A traveler who entered without having prayed Maghrib while the imam is praying 'Isha: does he join him?
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The questioner : If a person is traveling and finds a congregation praying 'Isha, does he pray 'Isha with them and then pray Maghrib afterwards?
The Shaykh : The correct view is that he prays Maghrib with them, entering with the intention of Maghrib even if they are praying 'Isha. If he joins them in the first rak'ah, when the imam stands for the fourth rak'ah, he sits, recites the tashahhud, and says the taslim.
Praying alone here is permissible due to the excuse, because it is not possible for him to stand for the fourth rak'ah while he is in the prayer of Maghrib. He says the taslim, then joins the imam for the remainder of the 'Isha prayer. If he had joined him in the second rak'ah, he says the taslim with the imam. If he joined in the third rak'ah, he performs one rak'ah after the imam's taslim. This is the strongest opinion in this issue.
Some scholars said: He joins them with the intention of 'Isha, and when he finishes, he prays Maghrib. This results in the loss of the proper order.
Some scholars said: Rather, he prays Maghrib alone, then joins them for the remainder of the 'Isha prayer. This results in the existence of two congregations in one mosque, if this man is with others and they pray as a congregation, or it results in a person separating from the congregation of the Muslims. All of this is not desirable in the Shari'ah. The best opinion in this issue is what I mentioned first.
This issue does not occur only for travelers, but also in the case of combining prayers due to rain. A person might come, for example, for the combination due to rain while they are praying 'Isha and he has not prayed Maghrib. We tell him: Enter with them with the intention of Maghrib and do what you have heard.
The Shaykh : The correct view is that he prays Maghrib with them, entering with the intention of Maghrib even if they are praying 'Isha. If he joins them in the first rak'ah, when the imam stands for the fourth rak'ah, he sits, recites the tashahhud, and says the taslim.
Praying alone here is permissible due to the excuse, because it is not possible for him to stand for the fourth rak'ah while he is in the prayer of Maghrib. He says the taslim, then joins the imam for the remainder of the 'Isha prayer. If he had joined him in the second rak'ah, he says the taslim with the imam. If he joined in the third rak'ah, he performs one rak'ah after the imam's taslim. This is the strongest opinion in this issue.
Some scholars said: He joins them with the intention of 'Isha, and when he finishes, he prays Maghrib. This results in the loss of the proper order.
Some scholars said: Rather, he prays Maghrib alone, then joins them for the remainder of the 'Isha prayer. This results in the existence of two congregations in one mosque, if this man is with others and they pray as a congregation, or it results in a person separating from the congregation of the Muslims. All of this is not desirable in the Shari'ah. The best opinion in this issue is what I mentioned first.
This issue does not occur only for travelers, but also in the case of combining prayers due to rain. A person might come, for example, for the combination due to rain while they are praying 'Isha and he has not prayed Maghrib. We tell him: Enter with them with the intention of Maghrib and do what you have heard.