I said the takbir of ihram to catch up with the imam, then I said the takbir for bowing, but the imam raised his head before I completed the bowing…!

Question:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, I entered the prayer with the imam while he was bowing, so I said the takbir of ihram, then I said the takbir for bowing, but the imam raised his head before I completed the bowing, and then I bowed after he had raised his head. Is this rak'ah considered valid?

Answer:
If your hands reach your knees while you are bowing, you have caught the bowing, so you recite the tasbih after the imam and catch up with him, settling down. If your hands reach your knees, you have caught the bowing, so you settle down after the imam and say Subhan Rabbi al-Azim, then you catch up with the imam. However, if the imam raises his head before your hands reach your knees, you have missed the bowing. Yes.