What is the ruling on one who missed the festival prayer and did not attend until after the prayer, during the sermon? Does he pray and say takbir, or what does he do?

The questioner : May Allah reward you, he saysThe questioner : What is the ruling on one who missed the festival prayer and did not attend until after the prayer, during the sermon? Does he pray and say takbir, or what does he do?

The Shaykh : If he arrives at the festival prayer ground and the people have already prayed and the imam is delivering the sermon, he should not sit until he prays two rak'ahs as the greeting of the mosque. As for the festival prayer itself, it is not obligatory for him to make it up. However, is it prescribed for him to make it up? Some scholars said it is not prescribed, because the festival prayer is like the Friday prayer; if it is missed, it is not made up. Other scholars said: rather, it is made up in its specific form. And others said: rather, it is made up as the midday prayer. But this third opinion is very weak, and the first is weak, but it is stronger than the third. By "the first" here, I mean the second. As for the first opinion, that it is not made up if it is missed, that is the stronger position, because it is a prayer that is not prescribed except in the form of congregation and gathering.

The questioner : May Allah preserve you.