272 – ʿUmar (d. 23 AH) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Those praying behind the imam are not liable for forgetfulness; but if the imam forgets, then both he and those behind him must make it up.” Related by al-Bazzār and al-Bayhaqī with a weak chain (1).

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Degree of authenticity:
This ḥadīth is weak. Al-Bayhaqī declared it weak; al-Shawkānī added: its chain contains Khārija ibn Muṣʿab, who is weak, and Abū ’l-Ḥusayn al-Madīnī, who is unknown.

Note: The printed editions of Bulūgh al-Marām and its commentary Subul al-Salām mistakenly attribute the ḥadīth to al-Tirmidhī, whereas the correct citation is to al-Bazzār, as found in the author’s own reference copy.

Points derived from the ḥadīth

1. The report indicates that the imam carries the burden of any forgetfulness on behalf of the follower. If the follower forgets while the imam does not, the follower is not required to perform the prostrations of forgetfulness. Ibn al-Mundhir transmitted consensus on this point, and the general principles of the Sharīʿah support it: the follower must comply with the imam, to the extent that such compliance takes precedence over performing the first tashahhud and its sitting when the imam omits them.

2. Conversely, the imam’s forgetfulness obliges the prostrations on the follower, even if the follower himself did not forget or if the imam’s lapse occurred during a portion of the prayer the follower had not joined. The follower still prostrates under the general command, “When he prostrates, then prostrate.” Ibn al-Mundhir has also cited consensus on this, for joining the imam requires the follower to follow his lead, and because the deficiency that has entered the imam’s prayer