The imam sitting in his place before the iqama and everyone standing at “hayya ‘ala-s-salah”: is it established?

Question

The imam comes exactly at the time of the congregational prayer and sits in his place; then the mukabbir says the iqama, and the imam and the followers stand at “hayya ‘ala-s-salah”. Is this established from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the noble Companions ﵃, the Tabi‘in, the followers of the Tabi‘in, and the mujtahid imams? Kindly grant an answer with a reference to the book along with its text. If it is not established, is this practice contrary to the sunna or not?

Answer

No such practice of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the noble Companions ﵃ has come before my eyes in any noble hadith. On the contrary, the opposite practice is explicitly reported: as soon as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ set his blessed foot outside the noble chamber, the takbir (iqama)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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