Deliberately Preceding the Imam / the leader
*******************************
Humans are hasty by nature , as it says in the Qur`aan
:
" and Humans are ever hasty "
[ Surah al-Israa` (17) : 11 ]
The Prophet :salla: said
:
" Deliberation is from Allah while haste is from Shaytaan / devil "
.
[ Reported by al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunsn al-Kubraa , 10/104 ; see also as-Silsilah , 1795 ]
One often notices , when praying in congregation , people to the left and right anticipating the Imam in rukoo`/ bowing in prayer / , sujood / prostrstion /and the takbeeraat / Takbeer : is the saying of " Allahu Akbar ( Allah is the greatest ) " before moving from one position to next in salaat ( prayer ) . Pl. Takbeeraat / that signal changes in position – one might at times even notice this in oneself , too . People may even precede the Imam in giving salaam / saying : As-Salaamu alaykum wa Rahmatullah to the right and left at the end of the prayer / . This is a matter which may appear unimportant to many , but the Prophet :salla:issued a stern warning about this when he said
:
"
Do those who raise their head before the imam not fear that Allah may turn their head into the head of a donkey
"
[ Reported by Muslim , 1/320 – 321]
If a person is required to come to the prayer with dignity and composure , how then should he be during the prayer itself ? Some people are confused about this issue and seek to compensate by delaying their movements after the imam ; these people should know that the fuqahaa` / the scholars /, may Allah have mercy on them , have described an excellent way to control the matter , which is that the person following the imam should only start his movements after the imam has finished pronouncing the [ Arabic letter ] ' raa' ( r ) of " Allaahu akbar ' ; then the person following the imam is permitted to move , but not before or after
.
The companions of the prophet :salla: used to be very keen to avoid anticipating his movements when he led them in prayer . One of them , al-Baraa` ibn `Aazib said :salla:about praying behind the prophet
:
"
When he raised his head from rukoo` , I would never see anyone bending his back in sujood until the Messenger of Allah :salla: had placed his forehead on the ground , then everyone would go down in sujood behind him
" .
[ Reported by Muslim , no. 474 , Abd al-Baaqi edition ]
When the prophet :salla: grew older , and became rather slow in his movements , he told the people praying behind him
:
"
O people , I have gained weight , so do not precede me in performing rukoo` and sujood
"
[ Reported by al-Bayhaqi , 2/93 and classified as hasan in Irwaa` al-Ghaleel , 2/290 ]
The Imam is obliged to follow the Sunnah in making takbeer when he prays , as reported in the hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah
:
"
When the Messenger of Allah :salla:stood up to pray , he would say takbeer when he stood up and when he bowed … then he would say takbeer when he went down for sujood and when he raised his head , then when he went down for sujood again and when he raised his head again . Then he would repeat this throughout the whole prayer until it was finished . He would say takbeer when he stood up after completing two rak`ahs
"
[ Reported by al-Bukhaari, no. 756 , al-Baghaa edition ]
If the imam pronounces takbeer at the same time as he makes the movements , and the people following him strive to follow the guidelines mentioned here , then they will have performed the congregational prayer correctly
.
