FatwaFederal TerritoriesPrayer (Salah)
IRSYAD HUKUM KE-81: HUKUM MENEPUK BAHU KEPADA SESEORANG DENGAN TUJUAN BERIMAM DENGANNYA
What is the ruling on tapping someone's shoulder in order to follow him as imam in prayer?
Short answer
The fatwa holds that tapping the shoulder as a signal to follow someone as imam is unnecessary.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Irsyad al-Hukum (Umum)
- Topic
- Prayer (Salah)
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
The fatwa holds that tapping the shoulder as a signal to follow someone as imam is unnecessary. It is enough for the follower to intend to follow him. If a person praying a voluntary prayer is tapped on the shoulder so that he becomes imam, he simply continues his prayer and is not required to intend to be an imam. It is therefore permissible to follow someone as imam without tapping his shoulder.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Saya lebih cenderung kepada tidak perlu kita menepuk bahu sebagai isyarat untuk kita berimam dengannya tetapi memadai dengan niat untuk mengikutinya.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “IRSYAD HUKUM KE-81: HUKUM MENEPUK BAHU KEPADA SESEORANG DENGAN TUJUAN BERIMAM DENGANNYA”, 24 August 2015. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-hukum/umum/1923-irsyad-fatwa-ke-81-hukum-menepuk-bahu-kepada-seseorang-dengan-tujuan-berimam-dengannya. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-on-tapping-shoulder-to-follow-imam/