Ibn Mas`ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: One night I joined the Prophet (PBUH) in his (optional) Salat. He (PBUH) prolonged the Qiyam (standing) so much that I made up my mind to commit an act of wrong. He was questioned: "What did you intend to do?" He replied: "I intended to sit down and stop following him (in Salat)."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary:
We learn from this Hadith that: 1. Qiyam-ul-Lail (Tahajjud prayer) must be fairly long and every constituent of it should be performed with full peace of mind. 2. It is permissible to perform Nafl Salat in congregation. 3. In case an Imam inordinately lengthens a Salat, it is permissible for his followers to detach themselves from the congregation. But Ibn Mas`ud has regarded his intention to do so as bad, and for this reason its justification becomes doubtful. Since the Imam has been exhorted to take care of his followers in Salat, this apparently furnishes justification for the detachment.
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