Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh

وَ رَوَى أَبُو أُسَامَةَ: أَنَّهُ سَأَلَهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ اِنْتَهَى إِلَى اَلْإِمَامِ وَ هُوَ رَاكِعٌ، قَالَ «إِذَا كَبَّرَ وَ أَقَامَ صُلْبَهُ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ فَقَدْ أَدْرَكَ.

Abu Usamah narrated that he asked about a man who reaches the Imam while he is in the bowing position (ruku'). Imam (a.s) said: "If he pronounces the takbir and straightens his back (stands up properly) and then bows, he has caught the rak'ah."

وَقَالَ رَجُلٌ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ إِنِّي إِمَامُ مَسْجِدِ اَلْحَيِّ فَأَرْكَعُ بِهِمْ وَ أَسْمَعُ خَفَقَانَ نِعَالِهِمْ وَ أَنَا رَاكِعٌ فَقَالَ «اِصْبِرْ رُكُوعَكَ وَ مِثْلَ رُكُوعِكَ فَإِنِ اِنْقَطَعُوا وَ إِلاَّ فَانْتَصِبْ قَائِماً.

A man said to Imam Abu Ja'far (a.s), "I am the Imam of the mosque in our neighborhood, and when I bow (in ruku') with them, I hear the sound of their footsteps while I am in ruku'." Imam (a.s) replied: "Remain in your bowing position for as long as your bowing takes, and if they catch up, (continue); otherwise, stand up straight."

وَ رَوَى إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «يَنْبَغِي لِلْإِمَامِ أَنْ يَكُونَ صَلاَتُهُ عَلَى صَلاَةِ أَضْعَفِ مَنْ خَلْفَهُ.

Ishaq ibn Ammar narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) that He said: "It is appropriate for the Imam's prayer to be suited to the ability of the weakest among those behind him."

وَ كَانَ مُعَاذٌ يَؤُمُّ فِي مَسْجِدٍ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ وَ يُطِيلُ اَلْقِرَاءَةَ وَ أَنَّهُ مَرَّ بِهِ رَجُلٌ فَافْتَتَحَ سُورَةً طَوِيلَةً فَقَرَأَ اَلرَّجُلُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَ صَلَّى ثُمَّ رَكِبَ رَاحِلَتَهُ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ اَلنَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ فَبَعَثَ إِلَى مُعَاذٍ فَقَالَ «يَا مُعَاذُ إِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَكُونَ فَتَّاناً عَلَيْكَ بِالشَّمْسِ وَ ضُحَيهَا وَ ذَوَاتِهَا.

Mu'adh used to lead prayer in a mosque during the time of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and would make the recitation lengthy. One day, a man passed by while Mu'adh was reciting a long Surah, so the man recited (the prayer) for himself, completed it, and then rode off on his mount. When this incident reached The Prophet (saws), he sent for Mu'adh and said: "O’ Mu'adh, be careful not to be a source of hardship (fitnah). Recite from the shorter Surahs like 'By the sun and its brightness' (Ash-Shams) and similar ones."

وَ إِنَّ اَلنَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ كَانَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ يَؤُمُّ أَصْحَابَهُ فَيَسْمَعُ بُكَاءَ اَلصَّبِيِّ فَيُخَفِّفُ اَلصَّلاَةَ.

The Prophet (saws) was leading his companions in prayer one day when he heard the crying of a child, so he shortened the prayer.

وَ رَوَى زُرَارَةُ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ كَانَ أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ: «مَنْ قَرَأَ خَلْفَ إِمَامٍ يَأْتَمُّ بِهِ فَمَاتَ بُعِثَ عَلَى غَيْرِ فِطْرَةٍ.

Zurarah and Muhammad ibn Muslim narrated from Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s) that He said: Amir al-Mu'minin (a.s) used to say: "Whoever recites (aloud) behind an Imam whom he follows (in prayer) and then dies will be resurrected on a different (incorrect) natural disposition (fitra)."

وَ رَوَى اَلْحَلَبِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «إِذَا صَلَّيْتَ خَلْفَ إِمَامٍ تَأْتَمُّ بِهِ فَلاَ تَقْرَأْ خَلْفَهُ سَمِعْتَ قِرَاءَتَهُ أَوْ لَمْ تَسْمَعْ إِلاَّ أَنْ تَكُونَ صَلاَةً يُجْهَرُ فِيهَا بِالْقِرَاءَةِ فَلَمْ تَسْمَعْ فَاقْرَأْ.

Al-Halabi narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) that He said: "If you are praying behind an Imam whom you are following, do not recite (the Qur'an) behind him, whether you hear his recitation or not, except in a prayer where the recitation is done aloud and you do not hear it—then you may recite."

وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ عَنْهُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «أَنَّهُ إِنْ سَمِعَ اَلْهَمْهَمَةَ فَلاَ يَقْرَأْ.

In a narration from Ubayd ibn Zurarah from Imam (a.s): "If he (the follower) hears a murmur (of the Imam's recitation), he should not recite."

وَ رَوَى زُرَارَةُ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «لاَ تَقْرَأَنَّ فِي اَلرَّكْعَتَيْنِ اَلْأَخِيرَتَيْنِ مِنَ اَلْأَرْبَعِ اَلرَّكَعَاتِ اَلْمَفْرُوضَاتِ شَيْئاً إِمَاماً كُنْتَ أَوْ غَيْرَ إِمَامٍ» قَالَ قُلْتُ فَمَا أَقُولُ فِيهَا قَالَ «إِنْ كُنْتَ إِمَاماً أَوْ وَحْدَكَ فَقُلْ سُبْحَانَ اَللَّهِ وَ اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اَللَّهُ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ تُكَمِّلُهُ تِسْعَ تَسْبِيحَاتٍ ثُمَّ تُكَبِّرُ وَ تَرْكَعُ.

Zurarah narrated from Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s) that He said: "Do not recite anything (from the Qur'an) in the last two rak'ahs of the four obligatory rak'ah prayers, whether you are an Imam or not." I (Zurarah) asked: "So what should I say in them?" Imam (a.s) said: "If you are an Imam or praying alone, say: 'Subhan Allah (swt) (Glory be to Allah (swt)), Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah (swt)), and La ilaha illa Allah (swt) (There is no god but Allah (swt))' three times, making a total of nine glorifications. Then say the takbir and bow (for ruku')."

وَ رَوَى وُهَيْبُ بْنُ حَفْصٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: «أَدْنَى مَا يُجْزِي مِنَ اَلْقَوْلِ فِي اَلرَّكْعَتَيْنِ اَلْأَخِيرَتَيْنِ ثَلاَثُ تَسْبِيحَاتٍ أَنْ تَقُولَ: سُبْحَانَ اَللَّهِ سُبْحَانَ اَللَّهِ سُبْحَانَ اَللَّهِ.

Wuhayb ibn Hafs narrated from Abu Basir, from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s), who said: "The minimum that suffices in the last two rak'ahs is to say three tasbihat (glorifications), by saying: 'Subhan Allah (swt) (Glory be to Allah (swt)), Subhan Allah (swt), Subhan Allah (swt).'"