·The minimum number required to form a congregational prayer, in a mosque or elsewhere, is two persons: an Imam and one follower.
·The Imam should stand one or more steps ahead of the followers, who should line up behind him in straight, compact, parallel rows, all facing the direction of the Ka`bah. When the congregation is all-female, the female Imam should stand in the middle of the first row, and not ahead of the followers.
· all the actions of prayer until the Imam concludes the prayer with Taslim (salutation of peace ending the Prayer). The followers should take care not to precede the Imam, or move with him, or lag behind him; rather, their movements should come immediately after his. So they should not bow until the Imam bows or prostrate until he prostrates.
This is based on the saying of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him):
“The Imam is only appointed to be followed, so when he says Takbir then say Takbir, and do not say Takbir until after he has said Takbir; and when he bows then bow, and do not bow until after he has bowed; and when he says ‘Sami’a Allahu liman hamidah,’ then say ‘Allahumma rabbana lakal-hamd’; and when he prostrates then prostrate, and do not prostrate until he has prostrated”
(Narrated by Abu Dawud)
· Reciting Al-Fatihah is obligatory for the one who is praying behind the Imam, whether the congregational Salah is Sirri (prayer in which the Imam recites the Qur’an inaudibly), such as Zuhr and `Asr Prayers, the third Rak`ah of Maghrib Prayer, and the third and fourth Rak`ahs of `Isha' Prayer); or it is Jahri (prayer in which the Imam recites the Qur’an audibly), such as Fajr Prayer, the first two Rak`ahs of Maghrib and `Isha’ Prayers, Jumu`ah (Friday) Prayer, and the Two Eid Prayers.
· Latecomers, who join the congregational prayer late and miss one Rak`ah or more, should make up the missed parts of their prayer alone, after the Imam says Taslim. They should stand up to make up what they have missed of the prayer without saying Taslim with the Imam. According to majority scholarly opinion, a Rak`ah is counted as long as the latecomer catches up with the Imam in the bowing position and is able to bow with the Imam before he raises his head from the bowing. This Rak`ah is counted in this case, and the follower does not have to make it up.
“And they who carefully maintain their prayers – they are the inheritors who will inherit Paradise. They will abide therein eternally”
(Qur’an 23:9-11)
