Explanation of the Book of the Adhan-08b
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The reciter: Sulayman ibn Harb and Abu al-Nu'man narrated to us, saying: Hammad ibn Zayd narrated to us from Ayyub from 'Amr ibn Dinar from Jabir ibn 'Abd Allah, who said: "Mu'adh used to pray with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then he would come to his people and pray with them."
The Shaykh : The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on this issue: is it permissible for a person to lead a congregation in a voluntary prayer while they are performing an obligatory prayer? Some said it is not permissible because the state of the follower is currently more complete than the state of the imam. They responded to this hadith of Mu'adh by saying it is a specific case that may have occurred without the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knowing about it, so it does not serve as evidence. The second opinion in this issue is that it is valid for the one performing a voluntary prayer to be the imam for the one performing an obligatory prayer, whether in a repeated prayer or in another voluntary prayer. This is the stronger position. The response that this is a specific case that may have occurred without the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knowing about it is an invalid response, because it is unlikely that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not know about it, especially since it was reported to him that he prolonged the prayer, so he became angry with him and forbade him from doing so. Even if we assume, for the sake of argument and concession, that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not know about it, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) knew about it. If it had been an error, Allah would not have left him in that state. Therefore, everything done during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is a proof, even if we do not know that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knew about it, because if we assume the Messenger did not know about it, Allah knew about it. Thus, the correct view is that it is permissible for the imam to be performing a voluntary prayer while the follower is performing an obligatory prayer. This issue has four scenarios: both are performing voluntary prayers, and both are performing obligatory prayers, and there is no dispute in this. The imam is performing an obligatory prayer and the follower is performing a voluntary prayer, and this is permissible. The third is permissible by unanimous agreement. The third is the reverse. The fourth, yes, the fourth is the reverse: the imam is performing a voluntary prayer and the follower is performing an obligatory prayer. There is disagreement in this issue, and the correct view is that it is permissible. Yes.
The Shaykh : The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on this issue: is it permissible for a person to lead a congregation in a voluntary prayer while they are performing an obligatory prayer? Some said it is not permissible because the state of the follower is currently more complete than the state of the imam. They responded to this hadith of Mu'adh by saying it is a specific case that may have occurred without the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knowing about it, so it does not serve as evidence. The second opinion in this issue is that it is valid for the one performing a voluntary prayer to be the imam for the one performing an obligatory prayer, whether in a repeated prayer or in another voluntary prayer. This is the stronger position. The response that this is a specific case that may have occurred without the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knowing about it is an invalid response, because it is unlikely that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not know about it, especially since it was reported to him that he prolonged the prayer, so he became angry with him and forbade him from doing so. Even if we assume, for the sake of argument and concession, that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not know about it, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) knew about it. If it had been an error, Allah would not have left him in that state. Therefore, everything done during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is a proof, even if we do not know that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knew about it, because if we assume the Messenger did not know about it, Allah knew about it. Thus, the correct view is that it is permissible for the imam to be performing a voluntary prayer while the follower is performing an obligatory prayer. This issue has four scenarios: both are performing voluntary prayers, and both are performing obligatory prayers, and there is no dispute in this. The imam is performing an obligatory prayer and the follower is performing a voluntary prayer, and this is permissible. The third is permissible by unanimous agreement. The third is the reverse. The fourth, yes, the fourth is the reverse: the imam is performing a voluntary prayer and the follower is performing an obligatory prayer. There is disagreement in this issue, and the correct view is that it is permissible. Yes.