Why does a traveler who slept through the 'Asr prayer and joined the imam for the Maghrib prayer not follow the imam to complete the 'Asr prayer, nor shorten it?
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The questioner : The brothers here, it appears, want us to return to the question regarding the traveler who prays 'Asr behind the imam who is praying Maghrib. Do they mean they want to confirm that he actually does not follow the imam, but rather shortens it and prays two rak'ahs?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Even though the traveler is a ma'mum (one praying behind the imam).
The Shaykh : Yes, the principle for us is that he follows the imam. But in this example, the prayer was Maghrib. We do not have voluntary prayer in one rak'ah. If the question were, for example, about praying behind an imam who is praying 'Isha', we would say he completes it with him, and he would be credited with two obligatory rak'ahs and two voluntary rak'ahs. But here, in Maghrib, it would be an even number followed by an odd number. So, as I said earlier, because of this difference, and for no other reason.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Even though the traveler is a ma'mum (one praying behind the imam).
The Shaykh : Yes, the principle for us is that he follows the imam. But in this example, the prayer was Maghrib. We do not have voluntary prayer in one rak'ah. If the question were, for example, about praying behind an imam who is praying 'Isha', we would say he completes it with him, and he would be credited with two obligatory rak'ahs and two voluntary rak'ahs. But here, in Maghrib, it would be an even number followed by an odd number. So, as I said earlier, because of this difference, and for no other reason.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.