Issue No. 1245- The followers should not stand ahead of the imam. Therefore, if a follower, at the start of the congregation or during it, stands ahead of the imam, his prayer in congregation would be void. The obligatory precaution also, is that he should not stand in an equal line with the imam. Rather, he should stand at least a little behind the imam. This condition should be observed in all parts of the prayer including rukū‘ and sajdah.
Issue No. 1241- In the congregational prayer, there is no problem if the place where followers stand is higher than where the imam stands. However, in case the imam stands in the main part of the mosque [for instance] and some of the followers are located on the balcony or on the roof in a manner that it would not be called a congregational prayer; in this case, the prayer would not be valid. The same applies when the imam stands on the ground floor and the followers stand on the other floors, which are far from the congregation.
Issue No. 1249- If because of a valid excuse the follower turns his intention into individual prayer after the imam has recited sūrah al-fātiḥa and the sūrah, it will not be necessary for him to recite them. However, if he makes the intention of individual prayer before the imam has completed sūrah al-fātiḥa and the sūrah, he should recite the part that the imam has not recited.
Issue No. 1250- If because of a valid excuse the follower turns his intention into individual prayer during the congregational prayer, he cannot revert back to congregational prayer. Also, if he becomes doubtful whether he should change his intention to individual prayer or not, and eventually decides to continue the prayer with the congregation, the rulings of congregational prayer [as an obligatory precaution] do not apply to his prayer. However, if he doubts whether or not he had made the intention of individual prayer, he should consider that he had not made the intention.
Issue No. 1252- One should reach the rukū‘ of the imam in other rak‘ats of the prayer as well as the first rak‘at, otherwise, the rulings of congregational prayer [as an obligatory precaution] do not apply to one's prayer.
Issue No. 1253- If one joins the congregation when the imam is in rukū‘, but before making it to rukū‘, the imam raises his head from rukū‘, that person should make the intention of individual prayer, and his prayer will be in order and it will not be necessary to repeat the prayer.
Issue No. 1257- If a person joins the imam when he is in the second rak‘at, he should sit after the two sajdahs in his second rak‘at, which will be the third of the imam, and recite the obligatory parts of tashahhud, and should then stand up and join the imam. And if he does not have time to recite the tasbīḥāt arbaʿah three times, he should recite them once and join the imam in rukū‘.
Issue No. 1260- If a person is sure that if he recites the sūrah, he will be able to join the imam in his rukū‘, he should, as an obligatory precaution, recite the sūrah. In case however, he recites the sūrah, but he does not reach the imam in his rukū‘, his congregational prayer is in order.
Issue No. 1262- If one does not recite sūrah al-fātiḥa and the sūrah under the impression that the imam is in the first or the second rak‘at, and realises after rukū‘ that he was in the third or fourth rak‘at, his prayer is in order. However, if he realises this before rukū‘, he should recite sūrah al-fātiḥa and the sūrah, and in case he does not have sufficient time for this he should recite sūrah al-fātiḥa only and then join the imam in his rukū‘.
Issue No. 1265- If the prayer of the imam ends, but the follower is still reciting tashahhud or salām, it is not necessary for him to make the intention of individual prayer.
Issue No. 1266- If a person is one rak‘at behind the imam, when the imam is reciting tashahhud, he should as an obligatory precaution be in a crouched position, meaning he should raise his knees and keep the fingers of his hands and the inner part of his feet on the ground, and as a recommended precaution recite tashahhud or other dhikr with him. If it is the last tashahhud, he should as an obligatory precaution wait until the imam utters salām of the prayer and then stand up and continue the prayer.
Issue No. 1273- When a follower makes his intention, it is necessary for him to specify the imam. But it is not necessary for him to know his name. If he makes the intention that he is following the imam of the present congregation, it is sufficient provided that he is just and bears the necessary conditions.
