Praying behind rulers

Umayr bin Hani' said: When al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf was besieging Sayyiduna Ibn al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him), the house of Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) was between al-Hajjaj and Ibn al-Zubayr. He would sometimes pray with Ibn al-Zubayr and sometimes with al-Hajjaj.

Ja'far narrates from his father that Sayyiduna al-Hasan and Sayyiduna al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to pray behind Marwan. Someone said to him: "Did your father not pray again when he went back home?" He said: "No, by Allah! They did not add anything to the prayer of the imams."

Ibrahim said: The predecessors used to pray behind the rulers (imams), whoever they might be.

Al-Hasan said: The believer is not harmed by praying behind a hypocrite, and the hypocrite gains no benefit from a believer praying behind him.

Habib bin Jurayy said: I asked Abu Ja'far about praying behind the rulers, and he said: "Pray with them."

Ja'far bin Burqan said: I asked Maymun about praying behind the rulers, and he said: "Pray with them."

Ja'far bin Burqan said: I asked Maymun whether one may pray behind someone from the Khawarij. He said: "You are not praying for him; you are praying only for Allah. We used to pray behind al-Hajjaj, and he was an Azraqi Haruri."

Ibrahim said: Even if the rulers delayed the prayer somewhat beyond its time, Sayyiduna Abdullah (bin Mas'ud) (may Allah be pleased with him) would still pray with them, and he held that the sin of it was upon them.

Sa'id bin Jubayr used to pray behind al-Hajjaj, standing at the Gates of Kindah, and (later) he rose up in revolt against him.

Bassam said: I asked Abu Ja'far whether one should pray behind the rulers. He said: "Pray with them, for we too pray with them. Sayyiduna al-Hasan and Sayyiduna al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to pray behind Marwan." I said to him: "People think that this was taqiyyah (dissimulation)." He said: "How can that be? Sayyiduna al-Hasan bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) used to rebuke Marwan to his face while he was on the pulpit, until he became governor."

Ibrahim bin Abi Hafsah said: I said to Ali bin Husayn: "Abu Hamzah al-Thumali is an extremist, and he says: 'We will not pray behind the imams, and we will not enter into marriage except with one whose view matches ours.'" Ali bin Husayn said: "We pray behind them, and we will marry with them according to the Sunnah."

Al-A'mash said: The predecessors used to pray behind the rulers and count that prayer as valid.

Abu Wa'il used to pray the Friday prayer with al-Mukhtar.

Muslim Abu Farwah said: I saw Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Layla, during al-Hajjaj's sermon, signal to Muhammad bin Sa'd to keep silent.

Al-Qasim bin Mukhaymirah used to pray behind al-Hajjaj.