Author: Hafiz Abu Yahya Noor Puri
Numerous authentic narrations confirm that it is valid for those performing obligatory prayers to follow an Imam performing voluntary prayers. However, the Hanafi scholars (both Deobandi and Barelvi) openly oppose these authentic Hadiths, advocating that one should not perform obligatory prayers behind someone performing voluntary prayers. Below are the details of the evidence they use and a commentary on it.
Sayyiduna Abu Umamah (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The Imam is responsible, and the Muezzin is trustworthy."
(Musnad Ahmad: 5/260, Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir by Tabarani: 8/286, Hadith: 8098, and its chain is authentic)
Imams and scholars, including some Hanafi elders, have accepted the validity of obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers, as indicated by the Hadith of Mu'adh and the Hadith of Jabir and Abu Bakra. However, it is regrettable that only the late followers of imitation have derived this understanding. The task of deriving issues from Hadith is the job of Hadith scholars, not imitators.
Dear Readers! Many scholars have presented this Hadith in their books, yet none of them derived the issue from it:
Sunans of Darqutni (1214) explain this Hadith as follows:
"The Imam is responsible, so do what he does."
Imam Abu Hatim said: "This validates the view of those who hold that the recitation behind the Imam is mandatory."
(Sunan Darqutni: 1/321)
According to the clarifications of the Hadith scholars, this narration instead supports the opposite of what the Hanafis claim. Insisting otherwise is sheer stubbornness.
Using the term imam as a guarantor to mean equality in the prayer of the Imam and the follower, or considering the Imam’s obligatory and the follower’s voluntary prayer to be equal, is against the clarifications of the Hadith scholars. It also contradicts other Hanafi principles.
The Hanafis use faulty analogies here, arguing that the Prophet (ﷺ) called the Imam a guarantor, implying the guarantor must be superior or at least equal. Such reasoning is incorrect and invalid against explicit Hadith texts.
Examining this further, Hanafis contradict their own principles in many places:
Sayyiduna Anas (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Imam is appointed to be followed, so do not differ from him." Bukhari and Muslim narrated it (via Zaili).
Our Hanafi scholars have taken this as evidence to prohibit the performance of obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers. They say that difference in intention falls under this prohibition.
(I'laa Al-Sunan by Zafar Ahmed Thanwi: 3/1355-1356)
As before, this narration does not prove the Hanafi stance at all. Instead, reading the entire Hadith reveals the opposite:
Sayyiduna Anas (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) once fell from a horse and got injured. He led us in prayer while sitting, and we prayed behind him sitting. When he finished, he said, "The Imam is appointed to be followed, so when he says Takbeer, you also say Takbeer; when he goes into Ruku’, you also go into Ruku’; when he says 'Sami` Allahu liman hamidah,' you say 'Rabbana wa laka al-hamd'; and when he prostrates, you prostrate. In another narration: When the Imam prays standing, you pray standing. In another narration: When the Imam prays sitting, you all pray sitting.
(Sahih Bukhari: 732-733, Sahih Muslim: 411)
It is clear that the purpose of this blessed saying of the Prophet (ﷺ) was to inform the Companions to follow the Imam's actions in prayer, i.e., if he prays standing, you also pray standing; if he prays sitting, you all pray sitting. Thus, there is no evidence from this for the prohibition of obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers. Presenting such probabilities against explicit Hadiths is equivalent to denying justice.
Benefit:
During the Prophet’s (ﷺ) illness before his death, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (رضی اللہ عنہ) followed him in both standing and sitting prayers, indicating that this command was abrogated or not obligatory.
This narration has been recorded by numerous Imams and Hadith scholars in their books, but this interpretation is unique to the Deobandis:
The prohibition of differing from the Imam refers to outward actions, not the intention. As clarified in this Hadith, when the Imam bows, you bow; when he stands up, you stand up; when he prostrates, you prostrate. There is no indication of intention differences being prohibited.
