The Importance of Following the Imam in Prayer: A Warning Against Preceding Him

The Prohibition of Raising the Head Before the Imam in Prayer: A Threat of Transformation

Not preceding the Imaam in prayer

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

One should neither precede nor do the actions simultaneously with the Imaam.

Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Isn’t he who raises his head before the Imaam afraid that Allaah may transform his head into that of a donkey or his figure (face) into that of a donkey?” 

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (691)]

Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Does not the one who raises his head before the Imaam fear that Allaah may turn his head into the head of a donkey?” 

[Saheeh Muslim (859)]

Shaikh Abdullaah al-Basaam رحمه الله said:

The Imaam is appointed so that he is followed in the Salaah and that it is completed while following him; so that the follower goes from one position to another (from standing to bowing and the like) after the Imaam has changed his position. This way, the proper following is achieved.

If the one who is following precedes (the Imaam in prayer), then the purpose of Imaamah (having a leader in prayer) is lost. That is why such a strict threat has come for the one who raises his head before his Imaam that his head or his face will be transformed into that of a donkey. His head would be transformed from the best features to that of the ugliest one; a retribution for this part of the body that transgressed in the prayer.

The scholars are unanimous that it is forbidden for the followers to race with the Imaam in prayer because of this strict warning, but they have differed if the prayer is invalidated or not. The majority view that it becomes void.

Imaam Ahmad رحمه الله said: “There is no prayer for the one who precedes the Imaam in the Salaah.”

His companions said: “Whoever precedes the Imaam in the pillars of prayer like bowing or prostration, then upon him is to return back (to his previous position) so that he follows the Imaam to it. But if he intentionally does not do that and the Imaam catches him up in that position, then his prayer becomes void.”

The correct view is that of Imaam Ahmad that whoever intentionally precedes the Imaam, then his prayer is invalid, and this is what Shaikh al-Islaam, Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله, also followed. This is because the threat entails prohibition; and the prohibition entails voidness.

Benefits from this Hadeeth:

1. Prohibition of raising the head before the Imaam in Sujood and the threat in it is evidence for its prohibition. There is no threat given except in the prohibited matters. The threat here is with transformation (of the head), and it is among the severest of punishments.

2. (This prohibition is not limited to prostration only), it also implies competing with the Imaam in every (other) action as well. This is not based on some analogy alone; rather it is based on what al-Bazzaar has reported from the Hadeeth of Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that: “The one who lowers or raises (his head) before the Imaam, his forelock is in the hand of Shaitaan.” 

[Musnad al-Bazzaar (9404) and graded as “Dhaeef” by Shaikh al-Albaanee in Dhaeef al-Jaami (1527) and Dhaeef al-Targheeb (276)][Note: There is another authentic Hadeeth with Shaikh al-Bassaam رحمه الله discusses in the next chapter: Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه reported Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم saying: “The Imaam is appointed to be followed, so do not differ from him. So say the Takbeer when he says it, and bow down when he bows down and when he says: ‘Sami Allaahu liman hamidah’, say: ‘Rabbanaa wa laka l-hamd’. And when he prays standing, you should pray standing. And when he prays sitting, all of you should pray sitting.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]]

3. The obligation of following the Imaam in the Salaah by the followers.

4. The rewards (or retribution) depend on the kind of deed. So, a person is threatened with the transformation (of the head) because of his raising the head.