The reason for their disagreement is that two ḥadīths whose outward sense appears to conflict are involved. The first is the well-authenticated report agreed upon from Abū Hurayrah, in which he said that the Messenger of God—peace and blessings be upon him—declared:

“When the imām says ‘Āmīn,’ then say ‘Āmīn.’”

The second is what Mālik transmitted, also from Abū Hurayrah, that he—peace and blessings be upon him—said:

“When the imām recites: ‘…not of those who have incurred wrath, nor of those who have gone astray,’ then say ‘Āmīn.’”

The first ḥadīth is an explicit text affirming that the imām himself pronounces “Āmīn.” The second is taken by some to indicate that the imām does not do so, for had he done so the congregation would not have been commanded to say “Āmīn” upon his finishing the Opening Chapter before the imām had said it—because, as the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—stated, “The imām has only been appointed to be followed.” Unless, that is, this statement be singled out from the imām’s other utterances—meaning that the follower may say “Āmīn” with him or even just before him. In that case the report furnishes no ruling concerning the imām, but only regarding the follower.

What seems evident is that Mālik preferred the ḥadīth he transmitted, understanding that the one who listens is the one who says “Āmīn,” not the one who is reciting. The majority, however, preferred the first ḥadīth because it is an explicit text and because it contains nothing about the imām’s ruling; the difference between it and the other report concerns only the moment at which the congregation says “Āmīn,” not whether the imām himself does so. Reflect on this.

It is also possible to interpret the first ḥadīth by saying that his words “When he says ‘Āmīn,’ then say ‘Āmīn’” mean: when he reaches the place where ‘Āmīn’ is to be uttered. Some have even maintained that “Āmīn” itself is a supplication; yet this departs from the apparent sense and rests on analogy rather than on anything explicit in the ḥadīth—namely the inference drawn from his saying, “When he recites ‘…not of those who have incurred wrath, nor of those who have gone astray,’ then say ‘Āmīn,’” which would imply that the imām does not himself say “Āmīn.”

As for the question of when the imām pronounces the opening takbīr, one group said he should not do so until the iqāmah is complete and the rows are aligned; this is the position of Mālik, al-Shāfiʿī, and others. A second group held that the proper time is before the iqāmah is finished, and considered it commendable for the imām to pronounce the takbīr when the caller says, “The prayer has commenced”; this is the view of Abū Ḥanīfah, al-Thawrī, and Zufar. The source of the disagreement is the apparent contradiction between the reports of Anas and of Bilāl.

The report of Anas states:

“The Messenger of God—peace and blessings be upon him—turned to us before beginning the prayer and said, ‘Straighten your rows and come close together, for I can see you from behind my back.’”

The outward sense of this is that his words came after the iqāmah had concluded, much as it is related from ʿUmar that when the iqāmah was finished and the rows were straight, he would then pronounce the takbīr.

The report of Bilāl, on the other hand, relates that “he would pronounce the iqāmah for the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—and would say to him, ‘O Messenger of God, do not…’”