If intention differences were implied, then the prayer of one performing voluntary prayers behind an Imam performing obligatory prayers would also be invalid, which no one claims.
As Zafar Ahmed Thanwi Deobandi writes:
"The voluntary prayer behind the obligatory prayer is not considered differing with the Imam."
(I'laa Al-Sunan: 3/1356)
We say that obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers is also not differing with the Imam.
He further writes:
"We might say that 'do not differ from him' implies differing in intention as well, and this includes both obligatory behind voluntary and vice versa. However, we have permitted the obligatory prayer behind a voluntary one due to another specific text."
Thus, it is evident that this narration does not imply differing in intention; otherwise, the following scenarios would also be invalid due to differing intentions:
Dear readers! You have observed that on one side, there are authentic and clear Hadiths, the practice of the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Companions, numerous clarifications from Hadith scholars, and even acknowledgments from some Hanafi elders. On the other side, there is not even a weak evidence, let alone authentic, yet the Hanafis are persistent in their stance. They commit various baseless interpretations and become guilty of textual distortion, and to console themselves and their blind followers, they present narrations irrelevant to their stance as they lack proper evidence.
Therefore, the conclusion is that opposing clear and authentic Hadiths with such interpretations is nothing but stubbornness.
Final Note:
The Deobandi scholar Anwar Khursheed admits in his book "Non-Followers in the Court of Imam Bukhari" that not every issue of the Hanafi Fiqh has evidence in Hadith. Thus, when they themselves acknowledge this, why do they go to great lengths to interpret Hadiths in support of their issues, even when no such evidence exists? It's better to openly admit that there is no evidence for these issues.
Dear readers! We have presented an unbiased analysis of all the arguments provided by the Hanafis against performing obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers. Now, judge for yourself whether this is in accordance with Hadith or against it.
Numerous authentic narrations confirm that it is valid for those performing obligatory prayers to follow an Imam performing voluntary prayers. However, the Hanafi scholars (both Deobandi and Barelvi) openly oppose these authentic Hadiths, advocating that one should not perform obligatory prayers behind someone performing voluntary prayers. Below are the details of the evidence they use and a commentary on it.
Sayyiduna Abu Umamah (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The Imam is responsible, and the Muezzin is trustworthy."
(Musnad Ahmad: 5/260, Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir by Tabarani: 8/286, Hadith: 8098, and its chain is authentic)
Sayyiduna Anas (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Imam is appointed to be followed, so do not differ from him." Bukhari and Muslim narrated it (via Zaili).
Our Hanafi scholars have taken this as evidence to prohibit the performance of obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers. They say that difference in intention falls under this prohibition.
(I'laa Al-Sunan by Zafar Ahmed Thanwi: 3/1355-1356)
(Sahih Bukhari: 732-733, Sahih Muslim: 411)
It is clear that the purpose of this blessed saying of the Prophet (ﷺ) was to inform the Companions to follow the Imam's actions in prayer, i.e., if he prays standing, you also pray standing; if he prays sitting, you all pray sitting. Thus, there is no evidence from this for the prohibition of obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers. Presenting such probabilities against explicit Hadiths is equivalent to denying justice.
Benefit:
During the Prophet’s (ﷺ) illness before his death, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (رضی اللہ عنہ) followed him in both standing and sitting prayers, indicating that this command was abrogated or not obligatory.
Dear readers! You have observed that on one side, there are authentic and clear Hadiths, the practice of the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Companions, numerous clarifications from Hadith scholars, and even acknowledgments from some Hanafi elders. On the other side, there is not even a weak evidence, let alone authentic, yet the Hanafis are persistent in their stance. They commit various baseless interpretations and become guilty of textual distortion, and to console themselves and their blind followers, they present narrations irrelevant to their stance as they lack proper evidence.
Therefore, the conclusion is that opposing clear and authentic Hadiths with such interpretations is nothing but stubbornness.
