Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
Is it permissible for a person performing a fard (obligatory) prayer to follow an imam who is performing a nafl (voluntary) prayer?
Yes — it is undoubtedly permissible for a person performing a fard prayer to follow an imam who is performing a nafl prayer.
This ruling is supported by authentic ḥadīths and the understanding of the early generations (salaf).
Sayyidunā Jābir ibn ʿAbdillāh al-Anṣārī رضي الله عنهما narrated:
“Muʿādh رضي الله عنه used to pray with the Prophet ﷺ, then go back and lead his people in the same prayer.
One night he led them in the ʿIshāʾ prayer and began reciting Sūrat al-Baqarah.
A man left the congregation, completed his prayer alone, and departed.
The people said, ‘O so-and-so! Have you become a hypocrite?’
He replied, ‘By Allah, I am not, but I will report this to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.’
When he told the Prophet ﷺ, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Muʿādh:
‘O Muʿādh! Are you putting people to trial? Recite such-and-such sūrahs instead.’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 700; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 465)
This clearly shows that Muʿādh رضي الله عنه offered the same ʿIshāʾ prayer twice — once with the Prophet ﷺ as a follower, and again with his people as an imam, where for him it was nafl, but for them fard.
“This is the practice of our scholars, including Imām al-Shāfiʿī, Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, and Imām Isḥāq ibn Rāhwayh.
They held that if a person leads others in a prayer that is fard for them but nafl for him, their prayer is valid.
They based this on the ḥadīth of Muʿādh رضي الله عنه reported by Jābir رضي الله عنه.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhī, under ḥadīth: 583)
“This ḥadīth clearly indicates that it is permissible for a person performing a fard prayer to follow one performing a nafl.
The responses of the Ḥanafī scholars to this issue are weak and insufficient.”
(Ḥāshiyat al-Sindī ʿalā al-Nasāʾī, 2/103)
يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ تِلْكَ الصَّلَاةَ، هِيَ لَهُ نَافِلَةٌ، وَلَهُمْ فَرِيضَةٌ
“He (Muʿādh) used to lead them in that prayer which was nafl for him but fard for them.”
(Al-Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Bayhaqī 3/86; Al-Umm by al-Shāfiʿī 1/173; Sunan al-Dāraquṭnī 1/374 – chain ṣaḥīḥ)
Ibn Jurayj رحمه الله explicitly stated he heard this directly.
The omission of these words by other narrators does not negate their authenticity — because the addition of a reliable narrator (ziyādat al-thiqah) is accepted in ḥadīth methodology.
“We came with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to Dhāt al-Riqāʿ.
The call to prayer was made, and he led one group in two rakʿahs.
Then they withdrew, and another group came forward, and he led them in two rakʿahs.
Thus, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed four rakʿahs, while each group prayed two.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (muʿallaq): 4136; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (mawṣūl): 843)
This also establishes the principle that the imam’s and the followers’ intentions may differ, yet the prayer remains valid.
“The Prophet ﷺ prayed Ẓuhr in a state of fear.
One group prayed behind him while the other faced the enemy.
When the first group finished two rakʿahs, they switched positions with the second group, and the Prophet ﷺ led them also in two rakʿahs.
Thus, the Prophet ﷺ prayed four rakʿahs while each group prayed two.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1248; Sunan al-Nasāʾī: 1553 – authentic)
“In any case, the ḥadīth of Jābir رضي الله عنه is a sound and valid proof against the Ḥanafīs on this issue.”
(Naṣb al-Rāyah, 2/57)
“It is clear from this that the permissibility of a fard follower behind a nafl imam is decisively established.
I have not seen any satisfactory response from the Ḥanafīs to this ḥadīth.”
(Ḥāshiyat al-Sindī ʿalā al-Nasāʾī, 3/178–179)
Conclusion:
هٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
This is what I hold to be correct, and Allah knows best what is right.
❖ Question:
Is it permissible for a person performing a fard (obligatory) prayer to follow an imam who is performing a nafl (voluntary) prayer?
✿ Answer:
Yes — it is undoubtedly permissible for a person performing a fard prayer to follow an imam who is performing a nafl prayer.
This ruling is supported by authentic ḥadīths and the understanding of the early generations (salaf).
