Chapter: People Sitting After The Iqamah While Waiting For The Imam If He Has Not Come.

Abu Qatadah reported on the authority of his father: the prophet ﷺ said; When the Iqamah for prayer is pronounced, do not stand until you see me. Abu Dawud said: this has been narrated by Ayyub and Hajjaj al-Sawwaf from Yahya and Hisham al-Duatawa’i in a similar way, saying: Yahya wrote to me (in this way). And this has been narrated by Muawiyah bin Sallam and Ali bin al-Mubarak from Yahya: “Until you see me and show tranquility”.

This tradition has also been reported through a different chain of narrators in a similar way. This version says: “Until you see me that I have come out”. Abu dawud said: No one except Mamar has narrated the words “that I have come out”. And the version transmitted by Ibn ‘Uyainah from Mamar does not mention the words “that I have come out”.

Abu Hurairah reported: when the Iqamah was pronounced for prayer during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the people would take their seats before the prophet ﷺ came to his seat.

Humaid reported: I asked Thabit al-Bunani whether it was permissible for a man to talk after the qamah had been pronounced. He narrated a tradition on the authority of Anas: (once) the Iqamah was pronounced, and a person came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and detained him after the Iqamah had been pronounced.

Awn bin Kahmas reported on the authority of his father Kahmas: we stood for praying at Mina when the Imam had not come out. Some of us sat down (and I too). An old man from Kufah said to me: Why did you down? I said: Ibn Buraidah, this is Sumud (i. e., waiting for the Imam in the standing condition). The old man then narrated a tradition from Abdur-Rahman bin ‘Awaajah on the authority of al-Bara bin Azib: We would stand in rows during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for a long time before he pronounced Takbir. He further said; Allah, the Exalted and Mighty, sends blessings and the angles invoke blessings for those who are nearer to the front rows. No step is more liking to Allah than a step which one takes to join the row (of the prayer).

Anas reported: the Iqamah was pronounced (for the night prayer) and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ remained engaged in talking (to a person) in the corner of the mosque. He did not begin prayer until the people slept.

Abu al-Nadr said: when the Iqamah was pronounced and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw that they (the people) were small in number, he would sit down, nd would not pray; but when he saw them (the people) large in number, he would pray.

This tradition has been transmitted through a different chain of narrators in a similar way by Ali bin Abi Talib.