Final Note:
The Deobandi scholar Anwar Khursheed admits in his book "Non-Followers in the Court of Imam Bukhari" that not every issue of the Hanafi Fiqh has evidence in Hadith. Thus, when they themselves acknowledge this, why do they go to great lengths to interpret Hadiths in support of their issues, even when no such evidence exists? It's better to openly admit that there is no evidence for these issues.
Dear readers! We have presented an unbiased analysis of all the arguments provided by the Hanafis against performing obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers. Now, judge for yourself whether this is in accordance with Hadith or against it.
Numerous authentic narrations confirm that it is valid for those performing obligatory prayers to follow an Imam performing voluntary prayers. However, the Hanafi scholars (both Deobandi and Barelvi) openly oppose these authentic Hadiths, advocating that one should not perform obligatory prayers behind someone performing voluntary prayers. Below are the details of the evidence they use and a commentary on it.
Evidence No. 1:
عن أبی أمامۃ رضی اللّٰہ عنہ قال؛ قال رسول اللّٰہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ؛ الامام ضامن المؤذن مؤتمن
Sayyiduna Abu Umamah (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The Imam is responsible, and the Muezzin is trustworthy."
(Musnad Ahmad: 5/260, Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir by Tabarani: 8/286, Hadith: 8098, and its chain is authentic)
Commentary:
There is no indication in this blessed Hadith about the invalidity of an obligatory prayer behind an Imam performing a voluntary prayer. The narrations we rely on are explicit in their meaning. Renowned and senior scholars, including some Hanafi scholars, have acknowledged this clarity. Presenting ambiguous narrations against clear ones is not the act of a fair-minded person. Offering one’s own interpretation against explicit textual statements demonstrates a lack of understanding of the principles of derivation.Imams and scholars, including some Hanafi elders, have accepted the validity of obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers, as indicated by the Hadith of Mu'adh and the Hadith of Jabir and Abu Bakra. However, it is regrettable that only the late followers of imitation have derived this understanding. The task of deriving issues from Hadith is the job of Hadith scholars, not imitators.
Dear Readers! Many scholars have presented this Hadith in their books, yet none of them derived the issue from it:
- Sunan Tirmidhi (207)
- Sunan Abi Dawood (517)
- Sunan Kubra Bayhaqi (1/430, 3/127, 1/425, 1/426, 1/431)
- Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah (5131, 5132)
- Al-Um by Shafi'i (1/128)
- Sharh Al-Sunnah by Hafiz Baghawi (2/280)
- Even in the Hanafi commentary, Sharh Mishkat by Mulla Ali Qari (1/427), none of these scholars derived the invalidity of an obligatory prayer behind an Imam performing a voluntary prayer. In contrast, many Hadith scholars have proven the validity of such prayers through Hadith of Mu'adh and Jabir, as we have mentioned.
Sunans of Darqutni (1214) explain this Hadith as follows:
الامام ضامن، فما صنع فاصنعوا
"The Imam is responsible, so do what he does."
Imam Abu Hatim said: "This validates the view of those who hold that the recitation behind the Imam is mandatory."
(Sunan Darqutni: 1/321)
According to the clarifications of the Hadith scholars, this narration instead supports the opposite of what the Hanafis claim. Insisting otherwise is sheer stubbornness.
Using the term imam as a guarantor to mean equality in the prayer of the Imam and the follower, or considering the Imam’s obligatory and the follower’s voluntary prayer to be equal, is against the clarifications of the Hadith scholars. It also contradicts other Hanafi principles.
The Hanafis use faulty analogies here, arguing that the Prophet (ﷺ) called the Imam a guarantor, implying the guarantor must be superior or at least equal. Such reasoning is incorrect and invalid against explicit Hadith texts.
Examining this further, Hanafis contradict their own principles in many places:
- A free man's prayer behind a slave.
- A pious man's prayer behind a sinner (permanent sinner).
