If a latecomer joins the imam and catches the third rak'ah of the witr, which the imam performed as three consecutive rak'ahs with a single taslim, is it permissible for the latecomer to say the taslim?

The questioner : May Allah reward the honorableThe Shaykh : If a latecomer joins the imam and catches the third rak'ah of the witr, which the imam performed as three consecutive rak'ahs with a single taslim, is it permissible for the latecomer to say the taslim with the imam if he has only caught the third rak'ah? And if he says the taslim with the imam, is it considered witr, or must he perform what he missed?

The Shaykh : The apparent meaning of the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the latecomer is that if his imam has performed the witr as three consecutive rak'ahs, then when the imam says the taslim, the latecomer must perform what he missed, because his prayer is linked to the imam. However, if he does not know whether the imam performed the witr consecutively or prayed two rak'ahs and then prayed the third one separately, he may say the taslim as long as he does not know, because he is not certain that he is differing from the imam in this case. On this occasion, I would like to say that both shaf' and witr are witr, but this is called shaf' because a person says the taslim in it after two rak'ahs; otherwise, all three are witr. Yes.