What is your opinion of the imam who hurries in the prayer and speeds through it?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
His EminenceThe Shaykh : Allah says in Surat al-Mu'minun:[Al-Mu'minun 23:1-2], some of the imams, may Allah guide them, hurry in the prayer, which forces some people to leave the prayer in the mosque in the neighborhood where they live and move to another one.
The Shaykh : This question requires a word of guidance for the imams:
Is the imam praying for himself, or is he praying for himself and for others?
The answer is: he prays for himself and for others, so it is obligatory for him to consider the people, without excess or deficiency. That is, no excess such that he lengthens it for them beyond what the Sunnah brought, and no deficiency such that he shortens it from what the Sunnah brought. A person who prays alone may lengthen it if he wishes, or shorten it from what the Sunnah brought, provided he has fulfilled the obligatory, and he may follow the Sunnah if he wishes. But the imam must follow the Sunnah. Why?
Because he is a trustee over the people. The imam is a trustee, and a trustee must do what is best, as Allah said regarding the orphan's wealth:[Al-An'am 6:152] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Mu'adh ibn Jabal and to another man who lengthened the Fajr prayer: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 236Sahih (Darussalam) And the meaning of: is: do not lengthen it beyond what the Sunnah brought. For a person does not pray for himself alone, but for himself and for others. So it is obligatory for him to observe the Sunnah in this, and he should not be concerned with the criticism of a critic. He might say: "If you had followed the Sunnah, perhaps some people would say: you lengthened it." But if he neglects the Sunnah, who will say to him: "You have neglected it"?
Allah Mighty and Majestic will hold him accountable on the Day of Resurrection. On that day, he will have no escape and no excuse. But today he has an excuse; he can say to the one who says "you lengthened it": "I followed the Sunnah. Bring me a proof that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) shortened what I said or did, and I will follow him."
But if I follow the Sunnah and you say "you lengthened it," is not the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) the most careful of people regarding trust?
Yes, and yet he would recite in the Fajr prayer on Friday al-Sajdah in the first rak'ah, and in the second , and perhaps he would recite in the Maghrib prayer al-Tur, and perhaps he would recite in it Surat al-A'raf. So where is the departure from the Sunnah?
So it is obligatory for the imam not to speed so much that it prevents the ma'mum from performing the Sunnah, because he is a trustee. As for his saying: "The people say: you lengthened it," this is no excuse for him; it will not benefit him with Allah Mighty and Majestic. But he should not exceed what the Sunnah brought, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) became angry about that and forbade it.
And if your imam does not allow you to fulfill the obligatory, seek another. Even if it were stipulated that you entered with a person and the prayer had passed you, and then you saw that he speeds so much that you cannot fulfill the obligatory with him, separate from him and complete the prayer for yourself.
His EminenceThe Shaykh : Allah says in Surat al-Mu'minun:
(1) Certainly will the believers have succeeded: (2) They who are during their prayer humbly submissive
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ * الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَThe Shaykh : This question requires a word of guidance for the imams:
Is the imam praying for himself, or is he praying for himself and for others?
The answer is: he prays for himself and for others, so it is obligatory for him to consider the people, without excess or deficiency. That is, no excess such that he lengthens it for them beyond what the Sunnah brought, and no deficiency such that he shortens it from what the Sunnah brought. A person who prays alone may lengthen it if he wishes, or shorten it from what the Sunnah brought, provided he has fulfilled the obligatory, and he may follow the Sunnah if he wishes. But the imam must follow the Sunnah. Why?
Because he is a trustee over the people. The imam is a trustee, and a trustee must do what is best, as Allah said regarding the orphan's wealth:
And do not approach the orphan's property except in a way that is best
وَلا تَقْرَبُوا مَالَ الْيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُWhen one of you leads the people in prayer then let him be brief
إذا أمَّ أحدكم الناس فليخففlet him shorten the prayer
ليخففAllah Mighty and Majestic will hold him accountable on the Day of Resurrection. On that day, he will have no escape and no excuse. But today he has an excuse; he can say to the one who says "you lengthened it": "I followed the Sunnah. Bring me a proof that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) shortened what I said or did, and I will follow him."
But if I follow the Sunnah and you say "you lengthened it," is not the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) the most careful of people regarding trust?
Yes, and yet he would recite in the Fajr prayer on Friday
Alif, Lam, Mim. The revelation
الم * تنزيلHas there not come upon man a period of time?
هل أتى على الإنسانSo it is obligatory for the imam not to speed so much that it prevents the ma'mum from performing the Sunnah, because he is a trustee. As for his saying: "The people say: you lengthened it," this is no excuse for him; it will not benefit him with Allah Mighty and Majestic. But he should not exceed what the Sunnah brought, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) became angry about that and forbade it.
And if your imam does not allow you to fulfill the obligatory, seek another. Even if it were stipulated that you entered with a person and the prayer had passed you, and then you saw that he speeds so much that you cannot fulfill the obligatory with him, separate from him and complete the prayer for yourself.