- These analogies demonstrate the inconsistency in their application of principles.
Evidence No. 2:
عن أنس رضی اللہ عنہ أن النبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم قال ؛ انما جعل الامام لیؤتم بہ، فلا تختلفوا علیہ، أخرجہ البخاریّ و مسلم
Sayyiduna Anas (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Imam is appointed to be followed, so do not differ from him." Bukhari and Muslim narrated it (via Zaili).
احتج بہ أصحابنا علی المنع من اقتداء المفترض بالمتنفل قالوا؛ واختلاف النیۃ داخل فی ذالک.
Our Hanafi scholars have taken this as evidence to prohibit the performance of obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers. They say that difference in intention falls under this prohibition.
(I'laa Al-Sunan by Zafar Ahmed Thanwi: 3/1355-1356)
Commentary:
In the narrations of Bukhari and Muslim, the words "فلا تختلفوا علیہ" (so do not differ from him) are not found in the narration of Anas, but rather in the narration of Abu Hurayrah. Hence, correction is needed.As before, this narration does not prove the Hanafi stance at all. Instead, reading the entire Hadith reveals the opposite:
عن أنس بن مالک أنہ قال ؛ خرّ رسول اللّٰہ صلی اللّٰہ علیہ وسلم عن فرس فجُحِش فصلّٰی لنا قاعدا فصلینا معہ قعوداً، فلما انصرف فقال ؛ انما جعل الامام لیؤتم بہ، فاذا کبر فکبروا، واذا رکع فارکعوا، واذا رفع فارفعوا، واذا قال؛ سمع اللّٰہ لمن حمدہٗ، فقولوا ؛ ربنا ولک الحمد، واذا سجد فاسجدوا، وفی روایۃ ؛ فاذا صلّٰی قائماً فصلُّوا قیاماً، وفی روایۃ أخریٰ ؛ واذا صلّٰی قاعداً فصلُّو قعوداً أجمعون
Sayyiduna Anas (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) once fell from a horse and got injured. He led us in prayer while sitting, and we prayed behind him sitting. When he finished, he said, "The Imam is appointed to be followed, so when he says Takbeer, you also say Takbeer; when he goes into Ruku’, you also go into Ruku’; when he says 'Sami` Allahu liman hamidah,' you say 'Rabbana wa laka al-hamd'; and when he prostrates, you prostrate. In another narration: When the Imam prays standing, you pray standing. In another narration: When the Imam prays sitting, you all pray sitting.
(Sahih Bukhari: 732-733, Sahih Muslim: 411)
It is clear that the purpose of this blessed saying of the Prophet (ﷺ) was to inform the Companions to follow the Imam's actions in prayer, i.e., if he prays standing, you also pray standing; if he prays sitting, you all pray sitting. Thus, there is no evidence from this for the prohibition of obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers. Presenting such probabilities against explicit Hadiths is equivalent to denying justice.
Benefit:
During the Prophet’s (ﷺ) illness before his death, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (رضی اللہ عنہ) followed him in both standing and sitting prayers, indicating that this command was abrogated or not obligatory.
This narration has been recorded by numerous Imams and Hadith scholars in their books, but this interpretation is unique to the Deobandis:
- Bukhari (734)
- Muslim (414)
- Ibn Majah (864)
- Nasa’i (832, 1200)
- Abu Awanah (2/110)
- Darimi (1/286)
- Bayhaqi (3/79)
- Baghawi (852)
- Abu Dawood (604)
- Ibn Abi Shaybah (2/326)
- Ahmad ibn Hanbal (2/341)
- Humaydi (958)
- Abdul Razzaq (4082)
- Ibn Hibban (2107)
- Ibn Khuzaymah (1613)
- None of these scholars interpreted this Hadith in the manner the Deobandis have. Given the large number of Hadith scholars against the opinion of the imitators, who has a better understanding of Hadith, scholars or imitators?
