Question the was posed to Ash-Shaykh Dr. Rabee'ibn Haadi al Madkhalee may Allah protect him.
Question: If the Imaam holds the opinion of placing the hands on the chest after rising from rukoo'(bowing) and the ma'moom(those praying behind the imaam) do not hold that opinion, do they have to follow the Imaam (in that)?
Answer: I do not consider that(opinion), he follows him with regards to the rukoo', sujood(prostration) and in all of the movements (of the prayer) and he doesn't contradict him in them. However in this circumstance if the ma'moom has a paticular opinion, he doesn't place his hands on his chest(after rukoo') he isn't obligated to do so.
As for not preceding the Imaam that which is intended is that you do not precede him in bowing or prostrating or in rising up. The messenger sallahu 'alayhi wasallam said: Verily the Imaam has been appointed to be followed*.
For example, the Imaam is hanafi (follows the opinion of Abu Haneefah) and he doesn't hold the opinion of at-tawarruk (sitting on the left hip putting the left foot under the right one) but I do the tawarruk in my prayer, he doesn't deem it (at-tawarruk) to be a sunnah and I deem it to be a sunnah.
Likewise the raising of the hands, he doesn't hold the opinion of raising the hands but as for me, I raise my hands because the Messenger sallahu 'alayhi wasallam he says: pray as you have seen me pray**. (However) I do not precede him in the pillars that I have mentioned to you.
Footnote:*Abu Dawud(603) declared saheeh by Imaam al-Albaani may Allah have mercy upon him.**Bukhaari(605)
Taken from:http://www.rabee.net/show_fatwa.aspx?id=103 Translated by:Abu Fouzaan Qaasim
qasimmujahid
21-11-2009 @ 6:13 PM
