What is the ruling on separating from the imam before he completes the prayer, such as if he prays two rak'ahs and the one behind him intends to pray the witr prayer of one rak'ah, so he separates from him after the first rak'ah?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Yes, certainly this is so. How, O Shaykh, do we reconcile this with his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih al-Bukhari 1236.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : All right, he is standing now and I am sitting?!
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, may Allah bless you, this is the original principle, as is not hidden from you!
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : But if you recall the story of that young man from the Ansar.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Al-Nadhi, if that is the correct term, and peace and mercy of Allah be upon you, the owner of the water-skin.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Who followed behind Mu'adh, so when Mu'adh began the rak'ah by reciting Surat al-Baqarah.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : He realized from Mu'adh's custom that he lengthens the recitation, so he separated from him.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And completed the prayer on his own!
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : So we can take from this story.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : After it reached the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he did not object to the Ansari: that separating from the imam for a valid legal excuse is a permissible matter!
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And here in our issue.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : The excuse is present!
The questioner : Yes, that he added to him?
The Shaykh : Yes, but I said.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : That there is another scenario: the praying person chooses whichever one his soul is at ease with and his chest is open to.
The questioner : Yes, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Meaning that if he prays ten rak'ahs, the prohibited matter you mentioned does not occur.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Correct, yes.
The Imam is to be followed
إنما جُعِلَ الإمام لِيُؤتَمَّ بهThe Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : All right, he is standing now and I am sitting?!
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, may Allah bless you, this is the original principle, as is not hidden from you!
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : But if you recall the story of that young man from the Ansar.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Al-Nadhi, if that is the correct term, and peace and mercy of Allah be upon you, the owner of the water-skin.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Who followed behind Mu'adh, so when Mu'adh began the rak'ah by reciting Surat al-Baqarah.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : He realized from Mu'adh's custom that he lengthens the recitation, so he separated from him.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And completed the prayer on his own!
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : So we can take from this story.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : After it reached the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he did not object to the Ansari: that separating from the imam for a valid legal excuse is a permissible matter!
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And here in our issue.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : The excuse is present!
The questioner : Yes, that he added to him?
The Shaykh : Yes, but I said.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : That there is another scenario: the praying person chooses whichever one his soul is at ease with and his chest is open to.
The questioner : Yes, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Meaning that if he prays ten rak'ahs, the prohibited matter you mentioned does not occur.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Correct, yes.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.