The prohibition of differing from the Imam refers to outward actions, not the intention. As clarified in this Hadith, when the Imam bows, you bow; when he stands up, you stand up; when he prostrates, you prostrate. There is no indication of intention differences being prohibited.
If intention differences were implied, then the prayer of one performing voluntary prayers behind an Imam performing obligatory prayers would also be invalid, which no one claims.
As Zafar Ahmed Thanwi Deobandi writes:
واقتداء المتنفل بالمفترض لیس من الاختلاف علی الامام
"The voluntary prayer behind the obligatory prayer is not considered differing with the Imam."
(I'laa Al-Sunan: 3/1356)
We say that obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers is also not differing with the Imam.
He further writes:
أو نقول ؛ انّ مفاد قولہ ؛ لا تختلفوا علیہ . المنع من ذالک أیضا و لکن جوّزناہ بنصّ آخر فی ذٰلک خاصّۃ
"We might say that 'do not differ from him' implies differing in intention as well, and this includes both obligatory behind voluntary and vice versa. However, we have permitted the obligatory prayer behind a voluntary one due to another specific text."
Thus, it is evident that this narration does not imply differing in intention; otherwise, the following scenarios would also be invalid due to differing intentions:
- The prayer of a traveler behind a resident.
- The prayer of a resident behind a traveler.
- The prayer of a latecomer (one who has missed some units of the prayer).
Dear readers! You have observed that on one side, there are authentic and clear Hadiths, the practice of the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Companions, numerous clarifications from Hadith scholars, and even acknowledgments from some Hanafi elders. On the other side, there is not even a weak evidence, let alone authentic, yet the Hanafis are persistent in their stance. They commit various baseless interpretations and become guilty of textual distortion, and to console themselves and their blind followers, they present narrations irrelevant to their stance as they lack proper evidence.
Therefore, the conclusion is that opposing clear and authentic Hadiths with such interpretations is nothing but stubbornness.
Final Note:
The Deobandi scholar Anwar Khursheed admits in his book "Non-Followers in the Court of Imam Bukhari" that not every issue of the Hanafi Fiqh has evidence in Hadith. Thus, when they themselves acknowledge this, why do they go to great lengths to interpret Hadiths in support of their issues, even when no such evidence exists? It's better to openly admit that there is no evidence for these issues.
Dear readers! We have presented an unbiased analysis of all the arguments provided by the Hanafis against performing obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers. Now, judge for yourself whether this is in accordance with Hadith or against it.
Numerous authentic narrations confirm that it is valid for those performing obligatory prayers to follow an Imam performing voluntary prayers. However, the Hanafi scholars (both Deobandi and Barelvi) openly oppose these authentic Hadiths, advocating that one should not perform obligatory prayers behind someone performing voluntary prayers. Below are the details of the evidence they use and a commentary on it.
Evidence No. 1:
عن أبی أمامۃ رضی اللّٰہ عنہ قال؛ قال رسول اللّٰہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ؛ الامام ضامن المؤذن مؤتمن
Sayyiduna Abu Umamah (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The Imam is responsible, and the Muezzin is trustworthy."
(Musnad Ahmad: 5/260, Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir by Tabarani: 8/286, Hadith: 8098, and its chain is authentic)
Commentary:
- There is no indication in this blessed Hadith about the invalidity of an obligatory prayer behind an Imam performing a voluntary prayer. The narrations we rely on are explicit in their meaning. Renowned and senior scholars, including some Hanafi scholars, have acknowledged this clarity. Presenting ambiguous narrations against clear ones is not the act of a fair-minded person. Offering one’s own interpretation against explicit textual statements demonstrates a lack of understanding of the principles of derivation.
- Imams and scholars, including some Hanafi elders, have accepted the validity of obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers, as indicated by the Hadith of Mu'adh and the Hadith of Jabir and Abu Bakra. However, it is regrettable that only the late followers of imitation have derived this understanding. The task of deriving issues from Hadith is the job of Hadith scholars, not imitators.
