A third narration by Al-Bar?’ Ibn ‘?zib runs as follows: ‘When the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) used to say: “Sami‘All?hu Liman Hamidah”, none of us would fall down to Suj?d till he ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) prostrates himself completely, then we would do so afterwards’. (1)
Mu‘?wiyah Ibn Ab? Sufy?n also narrated a similar meaning; he said [that the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) said]: ‘I have become fatly, so do not preced me in Ruk?‘ or Suj?d for no matter how long I proced you in Ruk?‘ or Suj?d, you would certainly catch up with me when I raise my self afterwards’. (2)
Another narration narrated by Samurah traced back to the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) to have said: ‘When you perform your Sal?t, do not precede your Im?m in his Ruk?‘ or Suj?d; let him do them first’. (3)
[1/ 41] The aforementioned ahad?th warn any Ma’m?m from preceding his Im?m or even being parallel with him in the acts of Sal?t. Doing so is totally Har?m for the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) threatened those who do so that their heads will be transformed into that of a donkey. It is indeed a severe punishment.
The Ma’m?m’s Sal?t is considered invalid if he precedes his Im?m in Takbirat?l Ihr?m or Tasl?m. (4) If he precedes the Im?m in other acts of Sal?t and waits for the Im?m to catch up with him, he
(1) Narrated by Al-Bukh?r? in his ‘ Sah?h” (vol. 2 / p. 181) (no. 690), (747) and (811).
(2) Narrated by: Ad-D?rim? in “As-Sunnan” (vol. 1 / pp. 301 - 2) through a good chain of narration. Another narration reported by Ab? M?s? Al-Ash‘ar?-narrated by Ibn M?jah in his “Sunnan” (no. 692)-supports it except that there is an unknown narrator in it. See: “Silsilat Al-’ah?d?th As-Sah?hah” (no. 1725).
(3) Narrated by Al-Bazzar in his “Musnad”. Considering its various narrations, the had?th is an authentic one. See: “Silsilat Al-’Ah?d?th As-Sah?hah” (no. 1393).
(4) This is the Jumh?r’s view. Ash-Shawk?n?, however, rejected this view in his “As-Saylul Jarr?r” (vol. 1 / p. 272). Having decided that preceeding the Im?m is Har?m, Ash-Shawk?n? said: ‘Doing so; however, does not render one’s Sal?t as invalid. Those who held such an opinion postulated that those who precede their Im?m have started their Sal?t before their Im?m. But this does not entail that their Sal?t is invalid for considering acts of worship as invalid needs a specific hard evidence’. I believe the same applies on reciting Tasl?m before the Im?m.