This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Hussain bin Mubarak Al-Mosuli's Arabic book Al-Awamir wal-Nawahi, whose Urdu translation has been done by Muhammad Sarwar Gohar Sahib under the title Ahkamat o Mamnoaat.
① Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
إنما جعل الإمام ليؤتم به، فإذا كبر فكبروا، وإذا ركع فاركعوا، وإذا قال: سمع الله لمن حمده فقولوا: اللهم ربنا لك الحمد، وإذا صلى قائما فصلوا قياما، وإذا صلى قاعدا فصلوا قعودا
"The Imam is appointed so that he may be followed and imitated. So when he says Takbir, say Takbir; when he bows, you bow; when he says __ARABIC_1, you say ARABIC_2__; when he stands to pray, you stand to pray; and when he sits to pray, you sit to pray."
Reference: Bukhari, Al-Adhan, Hadith 689. Muslim, Kitab al-Salat, Hadith 417/79.
Al-Sheikh Baydawi رحمه الله and others said: The state of the follower is such that he neither precedes the one he is following nor stands equal to him nor goes ahead of his position. Rather, he observes his conditions and follows behind according to his actions. This requires that under no circumstances should he oppose him in his conditions.
Al-Sheikh Nawawi رحمه الله and others said: Except for the Imam’s intention, it is obligatory to follow his apparent actions.
Reference: (See Fath al-Bari 2/209)
Al-Sheikh Ibn Daqiq رحمه الله said: In فكبروا, the letter "fa" indicates succession. It requires that the actions of the follower come after the actions of the Imam. Ibn Battal also ruled similarly and said that "fa" is for succession, and what is here is for connection because this is a response to a condition. Therefore, it does not require the follower’s actions to be after the Imam’s actions except for the precedence of the condition over the consequence. Some have said that the consequence is with the condition. Thus, this does not negate simultaneity.
Reference: (See Al-Uddah Sharh al-‘Umdah 2/241 and Fath al-Bari 2/210)
Ibn al-Munir said: It requires that the follower’s bowing be after the Imam’s bowing, either after the Imam has fully bent or the Imam takes precedence at the start. Then he begins after the Imam starts.
Reference: (See Fath al-Bari 2/210)
① Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه reports that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
إذا صلى أحدكم للناس فليخفف فإن فيهم الضعيف والسقيم والكبير، وإذا صلى أحدكم لنفسه فليطول ما شاء
"When any one of you leads the people in prayer, let him make it short, for among them are the weak, the sick, and the elderly. But when anyone prays alone, he may prolong the prayer as much as he wishes."
Reference: Bukhari, Book of Prayer 702. Muslim, Book of Prayer 467. Muwatta Imam Malik, Al-Nidaa lil-Salat 134/1. Abu Dawood, Book of Prayer 494, 495.
② Sayyiduna Abu Mas’ud Badri رضي الله عنه reports that a man came to the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and said, "I pray Fajr late only because of a certain man who makes us pray a long prayer." The narrator says, "I have never seen the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم more angry than on that day when he was admonishing and advising." The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
أيها الناس! إن منكم منفرين فأيكم أم الناس فليوجز فإن من ورائه الكبير والصغير وذا الحاجة
"O people! Among you are some who cause dislike. So whoever leads the prayer among you, let him keep it brief, for behind him are the old, the young, and those in need."
Reference: Bukhari, Book of Prayer 702. Muslim, Book of Prayer 466. Ibn Majah, Establishing Prayer and the Sunnah in it 984. Ahmad, Remaining Musnad of the Most Frequent 118/4.
③ Sayyiduna Uthman ibn Abi al-As رضي الله عنه reports that the last advice the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم gave me was:
إذا أممت قوما فأخف بهم الصلاة
"When you lead the people in prayer, make the prayer short."
Reference: Muslim, Book of Prayer 187/468.
