The Correct way of Following the Imaam in Salaah

Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) wrote: Is it the takbeer of the Imaam (i.e. his voice) that should be considered [in following him] or his movement?

Response: What should be considered in following the Imaam is the action except when you cannot see him; then in this case you are excused. If the Imaam says, Allaahu akbar while going for prostration, and ends the takbeer before reaching the ground, do not prostrate. Al-Baraa’ bin ‘Aazib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “When the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, ‘Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah’, none of us would bend his back [to start prostrating] until the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) went down into prostration, then we would go down into prostration after him.”[1] This is the etiquette.

Therefore, what should be taking into consideration is the action [of the Imaam and not his voice]. However, a person may be far away where he cannot see the Imaam, in this case, the voice should be considered in following the Imaam based on the saying of Allah the most High: “So fear Allah as much as you are able…” [At-Taghaabun: 16]

  

Source: Sifah as-Salaah, p. 211-212 by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-'Uthaymeen

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[1] This means that whoever is praying behind an Imaam should not move to the next posture of the prayer until the Imaam has reached it.

Neglected Adhkaar after Iqaamah

Dr. Abdul ‘Azeem bin Badawee wrote:

When the Mu’adhdhin is done with the Adhaan or iqaamah and the listener repeated what he said, the listener should then say what is stated in the following two hadeeth: Abdullaah Ibn ‘Amr reported that he heard the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) say, “If you hear the Mu’adhdhin, repeat what he says and then send Salaah upon me, for whoever sends Salaah upon me once, Allaah will send Salaah upon him ten times. Then ask Allah to grant me the position of al-waseelah as it is a rank in Paradise that is reserved for a slave among the slaves of Allah and I hope that it will be me. Whoever asks for me to have al-waseelah will be assured of my intercession.”

Jabir reported that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, “Whoever says upon hearing the call to prayer, ‘O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and the prayer about to be performed, grant Muhammad al-waseelah and al-fadeelah, and resurrect him to the praiseworthy position that You had promised him,’ will be granted my intercession on the Day of Resurrection.”

Source: Al-Wajeez fee Fiqh as-Sunnah wal-Kitaab al-‘Azeez, p. 95 by Dr. Abdul-‘Azeem bin Badawee

Shaykh al-Albaanee explained:

“That which the one hears the Iqaamah is required to say [after the Iqaamah] is similar to what the one who hears the Adhaan is required to do such as repeating what the Mu’adhdhin says, sending Salaah upon the Prophet and asking for al-waseelah for him … due to the generality of the Prophet’s saying: ‘If you hear the Mu’adhdhin, repeat what he says..’  This is because Iqaamah is regarded as Adhaan both linguistically and technically based on the Prophet’s saying: “Between every two calls to prayer (Adhaan), is a prayer.” Meaning Adhaan and Iqaamah.”

Source: Athamar al-Mustataab fee Fiqh as-Sunnah wal-Kitaab, p. 214, by Muhammad Naasir ad-Deen al-Albaanee