to him than his jugular vein” (1), and, likewise, He said: “Then He drew near and came down, and was two bow-lengths away, or even nearer” (2).
As part of our religion, we perform the Jumuʿah (Friday) and ʿEid prayers behind any imam, whether he is righteous or otherwise (3)(4); the same holds for all the other obligatory prayers and congregational gatherings (5), just as it is related that ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUmar used to pray behind al-Hajjaj (6).
We affirm the validity of wiping over leather socks both while travelling (7) and while resident, in opposition to those who reject this concession (8).
We consider it a duty to supplicate for the Muslim leaders, to acknowledge their authority, and to deem misguided anyone who advocates rebellion against them if they should display a lack of uprightness; and we hold that one must refrain (9)
(1) Sura Qaf, verse 16.
(2) Sura An-Najm, verses 8–9.
(3) In al-Ibanah and Tabyeen Kizb al-Muftari: the phrase “an nusalli” (“that we pray”).
(4) In al-Ibanah and Tabyeen Kizb al-Muftari: “bir wa fajir” (“righteous and wicked”).
(5) In al-Ibanah the phrase “wa sa’ir as-salawat wa al-jama‘at” (“and all other prayers and congregations”) precedes “khalf kull bir wa fajir” (“behind every righteous and wicked [person]”). In Tabyeen Kizb al-Muftari: “wa kadhalika shurut as-salawat…” (“and likewise the conditions of the prayers…”).
(6) Abu Muhammad al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf ibn al-Hakim al-Thaqafi was a courageous, bold, awe-inspiring, and bloodthirsty governor. He ruled the Hijaz for several years, then Iraq and Khurasan for twenty years, perpetrating countless atrocities amid his oppression and injustice. God relieved the land and its people of him in 95 AH. See Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’ by al-Dhahabi, 4/343; al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya by Ibn Kathir, 9/131–156; Shadharat al-Dhahab by Ibn al-Imad, 1/106–108. In his commentary on al-Tahawiyya (p. 421), Sadr al-Din al-Hanafi notes that in Sahih al-Bukhari ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar (ra) is reported to have prayed behind him. See also Ibn ‘Asakir’s Tadhyib (4/54) on Ibn ‘Umar’s (ra) prayer with al-Hajjaj; and Majmu‘ al-Fatawa, 3/280.
(7) In al-Ibanah: “sana fi al-safar” (“a year when traveling”)…
(8) In al-Ibanah: “khilafan li-qawl man ankara” (“contrary to the opinion of those who denied [it]”)…
(9) In al-Ibanah: “bi-inkar” (“by denying”).