Firstly
Where is the place for the followers to say Ameen? Regarding its determination, there is discussion about whether the followers’ saying Ameen will be at the same time as the Imam’s saying Ameen, or after the Imam’s Ameen, or when the Imam وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ says it. The scholars have mentioned multiple opinions on this matter, and their details are presented here.
❀ Imam Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
It is recommended that the followers say Ameen neither before the Imam nor after him, but together with the Imam, according to the statement of Allah’s Prophet, peace be upon him:
فمن وافق تأمينه تأمين الملائكة غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه
It is necessary that the Imam, the followers, and the angels say Ameen together and at the same time. Among our companions, those who have established this ruling by text are Sheikh Abu Muhammad al-Juwayni, may Allah have mercy on him, and his son Imam al-Haramayn, may Allah have mercy on him. Their two colleagues, Imam Ghazali, may Allah have mercy on him, and Rafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, have also adopted this position in their books.
Imam al-Haramayn, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
My Sheikh used to say that the meeting and concurrence of the follower with the Imam is recommended only in the case of loudly saying Ameen. The Imam also says that it is recommended for the follower to say Ameen together with the Imam, and the reason for this can be understood as follows: the follower does not say Ameen because of the Imam’s Ameen, but because of his recitation being completed. If it is objected that this contradicts the Prophet’s, peace be upon him, statement:
إذا أمن الإمام فآمنوا
When the Imam says Ameen, you also say Ameen.
Then the answer is the other hadith:
إذا قال الإمام غير المغضوب عليهم ولا الضالين فقولوا آمين
When the Imam غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ says it, then you say Ameen at that time.
Both narrations are found in the Sahihayn, and it is obligatory to reconcile between them. So the first hadith will be interpreted as: when the Imam intends to say Ameen, then you also say Ameen. Thus, it is possible to reconcile these two hadiths.
❀ The position of Hazrat Imam Khattabi, may Allah have mercy on him, and others is that this matter is like the Arabs’ saying:
إذا رحل الأمير فارحلوا
If the leader travels, then you also travel, meaning when he prepares for travel, you also prepare, but your traveling is with him.
And its explanation comes in another hadith as:
إذا قال أحدكم آمين قالت الملائكة فى السماء آمين فوافقت إحداهما الأخرى
When one of you says Ameen and the angels in the sky say Ameen, and one of these agrees with the other.
What is clear from these Prophetic hadiths is that all Ameen occurrences should be simultaneous; this is the ruling of the Shariah. This is the reconciliation and application between these hadiths.
❀ Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
Regarding the reconciliation between these narrations, it has been said that the Prophet’s, peace be upon him, statement:
إذا قال الإمام ولا الضالين فقولوا آمين
Translation: When the Imam وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ says it, then you say Ameen.
means when the Imam has not yet said Ameen. It has also been said that these two narrations prove that the follower has the choice to say Ameen with the Imam or after him, and this is the opinion of Imam Tabari, may Allah have mercy on him.
Another opinion is:
That the first hadith is for the person who is close to the Imam, and the second hadith is for the one who is far from the Imam, because the Imam’s loud Ameen is lower than the loud recitation, and the Imam’s recitation is heard by the person who cannot hear the Imam’s Ameen. So whoever hears the Imam’s Ameen will say Ameen with the Imam; if not, then when he hears وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ from the Imam, he will say Ameen at that time. This is the opinion of Imam Khattabi, may Allah have mercy on him.
All these reasons are possible, and among the reasons mentioned by scholars and jurists, there is none that is impossible.
Then Imam Khattabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says that the Prophet’s, peace be upon him, statement: فَآمِنُوا has been used as evidence for the follower saying Ameen after the Imam, because here the letter Fa (then) is used, meaning the Fa here is for sequence, that first the Imam says Ameen, then the follower. But the reconciliation between both narrations has already passed that both narrations mean the Imam and followers say Ameen together, and this is the position of the majority of scholars.
