4/25. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 426a — Do Not Precede the Imam
The Prohibition Of Preceding The Imam While Bowing, Prostrating And So On
Hadith About Not Preceding the Imam in Prayer
Sahih Muslim : 426a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 426a
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، وَاللَّفْظُ، لأَبِي بَكْرٍ قَالَ ابْنُ حُجْرٍ أَخْبَرَنَا وَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، عَنِ الْمُخْتَارِ بْنِ فُلْفُلٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ صَلَّى بِنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ فَلَمَّا قَضَى الصَّلاَةَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا بِوَجْهِهِ فَقَالَ " أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي إِمَامُكُمْ فَلاَ تَسْبِقُونِي بِالرُّكُوعِ وَلاَ بِالسُّجُودِ وَلاَ بِالْقِيَامِ وَلاَ بِالاِنْصِرَافِ فَإِنِّي أَرَاكُمْ أَمَامِي وَمِنْ خَلْفِي - ثُمَّ قَالَ - وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَوْ رَأَيْتُمْ مَا رَأَيْتُ لَضَحِكْتُمْ قَلِيلاً وَلَبَكَيْتُمْ كَثِيرًا " . قَالُوا وَمَا رَأَيْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " رَأَيْتُ الْجَنَّةَ وَالنَّارَ " .
Anas Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) one day led us in the prayer. and when he completed the Prayer he turned his face towards us and said: 0 People, I am your Imam, so do not precede me in bowing and prostration and in standing and turning (faces, i. e. In pronouncing salutation), for I see you in front of me and behind me, and then said: By Him in Whose hand Is the life of Muhammad, if you could see what I see, you would have laughed little and wept much more. They said: What did you see, Messenger of Allah? He replied: (I saw) Paradise and Hell.
[1] The meaning of "turning" is the Taslîm at the end of the prayer.Reference : Sahih Muslim 426aIn-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 123USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 857
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 426a
This hadith about not preceding the imam gives a clear rule for congregational prayer. After leading the prayer, the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) turned to the people and said, “I am your Imam.” He then told them not to precede him in bowing, prostration, standing, or turning away after the prayer. The reason given in the text is that he saw them in front of him and behind him. The hadith also includes a powerful reminder: if they saw what he saw, they would laugh little and weep much. When asked what he saw, he answered: Paradise and Hell. The main lesson stays focused on prayer order, seriousness, and following the imam.
What we learn from this hadith
- Worshippers should not move before the imam in bowing or prostration.
- The imam is followed in the order of prayer actions.
- The Prophet reminded the people of Paradise and Hell after the prayer.
- Prayer should be treated with seriousness and attention.
