Catching up with the congregation
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Moving the index finger during the tashahhud
Question: What is the ruling on moving the index finger during the tashahhud in prayer? Are there specific words at which it is moved, and what is the wisdom behind that?
Answer: The ruling on moving the index finger during the tashahhud is a recommended practice (sunnah). It is done when the Name of Allah is mentioned; when the Name of Allah comes to his tongue, he moves his index finger.
And the wisdom in that is: It is a sign of the oneness of Allah (tawhid).As if he said: "Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah." He moves his index finger at the Name of Allah, as a sign of the oneness of Allah (tawhid). Moving it is a recommended practice (sunnah), not obligatory.
[Catching up with the congregation]
Question: If someone comes to the prayer with the congregation and finds them in the final tashahhud, so he sits with them, and when the imam says the taslim, he says it with them, then the imam stands up to establish the prayer anew, and he prays alone. Is his action permissible? And is he considered to have caught up with the congregation by catching the final tashahhud, or to have caught the virtue of the congregation, or not?
Answer: The correct view is that the congregation is not caught up with unless one catches up with a rak'ah. However, if someone comes and the imam is in the final tashahhud, he joins with him to obtain the reward of following. As for the virtue of the congregation, the correct view of the scholars is that it is not obtained unless one catches up with a complete rak'ah. If he joins with him in the final tashahhud, it is not permissible for him to say the taslim with the imam. Rather, when the imam says the taslim, he must stand up and perform what he missed of the prayer. It is not permissible for him to say the taslim. If he intentionally says the taslim with the imam, his prayer is invalid.
As for if he says the taslim with the imam while forgetting or out of ignorance, his prayer is valid, but he must perform the prostration for forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw).
Question: What is the ruling on moving the index finger during the tashahhud in prayer? Are there specific words at which it is moved, and what is the wisdom behind that?
Answer: The ruling on moving the index finger during the tashahhud is a recommended practice (sunnah). It is done when the Name of Allah is mentioned; when the Name of Allah comes to his tongue, he moves his index finger.
And the wisdom in that is: It is a sign of the oneness of Allah (tawhid).As if he said: "Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah." He moves his index finger at the Name of Allah, as a sign of the oneness of Allah (tawhid). Moving it is a recommended practice (sunnah), not obligatory.
[Catching up with the congregation]
Question: If someone comes to the prayer with the congregation and finds them in the final tashahhud, so he sits with them, and when the imam says the taslim, he says it with them, then the imam stands up to establish the prayer anew, and he prays alone. Is his action permissible? And is he considered to have caught up with the congregation by catching the final tashahhud, or to have caught the virtue of the congregation, or not?
Answer: The correct view is that the congregation is not caught up with unless one catches up with a rak'ah. However, if someone comes and the imam is in the final tashahhud, he joins with him to obtain the reward of following. As for the virtue of the congregation, the correct view of the scholars is that it is not obtained unless one catches up with a complete rak'ah. If he joins with him in the final tashahhud, it is not permissible for him to say the taslim with the imam. Rather, when the imam says the taslim, he must stand up and perform what he missed of the prayer. It is not permissible for him to say the taslim. If he intentionally says the taslim with the imam, his prayer is invalid.
As for if he says the taslim with the imam while forgetting or out of ignorance, his prayer is valid, but he must perform the prostration for forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw).