Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
I was praying in a mosque where Somalis usually congregate and while I was praying my fard alone, someone tapped me on the shoulder and started behind me. Other also joined in and I was confused. I decided to become the Imam as that was what they were pointing me too while I was in Salah. Afterwards, I asked them about the tapping and they said if you were praying Sunnah, you should raise your right hand and we will not pray behind you. I’m a little confused on this. Is this a madhab issue. Please clarify inshallah.
Walaikum assalam,
Yes, it is a madhhab issue: Shafi`is and others can pray their fard behind someone praying a non-fard prayer; the Hanafis cannot, because you cannot build the strong (i.e. a fard) on the weak (i.e. a non-fard), and they mention specific primary proofs.
Wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani