The Shaykh : Abdullah, what? What is it, Abdullah? Wait, wait, may Allah keep you safe, and what is it, Abdullah?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : ...Muta'ir.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : He did not say.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Now, we have three possibilities, brothers. The first opinion, the first possibility: which is the madhhab (school of jurisprudence), that it is not valid for them to follow him in any case. The second opinion, the second possibility, what is the opinion? I do not know if it is an opinion or a possibility. The second possibility is that they follow him and follow his gesture. This possibility is not correct, and you know that it is not valid to analogize it to standing. The third is that they follow him, that they follow him as imam, but they prostrate. And this is the closest of the opinions. Yes.