Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (4/182)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

into the head of a donkey, or make his appearance that of a donkey. Whether this is uncertainty on the part of the narrator or a variation in wording from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the punishment is either that the head be transformed into the head of a donkey, or that the person’s appearance be made like that of a donkey.

The second view on this issue is that if he bows or prostrates before his imam deliberately, his prayer is invalid, whether or not he returns and performs it after the imam. This is because he has deliberately done something prohibited within the prayer, and the principle is that deliberately doing what is prohibited in an act of worship invalidates it. This view is the correct one, and it is what is indicated by the words of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, in Risālat al-Ṣalāh (Treatise on Prayer), where he said: “How can we say that his prayer is valid when he is sinful?!”

He must therefore begin the prayer again. The same ruling applies to one who raises himself from prostration or bowing before his imam. Thus, if he rises from bowing before his imam rises, knowingly and deliberately, his prayer is invalid. Likewise, if he rises from prostration in this manner, his prayer is invalid according to the correct view. According to the author’s position, however, the prayer is not invalidated; rather, he must return and perform it after the imam.

“If he does not do so deliberately, it is invalid, ………..”

His statement, “If he does not do so deliberately, it is invalid,” means: if he deliberately bows or prostrates before the imam and does not return until the imam catches up with him, then his prayer is invalid.

Thus, if he precedes the imam in performing a pillar of the prayer—according to the preponderant view—his prayer is invalid if he does so knowingly and deliberately. According to the author’s position, it is not invalid; rather, he should return and perform it after his imam. But if he deliberately does not do so, his prayer is invalid.

If he does not do so out of forgetfulness or ignorance, then his prayer is valid; that is, he bowed before

رأسَ حِمارٍ، أو يجعلَ صورتَه صورةَ حِمارٍ، وسواءً كان هذا شَكًّا مِن الرَّاوي أو تنويعاً مِن رسولِ الله ﷺ؛ لأنَّ العقوبةَ: إما أنْ يُحوَّلَ الرأسُ رأسَ حِمارٍ، أو تُجعلَ الصُّورةُ صورةَ حِمارٍ. القول الثاني في المسألة: أنَّه إذا رَكَعَ أو سَجَدَ قبلَ إِمامِهِ عامداً فصلاتُهُ باطلةٌ، سواءٌ رَجَعَ فأتى به بعدَ الإِمامِ أم لا؛ لأنَّه فَعَلَ محظوراً في الصَّلاةِ، والقاعدةُ: أنَّ فِعْلَ المحظورِ عمداً في العبادةِ يوجبُ بطلانَها. وهذا القولُ هو الصَّحيحُ، وهذا هو الذي يقتضيه كلامُ الإمامِ أحمدَ بنِ حنبل ﵀ في «رسالة الصلاة» وقال: كيف نقولُ: صلاتُهُ صحيحةٌ وهو آثمٌ؟!. فعليه أنْ يستأنفَ الصَّلاةَ، ومَن رَفَعَ مِن السجودِ أو مِن الرُّكوعِ قبلَ إمامِهِ فالحكمُ واحدٌ، فإذا رَفَعَ قبلَ رَفْعِ إمامِهِ مِن الرُّكوعِ عالماً عمداً فصلاتُهُ باطلةٌ، وإذا رَفَعَ مِن السُّجودِ كذلك فصلاته باطلَةٌ على القولِ الصحيح، أما على كلامِ المؤلِّفِ فإنَّها لا تبطلُ الصَّلاةُ، لكن يجبُ عليه أن يرجعَ ليأتيَ بذلك بعدَ الإِمامِ. فإِنْ لَم يَفْعَلْ عَمْداً بَطَلَتْ، ........... قوله: «فإن لم يفعل عمداً بطلت» أي: لو رَكَعَ أو سَجَدَ عمداً قبلَ الإمامِ، ولم يرجعْ حتى لَحِقَهُ الإمامُ فإنَّ صلاتَه تبطلُ. فصار إذا سَبَقَ إلى الرُّكنِ ـ على القولِ الرَّاجحِ ـ بطلتْ صلاتُه إذا كان عالماً متعمِّداً، وعلى كلامِ المؤلِّف لا تبطل، ولكن يرجعُ ليأتيَ به بعدَ إمامِهِ، فإنْ لم يفعلْ متعمِّداً بطلتْ صلاتُهُ. وإنْ لم يفعلْ سهواً أو جهلاً فصلاتُهُ صحيحةٌ أي: رَكَعَ قبلَ