without fear. There is no difference between whether he has a need for that or not, because one only turns to dispensations [rukhsa] in matters for which the law (Shari'ah) has provided. The prayer of the third and fourth [groups] is invalid because they followed someone whose prayer is invalid, so it is similar to the case where his prayer is invalid from its very beginning. If they do not know of the invalidity of the Imam's prayer, Ibn Hamid said: 'Their prayer is not invalidated,' because this is something hidden, so the prayer of the follower is not invalidated, just as if he had followed one who is in a state of ritual impurity (muhdith). Based on this, it is required that it be hidden from both the Imam and the follower, just as we considered in the validity of the prayer of one who followed a person in a state of ritual impurity [that it be] hidden from both the Imam and the follower. It is possible [to hold] that their prayer is not valid, because the Imam and the follower know of the existence of the invalidating factor, and only its legal ruling was hidden from them, which does not prevent invalidation, just as if the Imam and the follower knew of the Imam's ritual impurity, but did not know it was an invalidating factor. Some of Al-Shafi'i's companions said as Ibn Hamid said. Others said: 'The prayer of the Imam and all the followers is valid,' because necessity calls for that, so it is similar to the case where he divides them into two groups. Others said: 'The transmitted ruling is that their prayer is invalidated by the first waiting period, because he added a duration exceeding the waiting period of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) for which the law has not provided.' Our argument for the first [view] is that dispensations are only taken from the Shari'ah, and the Shari'ah has not provided for this. As for the second [view], the length of the waiting period is of no consequence, just as if the second group was delayed in the case where he divides them into two groups.

316 - Issue: He said: 'If the prayer is Maghrib, he prays two rak'ahs with the first group, and it completes a rak'ah for itself, reciting in it the praise of Allah [al-Fatiha]. Then he prays one rak'ah with the other group, and it completes two rak'ahs for itself, reciting in them the praise of Allah and a surah.'

Malik, Al-Awza'i, Sufyan, and Al-Shafi'i in one of his two sayings, held this view. He said in the other...