Is it permissible for one who catches up with the imam while he is in the final tashahhud to wait until he concludes the prayer and then pray with the congregation that entered with him?
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The questioner : Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy.
The Shaykh : Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : I ask you, O Shaykh, about the validity of the statement that says: If you enter the mosque and there is a congregation, and the imam is in the final tashahhud, then you wait until he concludes the prayer, and then you establish another congregation?
The Shaykh : Yes, this is correct. Its evidence is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Muwatta Malik 1:15 You have not caught up with a rak'ah; you arrived during the final tashahhud. If you do not catch up with the rak'ah, you do not catch up with the congregation. However, if you pray with your companions who entered with you as a congregation, you catch up with the congregation from its beginning. As for if you arrive and the imam has one rak'ah remaining, it is better for you to enter with him; in fact, it is obligatory for you to enter with him, even if you miss the prayer or most of the prayer, because Muwatta Malik 1:15.
However, we say here: It is not a condition that you wait until he concludes the prayer. If the mosque is spacious and you go to a side of it such that you do not disturb anyone, you may pray before the imam concludes the prayer, and there is no blame on you. But if you are close, such as if the mosque is small, you should not begin the prayer until he concludes it. Yes.
The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : The question, O honorable Shaykh, is specific and written on the paper with me.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : A specific question, and it is written on the paper.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : I ask you, O Shaykh, about the validity of the statement that says: If you enter the mosque and there is a congregation, and the imam is in the final tashahhud, then you wait until he concludes the prayer, and then you establish another congregation?
The Shaykh : Yes, this is correct. Its evidence is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Whoever catches a raka of the prayer has caught the prayer.
من أدرك ركعة من الصلاة فقد أدرك الصلاةWhoever catches a raka of the prayer has caught the prayer.
من أدرك ركعة من الصلاة فقد أدرك الصلاةHowever, we say here: It is not a condition that you wait until he concludes the prayer. If the mosque is spacious and you go to a side of it such that you do not disturb anyone, you may pray before the imam concludes the prayer, and there is no blame on you. But if you are close, such as if the mosque is small, you should not begin the prayer until he concludes it. Yes.
The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : The question, O honorable Shaykh, is specific and written on the paper with me.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : A specific question, and it is written on the paper.
The Shaykh : Yes.