❖ Imam Should Face the Congregation After Salam in Salah ❖
✍ Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
✦ Turning Toward the Congregation After Salah
➊ Narration from Samurah ibn Jundub رضي الله عنه:
“كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا صلى صلاة أقبل علينا بوجهه“
“When the Prophet ﷺ finished a prayer, he would face us with his face.”
📚 Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 845
➋ Narration from Yazīd ibn Aswad رضي الله عنه:
During Ḥajjat al-Wadāʿ, the Prophet ﷺ led us in Fajr prayer:
“ثم انحرف جالسًا واستقبل الناس بوجهه“
“Then he turned while sitting and faced the people.”
📚 Musnad Aḥmad: 4/161
❖ Turning Right or Left – Which is Preferred?
There are two apparently different narrations regarding which direction the Prophet ﷺ turned after prayer:
✿ Turning to the
➊ Narration from ʿAbdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd رضي الله عنه:
“لقد رأيت النبي كثيرًا ينصرف عن يساره“
“Indeed, I have seen the Prophet ﷺ frequently turning to his left after prayer.”
📚 Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 852
📚 Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 707
📚 Abū Dāwūd: 1042
📚 Al-Nasā’ī: 3/81
📚 Ibn Mājah: 930
✿ Turning to the
➋ Narration from Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه:
“أكثر ما رأيت رسول الله ينصرف عن يمينه“
“More often, I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ turning to his right.”
📚 Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 708
📚 Al-Nasā’ī: 3/81
📚 Al-Dārimī: 1/312
✦ Reconciliation Between the Two Narrations
📘 Imām Nawawī رحمه الله explains:
These narrations are both authentic and reconcilable—the Prophet ﷺ practiced both.
Each narrator simply reported what they saw more frequently.
Also, Ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه objected to those who claimed that turning only to the right is obligatory.
📚 Sharḥ Muslim: 3/238
📘 Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله adds another perspective:
- The narration of Ibn Mas‘ūd may relate to prayers in the mosque,
- Whereas that of Anas relates to travels or other contexts.
Since Ibn Masʿūd was more knowledgeable, senior, and closely associated with the Prophet ﷺ, his view is given preference.
📚 Fatḥ al-Bārī: 2/609
✔ Preferred View (Rājiḥ):
Both ways are permissible, but turning to the right is preferred according to general evidence and scholarly consensus.
📚 Nayl al-Awṭār: 2/155
✿ Turning Both Sides – Evidence for Flexibility
➌ Narration from Qabīṣah ibn Hulb عن أبيه:
“كان رسول الله يؤمنا فينصرف عن جانبيه جميعًا، عن يمينه وعن شماله“
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would lead us in prayer and then turn to both sides—sometimes to the right, and sometimes to the left.”
📚 Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tirmidhī: 246
📚 Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd: 919
📚 Ibn Mājah: 929
📚 Ibn Ḥibbān: 1998
📘 After narrating this, Imām Tirmidhī commented:
This is the practice of the scholars, and it is also narrated from ʿAlī رضي الله عنه that:
“إن كانت حاجته عن يمينه أخذ عن يمينه وإن كانت حاجته عن يساره أخذ عن يساره“
“If the Prophet ﷺ had a need on his right side, he would turn to the right; and if the need was on the left, he would turn to the left.”
✅ Conclusion
✔ Facing the congregation after prayer is the Sunnah.
✔ Turning either right or left is permissible, though right is preferred.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ practiced both, and context or personal need can determine the direction.
