Answer
(Fatwa: 891/672=H)
It is in a famous Hadith book called Muslim Sharif (Vol. 1 page 220) that the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) and his Companions (رضی اللہ عنہم) used to queue up in the beginning of iqaamah. It was usual and this is Sunnah. Contrary to this, some people in India and other places have invented a mode that the Imam, coming out of his room or queue, sits on the prayer rug and all the people remain sitting, then a person stands up and says iqaamah, when he reaches at حی علی الصلاۃ, the Imam and other people stand up, they consider this mode as Sunnah and get ready to fight those opposing it. Some ignorant men get them out of mosque too. This method is not proved by any Islamic source let alone the Hadith. In Jawahirul Fiqh Vol. 1, a chapter has been written down on this very subject. All aspects of the matter have been explained thoroughly after collecting evidences. Shortly, correct is what we wrote.
Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) knows Best
Darul Ifta,
Darul Uloom Deoband