Imam Choosing a substitute in Salah

Question:

Would you please guide on the following situation in prayer:

Imam A starts the Zuhr prayer. After completing one rakaʻah, Imam A wuḍū has been broken. Imam breaks the prayer and tells the next person behind to lead the prayer.

At this point do all the muqtadis need to break the prayer?

Imam B continues and completes the next three rakaʻāt.

Do the muqtadis need to complete one additional rakaʻah (as Imam B continued for three rakaʻāt)?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh.

Your question pertains to appointing another imam (istikhlāf) if the current imam cannot continue the prayer. If an imam’s wuḍū breaks during the prayer, he shall move backward while hunching his back and holding his nose as if he were bleeding from it. As he does this, he shall indicate to one of the muqtadīs behind him, either by pulling on his clothing or signaling in another way, to assume the position of the imam. If the first imam does any other action that would invalidate his prayer, such as speaking or drinking, before the second imam assumes his place, the prayer is invalidated for the imam and all the muqtadīs. The ṣalāh shall be prayed anew.[1]

In the situation described in the question, if Imam A verbally asked Imam B to lead the prayer, his speaking invalidates his own prayer and the prayer of all the muqtadīs. Since Imam B is Imam A’s muqtadī, his prayer is also invalidated. Hence, his leading the rest of the prayer is invalid. They should all repeat their prayers if they have not done so. If Imam A did not speak but instead signaled Imam B to take his place and finish the remaining prayer, then the prayer is valid.

And Allah taʻālā knows best,

Mawlana Dr. Mateen Khan
New Jersey, USA

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Faisal bin Abdul Hamīd al-Mahmudi
Darul Iftaa Canada (fatwa.ca)

[1] شرح الوقاية، الإمام عبد اللطيف أمين الدين الشهير ب ابن ملك، دار ابن حزم، 1:369
(والإمام يجر آخر إلى مكانه) هذا تفسير للاستخلاف. صورته : أن ينحني الإمام واضعًا يده على فمه موهما أنه [رعف]؛ هكذا روي عن النبي… تجوز صلاة الخليفة إذا نوى الإمامة من ساعته، ولو نواها حين قام مقام الأول قبل خروج الإمام جاز، وإن نواها بعده، تفسد صلاتهم؛ لخلو مكان الإمام [عن الإمامة ]

مختصر القدوري، أبو الحسين أحمد القدوري، مكتبة البشرى، ص 58
فإن سبقه الحدث: انصرف وتوضأ، وبنى على صلاته إن لم يكن إماما، فإن كان إماما: استخلف وتوضأ، وبنى على صلاته ما لم يتكلم، والاستئناف أفضل.

الجوهرة النيرة للزَّبِيدِيّ، المطبعة الخيرية (الشاملة)، 1:64
ولو أن الإمام أفسد صلاته قبل أن يقوم الثاني مكانه فسدت صلاتهم جميعا وقوله وبنى من شرط جواز البناء أن لا يفعل فعلا ينافي الصلاة من الأكل والشرب والكلام والاستقاء من البئر