A man joined the imam in the second rak'ah and said the taslim with him, so he asked what he should do
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The questioner : My teacher, there is a person among us who prayed the midday prayer, and when the prayer was finished, he said the taslim with the imam, and he was in the second rak'ah of the prayer.
The Shaykh : So he missed a rak'ah?
The questioner : He missed a rak'ah, so he started looking around, asking what he should do, but he did not find anyone. However, he left the mosque and went to another place, where he met one of the young men who asked him: What did you do? What was the reason for doing this? Why did you leave the place, the mosque? I mean, teacher, if this person were still inside the mosque, we would tell him: pray one rak'ah immediately with the prostration for forgetfulness. But he left this mosque and moved to a second place; what is the ruling, our teacher?
The Shaykh : If he did that for the sake of reform, he did not err in it, and the matter is permissible, just as if he did it in the place of his prayer. But if he went to his work and then a person became available to ask him.
The questioner : Yes, this.
The Shaykh : Yes, this person has to repeat his prayer.
The questioner : He has to repeat his prayer.
The Shaykh : Do you see the difference between the two cases?
The questioner : Yes, but he prays immediately. But because he left that place?
The Shaykh : No, it is not just that. If he left the place where he prayed and forgot the first rak'ah, and he went to ask in order to correct his situation, to know what he should do, and no one was available to him except outside the mosque, or outside the house.
Do you see what the difference is?
The Shaykh : So he missed a rak'ah?
The questioner : He missed a rak'ah, so he started looking around, asking what he should do, but he did not find anyone. However, he left the mosque and went to another place, where he met one of the young men who asked him: What did you do? What was the reason for doing this? Why did you leave the place, the mosque? I mean, teacher, if this person were still inside the mosque, we would tell him: pray one rak'ah immediately with the prostration for forgetfulness. But he left this mosque and moved to a second place; what is the ruling, our teacher?
The Shaykh : If he did that for the sake of reform, he did not err in it, and the matter is permissible, just as if he did it in the place of his prayer. But if he went to his work and then a person became available to ask him.
The questioner : Yes, this.
The Shaykh : Yes, this person has to repeat his prayer.
The questioner : He has to repeat his prayer.
The Shaykh : Do you see the difference between the two cases?
The questioner : Yes, but he prays immediately. But because he left that place?
The Shaykh : No, it is not just that. If he left the place where he prayed and forgot the first rak'ah, and he went to ask in order to correct his situation, to know what he should do, and no one was available to him except outside the mosque, or outside the house.
Do you see what the difference is?