16
of Resurrection, as He, Most High, says, “And your Lord comes, and the angels, rank upon rank” {22} [al-Fajr 22]; and that Allah Most High draws near to His servants as He wills, as He, Most High, says, “And We are closer to him than his jugular vein” {16} [Qāf 16], and as He, Mighty and Majestic, says, “Then he drew near and descended {8}, and was at a distance of two bow-lengths or nearer {9}” [al-Najm 8, 9].
It is part of our religion to offer the Friday and Eid prayers behind any imam, righteous or sinful, and likewise all other prayers and congregational prayers, as it is related that Abd Allāh ibn Umar used to pray behind al-Hajjāj. We also affirm wiping over
القيامة كما قال تعالى وَجَاء رَبُّكَ وَالْمَلَكُ صَفّاً صَفّاً
{٢٢}
[الفجر ٢٢]
وأن الله تعالى يقرب من عباده كيف يشاء كما قال تعالى وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ
{١٦}
[ق ١٦]
وكما قال عز وجل ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّى
{٨}
فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى
{٩}
[النجم ٨, ٩]
ومن ديننا أن نصلي الجمعة والأعياد خلف كل بر وفاجر وكذلك سائر الصلوات والجماعات كما روي عن عبد الله ابن عمر أنه كان يصلي خلف الحجاج ونرى المسح على