An imam who errs and does not prostrate: what the people do

Yunus said: Once an imam of the Jami' mosque made a lapse in the prayer and did not perform the prostrations of forgetfulness. Some of the people performed the prostration of forgetfulness and some did not. The matter was put to al-Hasan, and he said that in this case prostration is not obligatory on the people. It was mentioned to Ibn Sirin, and he preferred the action of those who had prostrated.

Ibrahim and Ata said: When the imam does not perform the prostration of forgetfulness, it is not obligatory on the people either.

And from Ata: they both (Ibrahim and Ata) said: If the imam does not prostrate, then there is no prostration of forgetfulness on them.

Wuhayb bin Ajlan said: I saw al-Qasim and Salim pray behind an imam. The imam made a lapse but did not prostrate, so the two of them did not prostrate either.

Hammad said: If the imam makes a mistake and does not prostrate, then the people should not prostrate either.

Mis'ar said: I asked al-Hakam and Hammad about this. Al-Hakam said: "The people should prostrate." And Hammad said: "Prostration is not obligatory on them."