Is it permissible for the imam to prolong the takbir in prayer?
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The questioner : Your Eminence, is it permissible for the imam to prolong the takbir in prayer?
The Shaykh : Yes, meaning he prolongs it in some places and shortens it in others?
In any case, we do not say that it is forbidden. For example, when some people say the takbir for sitting, you find that the takbir differs from that for standing. We do not say that this is forbidden, but we say that the Sunnah is not to vary the takbir.
And I have not known any scholar to say that you should vary the takbir for prostration, sitting, and standing. No, we have not seen anyone do so. The most that is there is that some scholars said: the takbir for prostration from standing is prolonged, and from prostration to standing is prolonged because the distance is long. However, there is no evidence for this.
Having the takbir in a uniform manner is the Sunnah, and it has a great benefit for the ma'mums (those praying behind the imam). If they join the prayer, they proceed in the prayer. Why? Because if they know that there is no variation in the takbir, they focus themselves. One person focuses his heart so that he does not stand while the imam is sitting, or sit while the imam is standing.
But if he follows the imam's takbir, he becomes like a machine: if the imam prolongs, he sits or stands. Therefore, we found a great benefit in this for the ma'mums.
It is true there is one issue: if a person is masbuq (one who joins the prayer late) and he says "Allahu Akbar" for the final tashahhud while he still has a rak'ah remaining and he does not know, we say: he should follow the person next to him. If he sees him sitting or standing, he does the same.
But if a prostration verse passes by you, for example, you are praying 'Isha' and a prostration verse passes by and you prostrate, and there are people in another place, for example, in a separate section or a separate area where they cannot see you, then perhaps we say: if you say the takbir in a way that suggests you have prostrated, is that okay? There is no harm in it. This is good. Sometimes a person is reciting, and there are women in another place. He recites a prostration verse, and if he says the takbir as usual, they might think he is bowing. So perhaps we say: there is no harm in prolonging the takbir so that they know you are prostrating. Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, meaning he prolongs it in some places and shortens it in others?
In any case, we do not say that it is forbidden. For example, when some people say the takbir for sitting, you find that the takbir differs from that for standing. We do not say that this is forbidden, but we say that the Sunnah is not to vary the takbir.
And I have not known any scholar to say that you should vary the takbir for prostration, sitting, and standing. No, we have not seen anyone do so. The most that is there is that some scholars said: the takbir for prostration from standing is prolonged, and from prostration to standing is prolonged because the distance is long. However, there is no evidence for this.
Having the takbir in a uniform manner is the Sunnah, and it has a great benefit for the ma'mums (those praying behind the imam). If they join the prayer, they proceed in the prayer. Why? Because if they know that there is no variation in the takbir, they focus themselves. One person focuses his heart so that he does not stand while the imam is sitting, or sit while the imam is standing.
But if he follows the imam's takbir, he becomes like a machine: if the imam prolongs, he sits or stands. Therefore, we found a great benefit in this for the ma'mums.
It is true there is one issue: if a person is masbuq (one who joins the prayer late) and he says "Allahu Akbar" for the final tashahhud while he still has a rak'ah remaining and he does not know, we say: he should follow the person next to him. If he sees him sitting or standing, he does the same.
But if a prostration verse passes by you, for example, you are praying 'Isha' and a prostration verse passes by and you prostrate, and there are people in another place, for example, in a separate section or a separate area where they cannot see you, then perhaps we say: if you say the takbir in a way that suggests you have prostrated, is that okay? There is no harm in it. This is good. Sometimes a person is reciting, and there are women in another place. He recites a prostration verse, and if he says the takbir as usual, they might think he is bowing. So perhaps we say: there is no harm in prolonging the takbir so that they know you are prostrating. Yes.