The ruling on praying with the intention of 'Isha' behind an imam who is praying Maghrib
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
This is a question from a questioner named Ali Muhammad al-Dar'aawi. He says: A man entered with an imam who was praying for the congregation, and he intended to pray 'Isha'. It became clear to him that they were praying Maghrib after the imam stood for the third rak'ah. This man sat in his place until the imam said the taslim, and he said the taslim with him. Is his prayer valid? Then a second man came, also intending to pray 'Isha', and he had missed one rak'ah, so he prayed the second and third rak'ahs with the imam. Is his prayer valid? Yes, the question again: A man entered with an imam who was praying for the congregation, and he intended to pray 'Isha'. It became clear to him that they were praying Maghrib after the imam stood for the third rak'ah. This man sat in his place until the imam said the taslim, and he said the taslim with him. Is his prayer valid? Then a second man came, also intending to pray 'Isha', and he had missed one rak'ah, so he prayed the second and third rak'ahs with the imam. Is his prayer valid or not? This happened to me? He says at the end of the question: Then a second man came, also intending to pray 'Isha', and he had missed one rak'ah, so he prayed the second and third rak'ahs with the imam. Is his prayer valid or not?
Answer:
It is valid, if Allah wills, because the correct view is that a difference in intention does not affect the ruling. This person shortens his prayer for three days, and this is the Maghrib prayer. If it is a shortened prayer, there is no completion; it remains in its state of travel or residence. So if he prayed the two rak'ahs with him and the first one said the taslim with the intention of 'Isha, then he stood up and prayed Maghrib, and finished Maghrib, his prayer is valid. And if this one prayed the second and third rak'ahs with him with the intention of 'Isha, his prayer is valid according to the correct view as well. So a difference in intention does not affect a case like this, and a difference in action does not affect a case like this according to the correct view. Their prayers are both valid, because this one has his intention and this one has his intention.
This is a question from a questioner named Ali Muhammad al-Dar'aawi. He says: A man entered with an imam who was praying for the congregation, and he intended to pray 'Isha'. It became clear to him that they were praying Maghrib after the imam stood for the third rak'ah. This man sat in his place until the imam said the taslim, and he said the taslim with him. Is his prayer valid? Then a second man came, also intending to pray 'Isha', and he had missed one rak'ah, so he prayed the second and third rak'ahs with the imam. Is his prayer valid? Yes, the question again: A man entered with an imam who was praying for the congregation, and he intended to pray 'Isha'. It became clear to him that they were praying Maghrib after the imam stood for the third rak'ah. This man sat in his place until the imam said the taslim, and he said the taslim with him. Is his prayer valid? Then a second man came, also intending to pray 'Isha', and he had missed one rak'ah, so he prayed the second and third rak'ahs with the imam. Is his prayer valid or not? This happened to me? He says at the end of the question: Then a second man came, also intending to pray 'Isha', and he had missed one rak'ah, so he prayed the second and third rak'ahs with the imam. Is his prayer valid or not?
Answer:
It is valid, if Allah wills, because the correct view is that a difference in intention does not affect the ruling. This person shortens his prayer for three days, and this is the Maghrib prayer. If it is a shortened prayer, there is no completion; it remains in its state of travel or residence. So if he prayed the two rak'ahs with him and the first one said the taslim with the intention of 'Isha, then he stood up and prayed Maghrib, and finished Maghrib, his prayer is valid. And if this one prayed the second and third rak'ahs with him with the intention of 'Isha, his prayer is valid according to the correct view as well. So a difference in intention does not affect a case like this, and a difference in action does not affect a case like this according to the correct view. Their prayers are both valid, because this one has his intention and this one has his intention.
Source
فتاوى الحج - ٣ — archive.org (3:10)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.