Following the Imam when one arrives while the Imam is in prostration or the tashahhud
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
The questioner says: Your Eminence the Shaykh, some of the worshippers, when they arrive while the Imam is in prostration or in the tashahhud, stand and wait until the Imam rises for the second rak'ah. What is better: following the Imam in whatever state he is in, or standing until he begins the next rak'ah? Please give us a ruling, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The best is that he joins the Imam. If he finds him in prostration, he prostrates; if he finds him bowing, he bows. After the bowing, he stands with him and prostrates. However, the rak'ah is not counted unless he catches the bowing. If he misses the bowing, he joins him, but it is not counted, and he prostrates with him, but it is not counted. This is the best. The best is to do what the Imam does, but he does not count the rak'ah unless he catches its bowing, which is the movement, which is bowing in the air.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good.
The questioner says: Your Eminence the Shaykh, some of the worshippers, when they arrive while the Imam is in prostration or in the tashahhud, stand and wait until the Imam rises for the second rak'ah. What is better: following the Imam in whatever state he is in, or standing until he begins the next rak'ah? Please give us a ruling, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The best is that he joins the Imam. If he finds him in prostration, he prostrates; if he finds him bowing, he bows. After the bowing, he stands with him and prostrates. However, the rak'ah is not counted unless he catches the bowing. If he misses the bowing, he joins him, but it is not counted, and he prostrates with him, but it is not counted. This is the best. The best is to do what the Imam does, but he does not count the rak'ah unless he catches its bowing, which is the movement, which is bowing in the air.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good.
Source
وجوب التعاون على البر والتقوى — islamhouse.com (1:11:11)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.