Saying “Aameen” by the Imaam and those praying behind him:

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Question: Is it necessary to follow the Imaam (even) while saying “Aameen”?

Answer by Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen: Yes! Saying Aameen is Sunnah Muakkadah [1] because of the saying of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم:

إذا أمن الإمام فأمنوا

“When the Imaam says ‘Aameen’, say ‘Aameen’.” [2]

And perhaps saying Aameen by the Imaam and those praying behind him can coincide because of the saying of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم:

إِذَا قَالَ الإِمَامُ: {غَيْرِ المَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ} فَقُولُوا: آمِينَ

“When the Imaam says: {Ghairi l-maghdhoobi `alaihim wala d-dhaalleen} (not the path of those who earn Your Anger (such as Jews) nor of those who go astray (such as Christians)), say: ‘Aameen’.” [3]

۞۞۞ ۝ ۞۞۞

Question: The merit that is mentioned in the Hadeeth that, “the one who’s Ta’meen (saying Aameen) coincides with that of the Imaam till that his Ta’meen coincides with that of the Angels…”; so does the one who precedes the Imaam in saying Aameen also included in this merit?

Answer: The one who precedes the Imaam in saying Aameen then he is not included in this merit because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

فمن وافق

“he whose ‘Aameen’ coincides with…” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (780, 4475, 6402) and Saheeh Muslim (811)]

But for some reason if the Imaam delays saying ‘Aameen’, then in this case there is no problem if they precede the Imaam in this.

[Liqaa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh (5/43)]

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Sunnah Muakkadah: the Emphatic Sunnah or the Confirmed Sunnah. Sunnah Muakkadah is not obligatory (Waajib) but is highly recommended. The one who does them will be rewarded but there is no sin on the one who does not do them.

[2] The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Say: ‘Aameen’ when the Imaam says it and if the Aameen of any one of you coincides with that of the Angels then all his past sins will be forgiven.” Ibn Shihaab said: Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم used to say: “Aameen.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (780, 6402) and Saheeh Muslim (811)]

[3] The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم while teaching us, said: “Do not try to go ahead of the Imaam, recite the Takbeer when he recites it. and when he says: {Nor of those who err}, you should say: ‘Aameen’, bow down when he bows down, and when he says: ‘Allaah listens to him who praises Him’, say: ‘O Allaah, our Lord, to You be the praise.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (782, 4475) and Saheeh Muslim (800, 828, 829) and the wordings are his]