✿ Evidence from the Sunnah:
① Ḥadīth of Muʿādh ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه:
Sayyidunā Jābir ibn ʿAbdillāh al-Anṣārī رضي الله عنهما narrated:
“Muʿādh رضي الله عنه used to pray with the Prophet ﷺ, then go back and lead his people in the same prayer.
One night he led them in the ʿIshāʾ prayer and began reciting Sūrat al-Baqarah.
A man left the congregation, completed his prayer alone, and departed.
The people said, ‘O so-and-so! Have you become a hypocrite?’
He replied, ‘By Allah, I am not, but I will report this to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.’
When he told the Prophet ﷺ, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Muʿādh:
‘O Muʿādh! Are you putting people to trial? Recite such-and-such sūrahs instead.’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 700; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 465)
This clearly shows that Muʿādh رضي الله عنه offered the same ʿIshāʾ prayer twice — once with the Prophet ﷺ as a follower, and again with his people as an imam, where for him it was nafl, but for them fard.
② Imām al-Tirmidhī رحمه الله wrote under this ḥadīth:
“This is the practice of our scholars, including Imām al-Shāfiʿī, Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, and Imām Isḥāq ibn Rāhwayh.
They held that if a person leads others in a prayer that is fard for them but nafl for him, their prayer is valid.
They based this on the ḥadīth of Muʿādh رضي الله عنه reported by Jābir رضي الله عنه.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhī, under ḥadīth: 583)
③ Imām al-Sindī رحمه الله commented:
“This ḥadīth clearly indicates that it is permissible for a person performing a fard prayer to follow one performing a nafl.
The responses of the Ḥanafī scholars to this issue are weak and insufficient.”
(Ḥāshiyat al-Sindī ʿalā al-Nasāʾī, 2/103)
④ In another narration about Muʿādh رضي الله عنه:
يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ تِلْكَ الصَّلَاةَ، هِيَ لَهُ نَافِلَةٌ، وَلَهُمْ فَرِيضَةٌ
“He (Muʿādh) used to lead them in that prayer which was nafl for him but fard for them.”
(Al-Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Bayhaqī 3/86; Al-Umm by al-Shāfiʿī 1/173; Sunan al-Dāraquṭnī 1/374 – chain ṣaḥīḥ)
Ibn Jurayj رحمه الله explicitly stated he heard this directly.
The omission of these words by other narrators does not negate their authenticity — because the addition of a reliable narrator (ziyādat al-thiqah) is accepted in ḥadīth methodology.
⑤ Ḥadīth of Jābir رضي الله عنه (Ṣalāt al-Khawf – Prayer of Fear):
“We came with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to Dhāt al-Riqāʿ.
The call to prayer was made, and he led one group in two rakʿahs.
Then they withdrew, and another group came forward, and he led them in two rakʿahs.
Thus, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed four rakʿahs, while each group prayed two.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (muʿallaq): 4136; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (mawṣūl): 843)
This also establishes the principle that the imam’s and the followers’ intentions may differ, yet the prayer remains valid.
⑥ Ḥadīth of Abū Bakrah رضي الله عنه:
“The Prophet ﷺ prayed Ẓuhr in a state of fear.
One group prayed behind him while the other faced the enemy.
When the first group finished two rakʿahs, they switched positions with the second group, and the Prophet ﷺ led them also in two rakʿahs.
Thus, the Prophet ﷺ prayed four rakʿahs while each group prayed two.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1248; Sunan al-Nasāʾī: 1553 – authentic)
⑦ Imām al-Zaylaʿī رحمه الله stated:
“In any case, the ḥadīth of Jābir رضي الله عنه is a sound and valid proof against the Ḥanafīs on this issue.”
(Naṣb al-Rāyah, 2/57)
⑧ Imām al-Sindī رحمه الله further noted:
“It is clear from this that the permissibility of a fard follower behind a nafl imam is decisively established.
I have not seen any satisfactory response from the Ḥanafīs to this ḥadīth.”
(Ḥāshiyat al-Sindī ʿalā al-Nasāʾī, 3/178–179)
Conclusion:- The Prophet ﷺ, Muʿādh ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه, and the Companions clearly demonstrated that:
➤ A person performing fard prayer may follow someone performing nafl prayer. - This practice was approved by leading Imāms — al-Shāfiʿī, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, and Isḥāq ibn Rāhwayh.
- Hence, the prayer is valid and in full accordance with the Sunnah.
هٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
This is what I hold to be correct, and Allah knows best what is right.
