The Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "Who will give charity for this one?" regarding the one who missed the prayer: Is the one giving charity the imam or the follower?

The questioner : The Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: regarding the one who missed the prayer: Is the one giving charity the imam or the follower? Does he complete the prayer or pray two rak'ahs? And is this valid in the times when prayer is prohibited, for example, after the 'Asr prayer for the one who missed 'Asr?

The Shaykh : Yes. First, we must know that repeating the congregational prayer in a mosque where the congregation has already been established is divided into two categories. The first category is if this is done on a continuous basis, such that there are two congregations in this mosque constantly. In this case, we say that the second congregation is a religious innovation (bid'ah), because what is required of the Muslim community is to gather behind one imam. The second category is if the second congregation is occasional, meaning it is not constant. This congregation is prescribed (mashru'), and whoever says it is a religious innovation (bid'ah) has erred. If a group enters the mosque and has missed the first congregational prayer, they pray it as a congregation due to the generality of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: And because a man entered the mosque while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was with his Companions and the prayer had ended, so he said: Thus, this congregation that occurs after the first congregation, without being constant, is a required congregation; it is not disliked, forbidden, or a religious innovation (bid'ah). As for the questioner's question about whether the one giving charity is the imam or the follower, the criterion for this is the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: So, if the one who stands to give charity is more knowledgeable in reciting the Book of Allah than the man who entered, then he should be the imam. And if the second one, meaning the one who entered, is more knowledgeable in recitation than the one who stood to give charity, then he should be the imam. And if the two men are equal or close in knowledge, then the imam is the one who entered, so the one giving charity becomes a follower behind the one who entered, so that he is performing a voluntary prayer behind one who is praying the obligatory prayer. There is no harm in the one who entering being the follower and the one giving charity being the imam, because the stronger opinion is that it is permissible for one praying the obligatory prayer to follow one praying a voluntary prayer. The evidence for this is the action of Mu'adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) when he would pray the 'Isha' prayer with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then return to his people and pray this prayer with them; it was a voluntary prayer for him and an obligatory prayer for them. As for the questioner's question about whether he completes the prayer with him or limits it to two rak'ahs, the answer is: He completes the prayer with him, even if it is the Maghrib prayer, in which he prays three rak'ahs, just as the one who entered does. As for the questioner's question about whether he prays this voluntary prayer in the times when prayer is prohibited, the answer is: Yes, he prays it in the times when prayer is prohibited, because the stronger opinion among the scholars is that every voluntary prayer that has a cause is not prohibited. So performing voluntary prayers with causes in the times when prayer is prohibited is permissible, because the Sunnah has come with such examples. Yes.