Saturday 15 December 2018

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


[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.


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