Thus, if I am praying by myself and limit myself to the obligatory elements and obligations of the prayer, I may do so. But if I am serving as an imam, I may not do so, because I must, as far as possible, perform the prayer in a manner that conforms to the sunnah. This is because I am not acting for myself.

However, if it is supposed that the congregants are a limited, defined group and they say, “So-and-so, make it quick for us; we have matters to attend to,” then he may limit himself to the minimum obligatory requirements, because the congregants have granted him permission to do so. Just as each of them, if praying individually, would be permitted to limit himself to what is obligatory, so too is the case when they grant their imam permission. Thus, the brevity that is sanctioned is that which accords with the sunnah, not that which conforms to people’s desires.

So, if the imam recites in the Friday prayer Surah al-Jumuʿah and Surah al-Munafiqun, he is not making it excessively long, because this conforms to the sunnah (1). Likewise, if in the Fajr prayer on Friday he recites Surah al-Sajdah in the first rakʿah and Surah al-Insan in the second, this is the sunnah (2).

Anas ibn Malik said: “I never prayed behind an imam whose prayer was lighter, yet more complete, than that of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—” (3). Thus, prayer that conforms to the sunnah is both the lightest and the most complete prayer. Therefore, the imam should not obey some of the congregants in departing from the sunnah, for following the sunnah is a mercy. Were there only