the Prophet ﷺ bowing, so he bowed before reaching the row, then entered the row. When the Prophet ﷺ concluded the prayer, he said to him: “May Allah increase you in eagerness, but do not do that again.” (1) Thus, he prayed for him and forbade him from repeating it, because what is prescribed is that one who arrives late should not enter the prayer until he reaches the row. Yet he did not instruct him to repeat the rak‘ah, which indicates that his rak‘ah was valid.
This is the first issue.
As for the second: if a person bows while standing alone, and another person joins him before the imam prostrates, then his prayer is valid. Its reasoning is the same as that mentioned in the first issue.
Chapter
A follower’s following of the imam is valid within the mosque, ……….
His statement, “Chapter,” means: concerning the rulings of the follower’s following the imam. It has already been mentioned that the follower must follow the imam, and that, in this respect, followers fall into four categories: (2)
- Following.
- Preceding.
- Moving in unison.
- Lagging behind.
This chapter is not concerned with these categories. Rather, it concerns the question: in what place is a follower’s following his imam valid? Is it a condition for the validity of following the imam that they both be in one place, or may he follow him even if they are in two separate places?
His statement: “A follower’s following of the imam is valid within the mosque …” “Within