What to do if one cannot complete the tasbih of ruku‘ and sajda

Question

Question: the muqtadi has not yet said the tasbih three times in ruku‘ and sajda when the imam has already said the takbir. Will there be participation [in the imam’s action] in such cases, and is following the imam obligatory in such cases, or should he complete the measure of the tasbih? What is the soundest (asahh) position of the Hanafis?

Answer

If the imam is so quick that, were the muqtadi to recite the tasbih of ruku‘ three times, he would not catch the qawma, and were he to recite the tasbih of sajda [three times], it would be difficult for him to catch up [with the imam] in the second sajda, then he should content himself with one tasbih and keep following the imam.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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