Hadith record

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from a man who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of an Imam who leads four or five people in Salah (prayer). Of these people two of them say Tasbih (Allah is free of all defects) indicating that it is three Rak‘at and three of them say Tasbih (Allah is free of all defects) to indicate that it is four Rak‘at. These ones say to stand up, these ones say to sit down, and the Imam is inclined toward one side or has equal guess about both sides. What is he to do? He (the Imam) said, ‘Imam does not have mistakes if those behind him preserve (the order of Salah) with their certainty and those behind the Imam do not have mistakes if the Imam does not have mistakes. There is no mistake (applicable) in mistakes, (about the number of Rak‘at) correctable in al-Maghrib, in the morning Salah (prayer), in the first two Rak‘at of every Salah (prayer) and in optional Salah (prayer). If those behind the Imam differ with the Imam then it is upon him and upon them to observe caution by performing again for ascertainment.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.