Dear Readers! Many scholars have presented this Hadith in their books, yet none of them derived the issue from it:
- Sunan Tirmidhi (207)
- Sunan Abi Dawood (517)
- Sunan Kubra Bayhaqi (1/430, 3/127, 1/425, 1/426, 1/431)
- Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah (5131, 5132)
- Al-Um by Shafi'i (1/128)
- Sharh Al-Sunnah by Hafiz Baghawi (2/280)
- Even in the Hanafi commentary, Sharh Mishkat by Mulla Ali Qari (1/427), none of these scholars derived the invalidity of an obligatory prayer behind an Imam performing a voluntary prayer. In contrast, many Hadith scholars have proven the validity of such prayers through Hadith of Mu'adh and Jabir, as we have mentioned.
- Sunans of Darqutni (1214) explain this Hadith as follows:
الامام ضامن، فما صنع فاصنعوا
"The Imam is responsible, so do what he does."
Imam Abu Hatim said: "This validates the view of those who hold that the recitation behind the Imam is mandatory."
(Sunan Darqutni: 1/321)
According to the clarifications of the Hadith scholars, this narration instead supports the opposite of what the Hanafis claim. Insisting otherwise is sheer stubbornness. - Using the term imam as a guarantor to mean equality in the prayer of the Imam and the follower, or considering the Imam’s obligatory and the follower’s voluntary prayer to be equal, is against the clarifications of the Hadith scholars. It also contradicts other Hanafi principles.
The Hanafis use faulty analogies here, arguing that the Prophet (ﷺ) called the Imam a guarantor, implying the guarantor must be superior or at least equal. Such reasoning is incorrect and invalid against explicit Hadith texts.
Examining this further, Hanafis contradict their own principles in many places:
- A free man's prayer behind a slave.
- A pious man's prayer behind a sinner (permanent sinner).
- These analogies demonstrate the inconsistency in their application of principles.
Evidence No. 2:
عن أنس رضی اللہ عنہ أن النبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم قال ؛ انما جعل الامام لیؤتم بہ، فلا تختلفوا علیہ، أخرجہ البخاریّ و مسلم
Sayyiduna Anas (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Imam is appointed to be followed, so do not differ from him." Bukhari and Muslim narrated it (via Zaili).
احتج بہ أصحابنا علی المنع من اقتداء المفترض بالمتنفل قالوا؛ واختلاف النیۃ داخل فی ذالک.
Our Hanafi scholars have taken this as evidence to prohibit the performance of obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers. They say that difference in intention falls under this prohibition.
(I'laa Al-Sunan by Zafar Ahmed Thanwi: 3/1355-1356)
Commentary:
- In the narrations of Bukhari and Muslim, the words "فلا تختلفوا علیہ" (so do not differ from him) are not found in the narration of Anas, but rather in the narration of Abu Hurayrah. Hence, correction is needed.
- As before, this narration does not prove the Hanafi stance at all. Instead, reading the entire Hadith reveals the opposite:
عن أنس بن مالک أنہ قال ؛ خرّ رسول اللّٰہ صلی اللّٰہ علیہ وسلم عن فرس فجُحِش فصلّٰی لنا قاعدا فصلینا معہ قعوداً، فلما انصرف فقال ؛ انما جعل الامام لیؤتم بہ، فاذا کبر فکبروا، واذا رکع فارکعوا، واذا رفع فارفعوا، واذا قال؛ سمع اللّٰہ لمن حمدہٗ، فقولوا ؛ ربنا ولک الحمد، واذا سجد فاسجدوا، وفی روایۃ ؛ فاذا صلّٰی قائماً فصلُّوا قیاماً، وفی روایۃ أخریٰ ؛ واذا صلّٰی قاعداً فصلُّو قعوداً أجمعون
(Sahih Bukhari: 732-733, Sahih Muslim: 411)
It is clear that the purpose of this blessed saying of the Prophet (ﷺ) was to inform the Companions to follow the Imam's actions in prayer, i.e., if he prays standing, you also pray standing; if he prays sitting, you all pray sitting. Thus, there is no evidence from this for the prohibition of obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers. Presenting such probabilities against explicit Hadiths is equivalent to denying justice.