Secondly:
Which angels are meant by the angels mentioned in this Prophetic hadith:
من وافق تأمينه تأمين الملائكة
The detailed opinions of the scholars regarding this are presented for you:
❀ Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) and Imam Ibn Abd al-Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) say:
The scholars have differed regarding these angels. One opinion is that these are the honorable scribes and the angels who guard and protect. Another opinion is that these angels are different from those. Their evidence is the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him):
فوافق قوله قول أهل السماء
This statement aligns with the view of those who say they are angels of the heavens.
This is the evidence for those who say that these angels are neither the guarding and protecting angels nor the angels who are present at the times of prayers, because those angels are present with the servants on earth, they are not in the heavens.
Those who hold the first opinion have responded by saying that the guarding angels who are present with humans say “Ameen” from above, and it reaches the angels of the heavens, because whatever is above you is the sky. It cannot be ignored that the angels who say “Ameen” are angels of the heavens.
Ibn Jurayj narrates from Hakam bin Jurayj that he heard from Ikrimah (may Allah have mercy on him) who said:
إذا أقيمت الصلاة فصف أهل الأرض وصف أهل السماء فإذا قال أهل الأرض ولا الضالين قالت الملائكة آمين فإذا وافقت آمين أهل الأرض آمين أهل السماء غفر لأهل الأرض ما تقدم من ذنوبهم
When the prayer is established, the angels of the earth also form rows and the angels of the heavens also do. When the people on earth say وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ, the angels say “Ameen.” When the “Ameen” of the people on earth corresponds with the “Ameen” of the angels of the heavens, all the previous sins of the people on earth are forgiven.
❀ Imam Iraqi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
What appears from this is that these angels are not the guarding angels, because their saying “Ameen” is connected with the heavens, and the guarding angels are with the children of Adam, they are not in the heavens.
❀ Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
The clear position is that by angels all angels are meant, not any specific angels.
Ibn Bazizah (may Allah have mercy on him) has adopted this opinion.
One opinion is that by angels are meant those who come at the time of Asr and Fajr prayers, but this is when we say that besides the guarding angels there are other angels, then these are the ones. This seems more apparent and it also appears that these angels are those who are present at the times of prayers, whether they are on earth or in the heavens.
Conclusion
By the grace and mercy of Allah Almighty and with His help, I have completed this discussion which I wrote about the followers, the Imam, and the individual saying “Ameen” aloud in audible prayers, and the conclusions I have reached while writing this discussion are as follows:
● Benefiting from new and old sources of Hadith and Fiqh, etc.
● Recognizing the benefit of extracting Hadith from all sources of Hadith, which are narrated with different words and multiple chains of narration.
● Strengthening the issues which we have explained in the second chapter, along with the evidences mentioned in the first chapter of the second section.
● In audible prayers, the Imam saying “Ameen” aloud is the prevailing opinion in this matter, and that is saying it aloud, not silently; similarly, it is proven with authentic evidence from the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
● The prevailing opinion regarding the followers saying “Ameen” aloud is that the follower will say “Ameen” aloud, not silently; there are very clear evidences and indications supporting this.
● The individual in an audible prayer will also say “Ameen” aloud.
● The conformity of people’s saying “Ameen” with the angels’ saying “Ameen” means conformity in speech and time, because it is easy and simple to apply a ruling on the apparent, but applying a ruling on the inner state is extremely difficult.
● Regarding the determination of the place where followers say “Ameen,” it has become clear that it is more preferable for the Imam and followers to say “Ameen” together once, so that conformity with the angels’ saying “Ameen” is achieved and with Allah’s mercy, all their sins are forgiven.
● The angels referred to are the angels of the heavens, because the guardian angels are not in the heavens but are with the children of Adam on earth, and this is explicitly mentioned in the Hadith:
إذا قال أحدكم آمين والملائكة فى السماء
When any one of you says “Ameen” and the angels in the heavens say “Ameen.”
وفي رواية: فوافق قوله قول أهل السماء
If his saying conforms with the angels’ saying “Ameen” in the heavens, then all his sins are forgiven.
In the end, I ask Allah Almighty to benefit and grant profit to all Muslims through this humble effort of mine and to make it purely for His pleasure and satisfaction.
All the struggle I have made is solely to manifest the truth. I ask Allah Almighty for success and guidance; He is the One who grants success.
وصلى الله على نبينا محمد وآله وصحبه أجمعين ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين
