Does the imam commit a sin if he bows before the ma'mum is able to recite al-Fatihah?
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The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : Some of the ma'mum lag behind the imam. Does the imam commit a sin if he bows before the ma'mum has finished reciting al-Fatihah after the first tashahhud?
The Shaykh : Who is the one who bowed?
The questioner : The imam, meaning if this ma'mum is a person and the imam bowed before the ma'mum finished reciting al-Fatihah because he was originally late, late in sitting down, and did not stand up.
The Shaykh : I say, may Allah reward you: The imam must adhere to the Sunnah in his leading of the prayer. If he adheres to the Sunnah, then whoever makes a mistake bears it on himself. However, he should not deviate from the Sunnah in order to please people, as some imams do by shortening the prayer in a way that contradicts the Sunnah to satisfy people or some of them. Then it becomes attractive to his soul that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 236Sahih (Darussalam).
The Shaykh : Who is the one who bowed?
The questioner : The imam, meaning if this ma'mum is a person and the imam bowed before the ma'mum finished reciting al-Fatihah because he was originally late, late in sitting down, and did not stand up.
The Shaykh : I say, may Allah reward you: The imam must adhere to the Sunnah in his leading of the prayer. If he adheres to the Sunnah, then whoever makes a mistake bears it on himself. However, he should not deviate from the Sunnah in order to please people, as some imams do by shortening the prayer in a way that contradicts the Sunnah to satisfy people or some of them. Then it becomes attractive to his soul that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: