Ibn Hibban

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates this statement of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him: "The Imam has been appointed so that he may be followed, so do not differ from him. When he says the takbir, you also say the takbir. When he goes into ruku, you also go into ruku. And when he recites «سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ», you all should recite «رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ». When he performs the prayer sitting, then all of you should also perform the prayer sitting." (Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:) In this narration, the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, has prohibited those people who perform the prayer differently from their Imam at the time when the Imam is performing the prayer sitting. This is the type which I have mentioned in other places in my book, that the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, sometimes prohibits something through the generality of a word, and then he makes an exception for some part of what was prohibited, and due to a specific reason, he declares that part permissible. Just as the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, prohibited the sale of muzabanah through an absolute word, but then he made an exception for some part of it, and that part is 'ariyyah. The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, due to a specific reason and with a specific condition, declared it permissible. In this way, the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, gives a ruling through the generality of a word, then makes an exception for some part of that generality, and due to a specific reason, declares it prohibited. In this way, the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded both the followers and the Imams to perform the prayer standing. However, if a person is unable to stand, his ruling is different. The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, made an exception for some part of this generality, and that situation is that if the Imam is performing the prayer sitting, then he prohibited the people from performing the prayer standing (in that case), so this ruling became an exception to that general absolute ruling. There are many such examples in the hadith, which we will mention in their specific places in this book, if Allah Almighty wills.