The ruling on one who prays Maghrib with a congregation praying 'Isha', or the reverse
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His Eminence the Shaykh: I prayed with a group who were praying Maghrib, while I was praying 'Isha. When they sat for the third rak'ah, I sat with them. When the imam concluded the prayer, I stood up and performed a fourth rak'ah. What is the ruling on this?
There is no harm. This is a sound practice. You pray 'Isha behind those who are praying Maghrib, and when the imam concludes the prayer, you stand up and make up what you missed. There is no harm in that.
There remains the issue of the second case: If you pray Maghrib behind those who are praying 'Isha, and you join them in the second rak'ah, there is no problem. Why? Because you will conclude the prayer with the imam. He has prayed four rak'ahs, and you have prayed three. But if you join them in the first rak'ah, the imam will then stand up for the fourth rak'ah. What do you do? You separate from the congregation, recite the tashahhud, and conclude the prayer. Then you join the imam for the remainder of the 'Isha prayer.
There is no harm. This is a sound practice. You pray 'Isha behind those who are praying Maghrib, and when the imam concludes the prayer, you stand up and make up what you missed. There is no harm in that.
There remains the issue of the second case: If you pray Maghrib behind those who are praying 'Isha, and you join them in the second rak'ah, there is no problem. Why? Because you will conclude the prayer with the imam. He has prayed four rak'ahs, and you have prayed three. But if you join them in the first rak'ah, the imam will then stand up for the fourth rak'ah. What do you do? You separate from the congregation, recite the tashahhud, and conclude the prayer. Then you join the imam for the remainder of the 'Isha prayer.