There are four issues in this that are related to those expressly transmitted. The first is whether it is the imam who pronounces amin (amen) after he has completed the recitation of the umm al-Qur*dn, or is it the follower who does that. The second is when does he pronounce the takbir of commencement. The third is whether he is to be led on if he waivers in the recitation. The fourth is whether his place of prayer is to be higher than that of the followers.
About the issue whether the imam is to pronounce dmin (amen) once he has completed the recitation of the umm al-Kitdb, Malik held, in the narrations of Ibn al-Qasim and the Egyptians from him, that he is not to pronounce dmin. The majority maintained that he is to say dmin just like the follower. This is also one narration from .Malik through the Medinites.
The reason for the disagreement are two traditions that have conflicting apparent meanings. First is the tradition of Abu Hurayra, which is agreed upon for its authenticity. He said, “The Messenger of Allah (God’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘When the imam pronounces dmin. you should pronounce it too’”. The second tradition is what is recorded by Malik, also from Abu Hurayra, that the Prophet (God’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “When the imam says ‘ghayr al-maghdubi <-alayhim wa ld*ddalin'. then you should say The first tradition is explicit about the pronouncing of dmin by the imam. The second tradition indicates that the imam does not pronounce dmin. for had he been required to pronounce dmin why would -the follower be asked to pronounce it after the completion of the recitation of the umm al-Kitab and before the imam's uttering of dmin. The imam as the Prophet (God’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “has been appointed so that he be followed”. (This holds true) unless the act in issue has been excluded from the words of the imam, that is, the follower may either say dmin at the same time as the imam or before him. Thus there is no evidence in this tradition about imam's pronouncing of dmin and it only includes the hukm of the follower. It appears that Malik adopted the method of preference for the tradition that he narrated because it is the listener who says dmin and not the reciter. The majority preferred the first tradition because it was explicit and because there is nothing in it about the hukm of the dmin of the imam. The difference between this tradition and the other is on the issue of the dmin of the follower and not whether the imam is to say dmin. so think over this.
It is possible that the first tradition be interpreted so as to say that the meaning of the words “When the imam pronounces dmin. you should pronounce it too” is that (you should say it) when the imam reaches the point of dmin. It is said that pronouncing dmin is a form of prayer but this amounts to swerving from an apparent meaning to something that is not implied by the tradition, unless this is done through analogy, that is, the words of the Prophet should be read as saying, “When the imam says <ghayr al-maghdubi ^alayhim wa la'ddalin”. then you should say Wn” for the imam does not say “dmin”.
About the point at which the imam is to pronounce takbir. a group of jurists said that he is not to pronounce it except after the completion of the iqama and the formation of the rows. This is .the opinion of Malik, al-ShafiT, and a group of jurists. Another group said that the occasion for takbir is prior to the completion of the iqama. and they preferred that he should pronounce it when the mtfadhdhin says “qad qamati's-saldh”. This is the opinion of Abu HanTfa, al-Thawn, and Zufar. The reason for disagreement over this stems from the conflict of the 5 ^parent meaning of the tradition of Anas with the tradition of Bilal. In the ■ tradition of Anas, he said that “the Messenger of Allah (God’s peace and blessings be upon him) turned toward us before pronouncing takbir for the (prayer and said, ‘Form the rows and close up, for I can see you behind me’”. The apparent meaning of this is that these words were said after the completion of the iqama. The same thing is related of TJmar, that after the completion of the iqama he used to straighten up the rows and then pronounce takbir. In Bilal’s tradition, he relates that “I used to pronounce the iqama for the Prophet (God’s peace and blessings be upon him) and used to say to him, 4 O Messenger of Allah, do not pre-empt me with timin' ”. It is related by al- TahawT. They said that this indicates that the Messenger of Allah (God’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to pronounce the takbir before the completion of the iqama.
In the case of their disagreement about the admissibility of the imam to lead when he hesitates (in the recitation), Malik, al-ShaficT, and the majority of the jurists permitted that the imam be led on, but the KufTs prohibited this. The reason for their disagreement is based on the conflict of traditions. It is related “that the Messenger of Allah (God’s peace and blessings be upon him) hesitated while reciting a verse, and when he had finished said, ‘Where is TJbayy (ibn KaQ))? Was he not among the people (worshipers)’”. Thus, he wanted to be led on. It is also related from the Prophet (God’s peace and blessings be upon him) that he said, “The imam is not to be led on”. The dispute over this exists from the first period, and it is well-known of CAIT that he prohibited it, while its permissibility is equally well known from Ibn TJmar.
A group of jurists permitted that the position of the imam be at a raised level with respect to the position of the followers, while another group prohibited this. Another group preferred that it be slightly higher, which was Malik’s opinion. The reason for disagreement is based on two conflicting traditions. First is the confirmed tradition that “the Prophet (God’s peace and blessings be upon him) led the people (in prayer) from the pulpit so that he may teach them how to pray, but when he was about to prostrate he stepped down from the pulpit”. The second is the tradition recorded by Abu Dawud that Hudhayfa led the people in prayer standing on (the raised platform of) a shop (or on a bench). Ibn Mas<ud took hold of his shirt and pulled him down. When he had finished praying he said, “Do you not know that they used to prohibit this or were prohibited from this?” They disagreed about whether the imam should make a niyya for the imama. A group of jurists said that this is not obligatory for him because of the tradition of Ibn Abbas that he took up his position on one side of the Messenger of Allah (God’s peace and blessings be upon him) after he had begun his prayer. A group of jurists said that this is probable; however, the wy/ya of imdma is necessary if the follower leaves out some of the acts of prayer, on the assumption that the imam bears it on behalf of the followers This is so according to the opinion of those who maintained that the omissions by the follower are compensated by the imam's performance of the obligatory or supererogatory acts (of prayer).