For this reason, several of the early generations, including ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (1), whom Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (3) followed (2) in this view, said: “The imam’s coming out precludes prayer, and his sermon precludes speech (4).” Thus, they regarded the imam’s coming out—not midday—as what precluded prayer.

Moreover, people are beneath the roofs of the mosque and are unaware of when the sun passes its zenith. A man may be absorbed in prayer and unaware of that time. He cannot go outside, stepping over people’s heads, look at the sun, and then return; nor is it prescribed for him to do so.

Concerning this hadith of Abū Qatādah, Abū Dāwūd said (5): “Its chain is disconnected: Abū al-Khalīl (6) did not hear from Abū Qatādah.” A report with a disconnected chain may be supported by established practice and reinforced by analogical reasoning or a Companion’s statement; or its transmitting narrator may be known for carefully selecting his teachers and avoiding transmission from weak narrators and those whose reports are abandoned; or there may be other such grounds that strengthen it= in such cases, it may be acted upon.