The second view:

The follower’s prayer is valid. This is the view of the majority of the early Muslim scholars and the position of Mālik. It is also the other view within the schools of al-Shāfi‘ī and Ahmad—and indeed, Abū Hanīfah as well. Most of Ahmad’s explicit statements support this view. This is the correct position, because it is established in the Sahīh and elsewhere that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“They lead you in prayer. If they do so correctly, the reward is yours and theirs; if they err, the reward is yours, while the responsibility rests upon them.”

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) thus made clear that the imam’s error does not extend to the follower. Moreover, the follower believes that the imam is justified in what he has done and incurs no sin thereby, since he either exercises independent juristic reasoning or follows someone qualified to do so. The follower knows that Allah has forgiven such a person his error, and therefore considers the imam’s prayer valid and believes that he incurs no sin by not repeating it. Indeed, if a judicial ruling were issued on such a basis, he would not be permitted to overturn it; rather, he would enforce it.

Since the imam has acted according to his independent juristic reasoning—and Allah does not burden any soul beyond its capacity—and the follower has done what is required of him, the prayer of each is valid. Each has fulfilled his obligation, and the follower has conformed to the imam’s outward actions.

The assertion that the follower believes the imam’s prayer to be invalid is mistaken. The follower believes that the imam has done what is required of him, that Allah has forgiven him his error, and that his prayer is not invalidated on that account. If both the imam and the follower were mistaken, such that the imam mistakenly pronounced the salutation ending the prayer and the follower believed it permissible to