excerpt from “Ṣaff Bandi ke Aḥkām wa Masā’il” by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri:
This issue has flexibility in Islamic law. Different positions are supported by authentic narrations:
إذا أقيمت الصلاة فلا تقوموا حتى تروني
“When the iqāmah is pronounced, do not stand up until you see me.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 637 | Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 604]
كان بلال يؤذن إذا دحضت، فلا يقيم حتى يخرج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فإذا خرج أقام الصلاة حين يراه
“When the sun declined, Bilāl رضي الله عنه would call the adhān for Ẓuhr. He would not pronounce the iqāmah until the Prophet ﷺ came out.
Once the Prophet ﷺ appeared, Bilāl would immediately begin the iqāmah upon seeing him.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 606]
These narrations complement each other:
إن الصلاة كانت تقام لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فيأخذ الناس مصافهم قبل أن يقوم النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم مقامه
“When the iqāmah was called for the Prophet ﷺ, the people would take their positions in the rows even before the Prophet ﷺ stood in his place.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 639 | Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 605 — wordings of Muslim]
This occurrence was occasional, possibly to demonstrate permissibility under certain circumstances.
“This narration can be reconciled with the ḥadīth of Abū Qatādah by saying that it happened occasionally to show permissibility.”
[Fatḥ al-Bārī: 2/120]
When Should the Followers Stand Up for Prayer?
This issue has flexibility in Islamic law. Different positions are supported by authentic narrations:
◈ It is permissible to stand before the Imām arrives, if one is certain that the Imām will soon enter.
◈ One may also stand upon hearing the words “Qad qāmatiṣ-ṣalāh” (The prayer is ready to begin).
◈ It is also valid to stand after the iqāmah has been completed.
❀ Ḥadīth of Abū Qatādah رضي الله عنه:
إذا أقيمت الصلاة فلا تقوموا حتى تروني
“When the iqāmah is pronounced, do not stand up until you see me.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 637 | Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 604]❀ Ḥadīth of Jābir bin Samurah رضي الله عنه:
كان بلال يؤذن إذا دحضت، فلا يقيم حتى يخرج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فإذا خرج أقام الصلاة حين يراه
“When the sun declined, Bilāl رضي الله عنه would call the adhān for Ẓuhr. He would not pronounce the iqāmah until the Prophet ﷺ came out.
Once the Prophet ﷺ appeared, Bilāl would immediately begin the iqāmah upon seeing him.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 606]These narrations complement each other:
- Bilāl رضي الله عنه would wait to see the Prophet ﷺ before starting the iqāmah.
- The companions who saw the Prophet ﷺ would stand upon seeing him, fulfilling the instruction of not standing prematurely.
❀ Ḥadīth of Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:
إن الصلاة كانت تقام لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فيأخذ الناس مصافهم قبل أن يقوم النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم مقامه
“When the iqāmah was called for the Prophet ﷺ, the people would take their positions in the rows even before the Prophet ﷺ stood in his place.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 639 | Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 605 — wordings of Muslim]This occurrence was occasional, possibly to demonstrate permissibility under certain circumstances.
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله explains:
“This narration can be reconciled with the ḥadīth of Abū Qatādah by saying that it happened occasionally to show permissibility.”
[Fatḥ al-Bārī: 2/120]