The ruling on one who enters the mosque and finds them praying the 'Isha' prayer while he has not yet prayed the Maghrib prayer
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A group of people were delayed in the Maghrib prayer and caught up with the imam while he was in the 'Isha' prayer. Do they pray the Maghrib prayer in congregation, or do they join the imam? And how should their situation be in the prayer? May Allah reward you with good.
The correct view is that if a person comes and the imam is in the 'Isha' prayer, whether he has a congregation with him or not, he joins the imam with the intention of the Maghrib prayer. It does not harm that the intention of the imam and the follower differ, due to the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Actions are only by intentions, and every person will have only what he intended." If they join him in the second rak'ah, they conclude the prayer with him; because they will have prayed three rak'ahs. It does not harm that they sat in the first rak'ah. If they join him in the first rak'ah, then when he stands for the fourth, they sit for the tashahhud and conclude the prayer, then they join him in the remainder of the 'Isha' prayer. This is the best of the views.
The second view in the issue: That they join him with the intention of the 'Isha' prayer, then they pray the Maghrib prayer.
The third view: That they pray the Maghrib prayer alone, then they join him in the remainder of the 'Isha' prayer.The last two views have a concern: As for the first, its concern is the loss of the order, where the 'Isha' prayer is placed before the Maghrib prayer.
As for the second, its drawback is establishing two congregations in one mosque at the same time, and this is a division of the community.
The first view, which we mentioned is the correct one, has a concern, which is concluding the prayer before their imam concludes it. In reality, there is no concern in this; because it is reported in the Sunnah that the follower separates from the imam in several places. Among them is the prayer of fear, where the imam prays one rak'ah with them, then they complete it for themselves and leave. And among them is the story of the man who joined Mu'adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him), and when he began with Surat al-Baqarah or a similar surah, he separated from him and did not complete the prayer with him.And among them is that the scholars said: If a person is in the middle of the prayer as a follower and wind (gas) rises in him, or he needs to break his wudu' with urination or defecation, then there is no harm in him intending to separate and completing his prayer and leaving. So the views are three, the best of which is that the people join the imam in the 'Isha' prayer and they intend the Maghrib prayer. Then, if they join in the second rak'ah, they conclude with him. And if they join in the first rak'ah, then when he stands for the fourth, they sit and perform the tashahhud and conclude, then they join the imam in the remainder of the 'Isha'.
The correct view is that if a person comes and the imam is in the 'Isha' prayer, whether he has a congregation with him or not, he joins the imam with the intention of the Maghrib prayer. It does not harm that the intention of the imam and the follower differ, due to the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Actions are only by intentions, and every person will have only what he intended." If they join him in the second rak'ah, they conclude the prayer with him; because they will have prayed three rak'ahs. It does not harm that they sat in the first rak'ah. If they join him in the first rak'ah, then when he stands for the fourth, they sit for the tashahhud and conclude the prayer, then they join him in the remainder of the 'Isha' prayer. This is the best of the views.
The second view in the issue: That they join him with the intention of the 'Isha' prayer, then they pray the Maghrib prayer.
The third view: That they pray the Maghrib prayer alone, then they join him in the remainder of the 'Isha' prayer.The last two views have a concern: As for the first, its concern is the loss of the order, where the 'Isha' prayer is placed before the Maghrib prayer.
As for the second, its drawback is establishing two congregations in one mosque at the same time, and this is a division of the community.
The first view, which we mentioned is the correct one, has a concern, which is concluding the prayer before their imam concludes it. In reality, there is no concern in this; because it is reported in the Sunnah that the follower separates from the imam in several places. Among them is the prayer of fear, where the imam prays one rak'ah with them, then they complete it for themselves and leave. And among them is the story of the man who joined Mu'adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him), and when he began with Surat al-Baqarah or a similar surah, he separated from him and did not complete the prayer with him.And among them is that the scholars said: If a person is in the middle of the prayer as a follower and wind (gas) rises in him, or he needs to break his wudu' with urination or defecation, then there is no harm in him intending to separate and completing his prayer and leaving. So the views are three, the best of which is that the people join the imam in the 'Isha' prayer and they intend the Maghrib prayer. Then, if they join in the second rak'ah, they conclude with him. And if they join in the first rak'ah, then when he stands for the fourth, they sit and perform the tashahhud and conclude, then they join the imam in the remainder of the 'Isha'.