If a man catches up with the congregation while they are in the final tashahhud, and he joins them, and then other latecomers arrive, does the first man have the right to conclude the prayer with the congregation and pray with the second group of latecomers?

The questioner : If a man enters the mosque for prayer late to the congregation and finds them in the final tashahhud, and he sits with them, and then others like him arrive after him, does he conclude the prayer with the congregation and pray with those who came after him as another congregation? And is that better, or does he complete the prayer in which he caught up with the tashahhud, thereby having caught up with the virtue of the congregation?

The Shaykh : The correct view is that one who catches up with the tashahhud with the imam has not caught up with the congregational prayer, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Accordingly, if other congregants arrive and he breaks off his prayer to pray with them, there is no harm in that, because he is only breaking off the obligatory prayer here in order to complete it, and what is forbidden is breaking off the obligatory prayer in order to abandon it. As for one who breaks off an obligatory prayer in order to complete it, he has moved from a state to a better state, and there is no blame on him for that.

The questioner : Yes, may Allah reward you with good and may Allah reward you.