A man who is late for the Maghrib prayer and enters the mosque to find the imam has already started the Isha prayer; what should he do?
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The questioner : A man is late for the Maghrib prayer and enters the mosque, and the imam has started the Isha prayer, or is in the state of combining Maghrib and Isha. He has not prayed Maghrib, and he enters the mosque to find the imam has started the Isha prayer. How does the worshipper intend the Maghrib prayer? Does he continue with the imam or leave?
The Shaykh : Does he continue, or does he enter?
The questioner : He has missed the Maghrib prayer, and he finds that the imam has prayed Maghrib and started Isha.
The Shaykh : So, he must enter behind the imam. He does not continue. He wants to enter behind the imam. Does he pray Isha or does he pray Maghrib?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, the answer is: In this case, he follows the imam who is praying the obligatory Isha prayer, but he intends the obligatory Maghrib prayer, out of regard for the order between the two prayers. However, when the imam stands for the fourth rak'ah, he intends to separate, sits at the beginning of the third rak'ah, recites the tashahhud, and says the taslim. Then he stands up and intends to follow the imam who is still praying the Isha prayer. He intends the Isha prayer, whether he catches up before the ruku' or after the ruku'. The important thing is that he joins and prays the Isha prayer behind the imam, specifically for himself, after he has prayed the Maghrib prayer with him.
The questioner : So he leaves him after the third rak'ah?
The Shaykh : He intends to separate. Yes.
The Shaykh : Does he continue, or does he enter?
The questioner : He has missed the Maghrib prayer, and he finds that the imam has prayed Maghrib and started Isha.
The Shaykh : So, he must enter behind the imam. He does not continue. He wants to enter behind the imam. Does he pray Isha or does he pray Maghrib?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, the answer is: In this case, he follows the imam who is praying the obligatory Isha prayer, but he intends the obligatory Maghrib prayer, out of regard for the order between the two prayers. However, when the imam stands for the fourth rak'ah, he intends to separate, sits at the beginning of the third rak'ah, recites the tashahhud, and says the taslim. Then he stands up and intends to follow the imam who is still praying the Isha prayer. He intends the Isha prayer, whether he catches up before the ruku' or after the ruku'. The important thing is that he joins and prays the Isha prayer behind the imam, specifically for himself, after he has prayed the Maghrib prayer with him.
The questioner : So he leaves him after the third rak'ah?
The Shaykh : He intends to separate. Yes.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.