[Q 603] Following Imam During Tashahhud

QUESTION:

What is the ruling regarding a person recite tashahud in jamat to the extent that the imam finishes the rakat and goes into ruku and sometimes even completes the ruku. Does the person have to read the rakat after the salam

ANSWER:

In the mentioned situation, such a person should try to complete the Tashahhud (tashahhud – sitting testimony in prayer) along with the Imam while taking care of correct pronunciation of the letters. However, if the Tashahhud has not yet been completed (up to “عبدہ ورسولہ”) and the Imam stands up for the next Rak‘ah (rak‘ah – unit of prayer), then it is Wajib (obligatory) upon such a person to first complete the Tashahhud and then join the Imam in Qiyam (qiyam – standing posture).

If the Imam goes into Ruku (ruku – bowing posture) after standing, then such a person should, after completing the Tashahhud, first stand (for the duration of saying “SubhanAllah” once) and then join the Imam in Ruku. Since the follower (muqtadi – follower in prayer) has performed these actions after the Imam, this Rak‘ah is considered complete, and it is not Wajib (obligatory) to repeat that Rak‘ah or to repeat the prayer.

It is mentioned in Hashiyat al-Tahtawi:

والحاصل أن متابعة الإمام في الفرائض والواجبات من غير تأخير واجبة فإن عارضها واجب آخر لا ينبغي أن يفوت ذلك الواجب بل يأتي به ثم يتابع لأن الإيان به لا يفوت المتابعة بالكلية وإنما يؤخرها والمتابعة مع قطعه تفوت الواجب بالكلية فكان الإتيان بالواجبين مع تأخير أحدهما أولى من ترك أحدهما بالكلية بخلاف ما إذا عارضها سنة لأن ترك السنة أخف من تأخير الواجب.
(Hashiyat al-Tahtawi ‘ala Maraqi al-Falah, p. 255)

It is mentioned in Fatawa Qazi Khan:

إذا قام الإمام إلى الثالثة قبل أن يفرغ المقتدي من التشهد فإن المقتدي يتم التشهد ثم يقوم وكذا لو سلم الإمام قبل أن يفرغ المقتدي من التشهد فإنه يتم التشهد ۔۔۔لأن قراءة التشهد واجبة ولهذا يلزمه السهو بتركه ساهيا
(Fatawa Qazi Khan, Kitab al-Salah, vol. 1, pp. 90–91, Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut)

It is mentioned in Fatawa Ridawiyyah:

The verified position is that following the Imam (iqtida’ – following the Imam in prayer), which is Fard (obligatory) upon the follower in congregational prayer, includes three situations. One is that every action of the follower occurs exactly alongside the action of the Imam without delay; this is the Sunnah (prophetic method), and according to our Imam A‘zam رضي الله تعالى عنه, this is what the follower is instructed to do. The second is that the follower’s action occurs after the Imam’s action, even if after the Imam has completed it; the obligation will still be fulfilled in this way. If this delay happens due to a valid necessity, then there is no harm.

This necessity can be, for example, when the follower joins in the first sitting (qa‘dah ula – first sitting), and as soon as he joins, the Imam stands up. In this case, he should complete At-Tahiyyat and then stand, trying to catch up quickly. If, during this time, the Imam goes into Ruku, then his standing will conclude after the Imam’s standing, but there is no harm because this delay was due to a Shar‘i (legal) necessity.

However, if the delay occurs without necessity, then in the case of a slight delay—where catching up with the Imam is still possible—it will be considered leaving a Sunnah. But in the case of a significant delay, such as in the scenario mentioned in the question where the follower performs the action after the Imam has completed it, this constitutes leaving a Wajib (obligatory act), the ruling of which is that the prayer must be completed and then repeated.

(Fatawa Ridawiyyah, vol. 7, p. 247, Raza Foundation)

A question was asked to Sayyidi A‘la Hazrat Imam Ahl al-Sunnah, Shah Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رحمۃ اللہ علیہ in Fatawa Ridawiyyah: if the follower has not yet completed At-Tahiyyat and the Imam stands up or gives Salam, should the follower complete it or leave it? He replied: “In every case, he should complete it, even if it takes a long time.”

(Fatawa Ridawiyyah, vol. 7, p. 52, Raza Foundation)

Answered by: Mubashir Attari (AskMufti Scholar)
Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari
Translated answer
Date: 31st March 2026.