Benefit:
During the Prophet’s (ﷺ) illness before his death, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (رضی اللہ عنہ) followed him in both standing and sitting prayers, indicating that this command was abrogated or not obligatory.
- This narration has been recorded by numerous Imams and Hadith scholars in their books, but this interpretation is unique to the Deobandis:
- Bukhari (734)
- Muslim (414)
- Ibn Majah (864)
- Nasa’i (832, 1200)
- Abu Awanah (2/110)
- Darimi (1/286)
- Bayhaqi (3/79)
- Baghawi (852)
- Abu Dawood (604)
- Ibn Abi Shaybah (2/326)
- Ahmad ibn Hanbal (2/341)
- Humaydi (958)
- Abdul Razzaq (4082)
- Ibn Hibban (2107)
- Ibn Khuzaymah (1613)
- None of these scholars interpreted this Hadith in the manner the Deobandis have. Given the large number of Hadith scholars against the opinion of the imitators, who has a better understanding of Hadith, scholars or imitators?
- The prohibition of differing from the Imam refers to outward actions, not the intention. As clarified in this Hadith, when the Imam bows, you bow; when he stands up, you stand up; when he prostrates, you prostrate. There is no indication of intention differences being prohibited.
- If intention differences were implied, then the prayer of one performing voluntary prayers behind an Imam performing obligatory prayers would also be invalid, which no one claims.
As Zafar Ahmed Thanwi Deobandi writes:
واقتداء المتنفل بالمفترض لیس من الاختلاف علی الامام
"The voluntary prayer behind the obligatory prayer is not considered differing with the Imam."
(I'laa Al-Sunan: 3/1356)
We say that obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers is also not differing with the Imam.
He further writes:
أو نقول ؛ انّ مفاد قولہ ؛ لا تختلفوا علیہ . المنع من ذالک أیضا و لکن جوّزناہ بنصّ آخر فی ذٰلک خاصّۃ
"We might say that 'do not differ from him' implies differing in intention as well, and this includes both obligatory behind voluntary and vice versa. However, we have permitted the obligatory prayer behind a voluntary one due to another specific text."
Thus, it is evident that this narration does not imply differing in intention; otherwise, the following scenarios would also be invalid due to differing intentions: - The prayer of a traveler behind a resident.
- The prayer of a resident behind a traveler.
- The prayer of a latecomer (one who has missed some units of the prayer).
Dear readers! You have observed that on one side, there are authentic and clear Hadiths, the practice of the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Companions, numerous clarifications from Hadith scholars, and even acknowledgments from some Hanafi elders. On the other side, there is not even a weak evidence, let alone authentic, yet the Hanafis are persistent in their stance. They commit various baseless interpretations and become guilty of textual distortion, and to console themselves and their blind followers, they present narrations irrelevant to their stance as they lack proper evidence.
Therefore, the conclusion is that opposing clear and authentic Hadiths with such interpretations is nothing but stubbornness.
Final Note:
The Deobandi scholar Anwar Khursheed admits in his book "Non-Followers in the Court of Imam Bukhari" that not every issue of the Hanafi Fiqh has evidence in Hadith. Thus, when they themselves acknowledge this, why do they go to great lengths to interpret Hadiths in support of their issues, even when no such evidence exists? It's better to openly admit that there is no evidence for these issues.
Dear readers! We have presented an unbiased analysis of all the arguments provided by the Hanafis against performing obligatory prayers behind an Imam performing voluntary prayers. Now, judge for yourself whether this is in accordance with Hadith or against it.