754 - Yahya ibn 'Abd al-Hamid narrated to us, saying: Abu Mu'awiyah narrated to us, from Abu Sufyan Tarif al-Sa'di, from Abu Nadrah, from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, who said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "The key to prayer is purification (tahur), its sanctity (tahrim) is the Takbir, and its releasing (tahlil) is the Taslim."

Chapter: A man who says the opening Takbir before the Imam

• I said to Ahmad ibn Hanbal: What about the man who says the opening Takbir before the Imam? He said: "He is not with the Imam." I said: Does he repeat the prayer? He said: "Yes."

755 - Ahmad ibn Nasr narrated to us, saying: Habban ibn Musa narrated to us, from Sufyan, from 'Abd al-Malik, from 'Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak, that he did not consider his prayer complete if he finished the first Takbir exactly with the Imam.

756 - Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Muhammad narrated to us, saying: 'Arim narrated to us, saying: Khalid ibn al-Harith narrated to us, saying: I heard 'Ubayd Allah ibn al-Hasan being asked about the Imam when he says the Takbir; when should those behind him say it? He said: "When he completes the intonation of the Takbir, then say it."

Chapter: Reciting the Takbir aloud behind the Imam

• I asked Ishaq about the man who recites the Takbir aloud behind the Imam? He said: "The Sunnah is to recite the Takbir aloud behind the Imam," and he said: "He should recite it aloud immediately following the opening Takbir."