The ruling on praying Maghrib with an imam who is praying 'Isha'
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A man combines the Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers, so he entered the mosque to pray and intended to pray Maghrib, but he found the imam praying 'Isha'. How should he catch up with the imam in this case? Do you have a well-known fatwa on this?
The most correct opinion in this matter: He should join them with the intention of Maghrib, and then when the imam stands for the fourth rak'ah and he has already prayed his three, he sits, recites the tashahhud, and says the taslim.
The questioner: All right! This is the well-known position among you, O Shaykh; but does this not conflict with the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): (The imam is appointed to be followed, so when he bows, bow, and when he prostrates, prostrate) ?The Shaykh: I say: What I mentioned to you—may Allah bless you—does not conflict with the hadith; because this person is following his imam, but he lagged behind him when he intended to separate for the tashahhud, so that became a legitimate legal excuse; because his prayer is Maghrib and does not exceed three rak'ahs, and one who lags behind the imam with a legitimate legal excuse is not considered a sinner or a wrongdoer.
The most correct opinion in this matter: He should join them with the intention of Maghrib, and then when the imam stands for the fourth rak'ah and he has already prayed his three, he sits, recites the tashahhud, and says the taslim.
The questioner: All right! This is the well-known position among you, O Shaykh; but does this not conflict with the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): (The imam is appointed to be followed, so when he bows, bow, and when he prostrates, prostrate) ?The Shaykh: I say: What I mentioned to you—may Allah bless you—does not conflict with the hadith; because this person is following his imam, but he lagged behind him when he intended to separate for the tashahhud, so that became a legitimate legal excuse; because his prayer is Maghrib and does not exceed three rak'ahs, and one who lags behind the imam with a legitimate legal excuse is not considered a sinner or a wrongdoer.