The follower who did not complete al-Fatihah and his imam bowed: what should he do? Does he complete it, even if he misses the bowing, or does he bow and not complete it?
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The questioner : This is a book in which I have collected some of your fatwas on prayer. May Allah reward you with good. We were reading it in one of our gatherings in Dammam, and a question came up regarding the situation of the follower if he is unable to complete al-Fatihah before the bowing, and the answer confused us.
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The questioner : I am reading the question.
The Shaykh : Read the question and the answer.
The questioner : Yes, the question has two parts, and the second part is what is intended. The question asks: If the imam says the takbir for bowing and the person has not completed al-Fatihah, should he complete it, even if that leads to not following him in the bowing?
And the answer is: If the imam says the takbir for bowing and you have not completed al-Fatihah, then if it is his habit to rush and it is not possible to follow him, it is obligatory for you to separate from him and complete your prayer with tranquility. But if that is not his habit, and rather you forgot or were distracted, then you complete it and catch up with him, even if it is after he has risen from the bowing. You do not miss the bowing in this case, because you entered the prayer from the beginning and you are not one who joined late. We hope you will explain this. May Allah reward you with good, and our colleagues send you their greetings.
The Shaykh : And greetings to you and to them. This is a follower whose imam bowed before he completed al-Fatihah. What should he do? Does he complete it, even if he misses the bowing, or does he bow and not complete it?
The answer is: If the imam is known to be one who does not attain tranquility in his prayer and does not stand in a manner that allows the follower to complete al-Fatihah, then it is obligatory that you do not pray with him at all. Because it is not permissible to pray with him, as you are between two things: either you follow him and leave the pillar, or you perform the pillar and miss the following. And we warn these imams from such behavior.
The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) have mentioned that it is forbidden for the imam to rush at a speed that prevents the follower from doing what is obligatory. Tranquility is obligatory. Therefore, these imams are not fit to be imams for the Muslims. If they are employed imams, they must be removed from the imamate. It is obligatory for those responsible for the imams to patrol the mosques, and if they find one in this state who does not rectify himself in performing the duties of the imamate, they should remove him from it. Because this is a matter of care.
So I say: If it is the habit of this imam to rush at a speed that prevents the follower from reading al-Fatihah, then it is obligatory for the people of the mosque to demand his removal and displacement. And whoever knows of this should not enter to pray with him at all; he should go to another mosque. But a person may not know about the imam, so he enters and prays with him, and the imam bows before he completes it. We say: Complete al-Fatihah, then follow him in the bowing. And if you see that he will remain like this, then separate from him, even in the middle of the prayer. Is that clear now?
The questioner : Yes... I completed al-Fatihah, then he bowed and rose from the bowing. When I wanted to bow, he prostrated, and so on. I was unable to follow him.
The Shaykh : Yes, it means leave him. Separate from him if it is not possible to follow him, even if he prostrates immediately after rising from the bowing.
The questioner : Separate from him.
The Shaykh : Separate from him and leave him.
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The questioner : I am reading the question.
The Shaykh : Read the question and the answer.
The questioner : Yes, the question has two parts, and the second part is what is intended. The question asks: If the imam says the takbir for bowing and the person has not completed al-Fatihah, should he complete it, even if that leads to not following him in the bowing?
And the answer is: If the imam says the takbir for bowing and you have not completed al-Fatihah, then if it is his habit to rush and it is not possible to follow him, it is obligatory for you to separate from him and complete your prayer with tranquility. But if that is not his habit, and rather you forgot or were distracted, then you complete it and catch up with him, even if it is after he has risen from the bowing. You do not miss the bowing in this case, because you entered the prayer from the beginning and you are not one who joined late. We hope you will explain this. May Allah reward you with good, and our colleagues send you their greetings.
The Shaykh : And greetings to you and to them. This is a follower whose imam bowed before he completed al-Fatihah. What should he do? Does he complete it, even if he misses the bowing, or does he bow and not complete it?
The answer is: If the imam is known to be one who does not attain tranquility in his prayer and does not stand in a manner that allows the follower to complete al-Fatihah, then it is obligatory that you do not pray with him at all. Because it is not permissible to pray with him, as you are between two things: either you follow him and leave the pillar, or you perform the pillar and miss the following. And we warn these imams from such behavior.
The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) have mentioned that it is forbidden for the imam to rush at a speed that prevents the follower from doing what is obligatory. Tranquility is obligatory. Therefore, these imams are not fit to be imams for the Muslims. If they are employed imams, they must be removed from the imamate. It is obligatory for those responsible for the imams to patrol the mosques, and if they find one in this state who does not rectify himself in performing the duties of the imamate, they should remove him from it. Because this is a matter of care.
So I say: If it is the habit of this imam to rush at a speed that prevents the follower from reading al-Fatihah, then it is obligatory for the people of the mosque to demand his removal and displacement. And whoever knows of this should not enter to pray with him at all; he should go to another mosque. But a person may not know about the imam, so he enters and prays with him, and the imam bows before he completes it. We say: Complete al-Fatihah, then follow him in the bowing. And if you see that he will remain like this, then separate from him, even in the middle of the prayer. Is that clear now?
The questioner : Yes... I completed al-Fatihah, then he bowed and rose from the bowing. When I wanted to bow, he prostrated, and so on. I was unable to follow him.
The Shaykh : Yes, it means leave him. Separate from him if it is not possible to follow him, even if he prostrates immediately after rising from the bowing.
The questioner : Separate from him.
The Shaykh : Separate from him and leave him.