Details on giving an incorrect prompt

Question

A muqtadi gave the imam an incorrect prompt regarding the number of rak'as, and the imam did not take the prompt — did the prayer of the prompter become fasid (invalid) or not? Or [if] he gave an incorrect prompt of some other kind. If [the imam] has already recited as much as suffices for the validity of the prayer (ma yajuzu bihi al-salat), and then deliberately begins reciting from another place, or through forgetfulness moves to another place — does sajda al-sahw become wajib or not?

Answer

If the muqtadi did not give the incorrect prompt deliberately, his prayer too did not become fasid (invalid). If [the imam], after reciting [the amount] that suffices for the validity of the prayer, or before that, moved in his recitation from one place to another, deliberately or through forgetfulness, the prayer did not become fasid thereby — unless the meaning is distorted.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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