Following The Imaam

QUESTION:

What is the ruling in Salaah when the Imaam prolongs the Takbeer from Qiyaam / Qawmah to Sajdah. Do we wait until the Takbeer is complete and then go down or up? Some Musallis start movement when the word ‘Allah’ is mentioned. Would this Salaah be valid?

ANSWER:

The Imaam begins the Takbeer at the time of going down into Sajdah, and ends the Takbeer when he reaches the ground. Therefore, a Muqtadi will follow the Imaam when he hears the Takbeer. This means that the Muqtadi can go into Sajdah simultaneously (at the same time) with the Imaam, or he can go into Sajdah after the Imaam goes into Sajdah. However, the condition is that the Muqtadi must be in Sajdah at the same time with the Imaam. If the Muqtadi delays going into Sajdah to such an extent that he misses the Sajdah with the Imaam, then his Salaah is invalid. Similarly, the Muqtadi must not rush to go into Sajdah where he precedes the Imaam.

(قَوْلُهُ وَمُتَابَعَتُهُ لِإِمَامِهِ فِي الْفُرُوضِ) أَيْ بِأَنْ يَأْتِيَ بِهَا مَعَهُ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ, حَتَّى لَوْ رَكَعَ إمَامُهُ وَرَفَعَ فَرَكَعَ هُوَ بَعْدَهُ صَحَّ, خِلَافِ مَا لَوْ رَكَعَ قَبْلَ إمَامِهِ وَرَفَعَ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ إمَامُهُ وَلَمْ يَرْكَعْ ثَانِيًا مَعَ إمَامِهِ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ بَطَلَتْ صَلَاتُهُ, فَالْمُرَادُ بِالْمُتَابَعَةِ عَدَمُ الْمُسَابَقَةِ, نَعَمْ مُتَابَعَتُهُ لِإِمَامِهِ بِمَعْنَى مُشَارَكَتِهِ لَهُ فِي الْفَرَائِضِ مَعَهُ لَا قَبْلَهُ وَلَا بَعْدَهُ وَاجِبَةٌ كَمَا سَيَذْكُرُهُ فِي الْفَصْلِ الْآتِي عِنْدَ قَوْلِهِ وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ مِمَّا يُبْتَنَى عَلَى لُزُومِ الْمُتَابَعَةِ إلَخْ, وَاحْتُرِزَ بِالْفُرُوضِ عَنْ الْوَاجِبَاتِ وَالسُّنَنِ، فَإِنَّ الْمُتَابَعَةَ فِيهَا لَيْسَتْ بِفَرْضٍ فَلَا تَفْسُدُ الصَّلَاةُ بِتَرْكِهَا

(رد المحتار على الدر المختار 1/450)

وَيُكَبِّرُ مَعَ الِانْحِطَاطِ. كَذَا فِي الْهِدَايَةِ قَالَ الطَّحَاوِيُّ وَهُوَ الصَّحِيحُ كَذَا فِي مِعْرَاجِ الدِّرَايَةِ فَيَكُونُ ابْتِدَاءُ تَكْبِيرِهِ عِنْدَ أَوَّلِ الْخُرُورِ وَالْفَرَاغُ عِنْدَ الِاسْتِوَاءِ لِلرُّكُوعِ.

(الفتاوى الهندية 1/74)

ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Muhammad Isa Ali

Date: 03 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1447 / 27 August 2025

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:

Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb