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What is the ruling on the prayer of one who prolongs the final prostration, citing the words of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, to the extent that the Imam says the taslim before he raises his head?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is forbidden for the congregant to precede the Imam or to lag significantly behind him, causing them to miss the subsequent pillar. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (PBUH): "Indeed, the Imam was appointed to be followed. So, when he says 'Allahu Akbar,' then say 'Allahu Akbar'; and when he bows, then bow." Perfecting the prayer does not contradict following the Imam as long as he performs the prayer with tranquility. Furthermore, singling out the last prostration for prolonged duration, unlike the other prostrations, has no evidence and innovation in religion is impermissible.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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