If the imam prays and hastens through the prayer to the point where I cannot follow him, should I intend to pray alone, or should I remain in his prayer even if he moves ahead of me to the extent that I do not bow until he prostrates?

The questioner : He says: If the imam prays and hastens to a speed at which I cannot follow him, should I intend to pray alone, or should I remain in his prayer? He says: Should I intend to pray alone, or should I remain in his prayer, even if he moves ahead of me to the extent that I do not bow until he prostrates? I hope the honorable Shaykh will answer this question of mine.

The Shaykh : If you cannot follow the imam except by lacking tranquility, it is obligatory for you to intend to pray alone and not to follow him, because combining tranquility with following this imam is impossible. There is no way for the prayer to be valid except for the follower to intend to pray alone and complete the prayer for himself. The evidence for this is that Mu'adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) the night prayer, then he would go to his people and pray that prayer with them. So when one night he said the takbir and began reciting Surat al-Baqarah, one of the worshippers separated from him and prayed alone. When this reached the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), he said to Mu'adh: Then he guided him to recite and the like. If it is permissible for the follower to separate himself because the imam prolongs the prayer, then the permissibility of his separating himself because the imam shortens the prayer to a degree where tranquility is not possible is even more so. Accordingly, the answer is that if you cannot follow the imam because he hastens, you intend to pray alone and complete your prayer with tranquility. Yes.

The questioner : May Allah bless you.