The meaning that permits or prohibits [following] is equal in both cases, so they must be equal in ruling. It is essential for one who does not observe [the imam] to hear the takbir so that he may be able to follow him. If he does not hear it, his following him is not valid under any circumstances, because he is unable to follow him.

Section: In every instance where we consider observation [to be a condition], it is sufficient to observe whoever is behind the imam, whether he observes him from a door in front of him, or to his right or left, or observes the edge of the row that is behind him; for in that case, he is able to follow him. If observation is achieved during some of the prayer, the apparent ruling is the validity of the prayer, according to what was narrated from 'Aisha, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was praying at night, and the wall of the chamber was low, so people saw the figure of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and some people stood to pray with his prayer. They spent the morning talking about that. He stood the second night, and people stood with him to pray with his prayer. Narrated by al-Bukhari. The apparent meaning is that they were seeing him while he was in his standing posture.

Section: If there is a road or a river in which ships sail between them, or if they are in two separate boats, there are two views regarding this. One of them is that it is not valid to follow him, which is the choice of our companions and the madhhab of Abu Hanifa, because the road is not a place for prayer, so it resembles that which prevents continuity. The second is that it is valid, and this is the correct view according to me, and it is the madhhab of Malik and al-Shafi'i, because there is no text prohibiting that, nor is there a consensus, nor is it in the same meaning as that, because it does not prevent following. The effective factor in this is what prevents vision or hearing the sound, and this is neither one of them. Their argument that there is something between them that is not a place for prayer [resembles that which prevents...]. Even if we concede