Was the Prayer of a Follower Valid If He Has Said the Salam Before the Imam?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum,

Was the prayer of a follower valid if he has said the Salam before the Imam? I was trying not to finish saying my Salam before the Imam but the Imam made such a long Salam that I had to end saying my Salam before him.

Answer: Assalam alaykum wa rahmatuLlah,

Yes, your prayer would be valid in such a scenario. Completing the prayer before the imam is disliked, yet not invalidating. This is because the obligation is to follow him in his actions, which include, the closing salams of the prayer. Practically, if you know he is going to say an extended salam, consider waiting till he is done before saying your own salams to exit the prayer.

[Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah]

Please also consider taking the following free class: Absolute Essentials of Islam: Basic Hanafi Jurisprudence (STEP)

And Allah Most High alone knows best.

Wassalam,
[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam was born and raised in Ipswich, England, a quiet town close to the east coast of England. His journey for seeking sacred knowledge began when he privately memorized the entire Qur’an in his hometown at the age of 16. He also had his first experience in leading the tarawih (nightly-Ramadan) prayers at his local mosque. Year after year he would continue this unique return to reciting the entire Qur’an in one blessed month both in his homeland, the UK, and also in the blessed lands of Shaam, where he now lives, studies and teaches.