What is the ruling on the sitting for rest, and is it prescribed for the imam and the one praying behind him?
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The questioner : Your Eminence, a questioner asks about the sitting for rest: what is its ruling, and is it prescribed for the imam and the one praying behind him? I hope you will provide us with guidance. May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : The sitting for rest is the sitting that occurs when rising to the second or fourth rak'ah in a four-rak'ah prayer. That is, it occurs in two places in a four-rak'ah prayer: when rising to the second rak'ah and when rising to the fourth rak'ah. In a three-rak'ah or two-rak'ah prayer, it occurs in one place, which is when rising to the second rak'ah. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that if he was in an odd number of rak'ahs in his prayer, he would not rise until he was sitting firmly. Thus, this sitting is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as in the hadith of Malik ibn Huwayrith. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on whether it is a sitting for rest or a sitting for worship. Those who said it is a sitting for rest stated that it is not recommended except when there is a need for it, such as if a person is elderly and cannot rise in one motion, or if he has pain in his knees, or if he is ill, or something similar. If he needs it, he sits, and in this case, it is prescribed because it is more comfortable for him, and what is more comfortable for a person is more appropriate.
Some scholars said that it is a sitting for worship and is prescribed for every person praying, whether they are energetic or not. Others said that it is not prescribed at all. Thus, there are three opinions. The strongest opinion in my view is that it is a sitting for rest. The evidence for this is that there is no takbir when sitting down or when rising from it, and there is no prescribed dhikr in it. Every intended pillar of the prayer has prescribed dhikr in it. Therefore, it is known that it is a sitting for rest. If a person needs it, he should rest himself by following his Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); otherwise, he should not sit. This is the choice of the author of "al-Mughni" and the choice of Ibn al-Qayyim in "Zad al-Ma'ad", and it is the strongest opinion in my view. However, the issue remains: if the imam considers this sitting and sits, but the one praying behind him does not consider it because he is energetic, should he sit following his imam, or should he rise even if his imam is sitting, or should he wait in prostration if he knows that his imam will sit, until he is convinced that his imam has fully risen?
The answer to this is that if the imam considers the sitting and sits, then sit with him. The one praying behind him sits with him if the imam considers the sitting and performs it, even if the one praying behind him does not consider it prescribed, in order to follow his imam.
If the imam does not consider the sitting and the one praying behind him does consider it, then the one praying behind him does not sit in this case, following the imam. This is because the one praying behind him must agree with the imam. Even if the imam were to rise from the first tashahhud in forgetfulness, the one praying behind him must follow him, even though the original ruling is that the first tashahhud is obligatory among the obligations of the prayer. The Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned this issue in the Fatawa and said: "The one praying behind him does not sit if his imam does not sit for rest".
The Shaykh : The sitting for rest is the sitting that occurs when rising to the second or fourth rak'ah in a four-rak'ah prayer. That is, it occurs in two places in a four-rak'ah prayer: when rising to the second rak'ah and when rising to the fourth rak'ah. In a three-rak'ah or two-rak'ah prayer, it occurs in one place, which is when rising to the second rak'ah. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that if he was in an odd number of rak'ahs in his prayer, he would not rise until he was sitting firmly. Thus, this sitting is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as in the hadith of Malik ibn Huwayrith. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on whether it is a sitting for rest or a sitting for worship. Those who said it is a sitting for rest stated that it is not recommended except when there is a need for it, such as if a person is elderly and cannot rise in one motion, or if he has pain in his knees, or if he is ill, or something similar. If he needs it, he sits, and in this case, it is prescribed because it is more comfortable for him, and what is more comfortable for a person is more appropriate.
Some scholars said that it is a sitting for worship and is prescribed for every person praying, whether they are energetic or not. Others said that it is not prescribed at all. Thus, there are three opinions. The strongest opinion in my view is that it is a sitting for rest. The evidence for this is that there is no takbir when sitting down or when rising from it, and there is no prescribed dhikr in it. Every intended pillar of the prayer has prescribed dhikr in it. Therefore, it is known that it is a sitting for rest. If a person needs it, he should rest himself by following his Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); otherwise, he should not sit. This is the choice of the author of "al-Mughni" and the choice of Ibn al-Qayyim in "Zad al-Ma'ad", and it is the strongest opinion in my view. However, the issue remains: if the imam considers this sitting and sits, but the one praying behind him does not consider it because he is energetic, should he sit following his imam, or should he rise even if his imam is sitting, or should he wait in prostration if he knows that his imam will sit, until he is convinced that his imam has fully risen?
The answer to this is that if the imam considers the sitting and sits, then sit with him. The one praying behind him sits with him if the imam considers the sitting and performs it, even if the one praying behind him does not consider it prescribed, in order to follow his imam.
If the imam does not consider the sitting and the one praying behind him does consider it, then the one praying behind him does not sit in this case, following the imam. This is because the one praying behind him must agree with the imam. Even if the imam were to rise from the first tashahhud in forgetfulness, the one praying behind him must follow him, even though the original ruling is that the first tashahhud is obligatory among the obligations of the prayer. The Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned this issue in the Fatawa and said: "The one praying behind him does not sit if his imam does not sit for rest".