renewed their ablution after cupping, nosebleeds, or vomiting, while others did not. Some renewed their ablution after touching the penis or touching women with desire, while others did not. Some renewed their ablution after laughing aloud during prayer, while others did not.
Some renewed their ablution after eating camel meat, while others did not. Despite this, they prayed behind one another.
For example, Abū Hanīfah and his companions, al-Shāfiʿī, and others prayed behind the Mālikī imams of Medina, even though those imams did not recite the basmalah, either silently or aloud. Abū Yūsuf prayed behind al-Rashīd, who had undergone cupping and whom Mālik had advised that he need not renew his ablution. Abū Yūsuf prayed behind him and did not repeat his prayer.
Ahmad ibn Hanbal held that ablution must be renewed after cupping or a nosebleed. He was asked:
“If the imam has bled and has not renewed his ablution, would you pray behind him?”
He replied:
“How could I not pray behind Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib and Mālik?”
In short, these issues involve two situations:
The first is when the follower does not know that his imam has done anything that invalidates the prayer. In this case, the follower may pray behind him, by agreement of the early generations, the four imams, and others.
There was no disagreement on this among the earlier scholars. Only some fanatical later scholars dissented, claiming