If the imam indicates his prostration while the followers prostrate, is that valid?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah.
Your Eminence, the Shaykh.
The Shaykh : I hope that the students are among those about whom Allah said:[Al-Hashr 59:9].
The questioner : We benefit from the questions of our brothers.
The Shaykh : If Allah wills.
The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : A man prayed as imam after he had completed an operation on his eye, and the followers did not know that he had had an operation on his eye. So when he wanted to prostrate, he did not prostrate on the basis that he was unable to, and the followers did not know whether they should prostrate?
The Shaykh : Meaning, he indicates and they prostrate?
The questioner : Yes, that is correct.
The Shaykh : The correct view is that this is permissible, and that is because this imam’s prayer is valid, meaning he is asking and saying: An imam had an operation on his eye, and he was unable to prostrate, so he prayed with his companions while he indicated and they prostrated.
We say: There is nothing wrong with this, because as long as his prayer is valid, their prayers are valid, and he has feared Allah as much as he was able. And something close to this has been reported: where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed with his companions while sitting, and they were able to stand, so they stood behind him, and he gestured to them to sit, so they sat, and he continued to pray with them.
Your Eminence, the Shaykh.
The Shaykh : I hope that the students are among those about whom Allah said:
And [also for] those who were settled in al-Madinah and [adopted] the faith before them. They love those who emigrated to them and find not any want in their breasts of what the emigrants were given but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation.
والذين تبوؤا الدار والإيمان من قبلهم يحبون من هاجر إليهم ولا يجدون في صدورهم حاجة مما أوتوا ويؤثرون على أنفسهم ولو كان بهم خصاصةThe questioner : We benefit from the questions of our brothers.
The Shaykh : If Allah wills.
The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : A man prayed as imam after he had completed an operation on his eye, and the followers did not know that he had had an operation on his eye. So when he wanted to prostrate, he did not prostrate on the basis that he was unable to, and the followers did not know whether they should prostrate?
The Shaykh : Meaning, he indicates and they prostrate?
The questioner : Yes, that is correct.
The Shaykh : The correct view is that this is permissible, and that is because this imam’s prayer is valid, meaning he is asking and saying: An imam had an operation on his eye, and he was unable to prostrate, so he prayed with his companions while he indicated and they prostrated.
We say: There is nothing wrong with this, because as long as his prayer is valid, their prayers are valid, and he has feared Allah as much as he was able. And something close to this has been reported: where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed with his companions while sitting, and they were able to stand, so they stood behind him, and he gestured to them to sit, so they sat, and he continued to pray with them.