I was traveling and passed by a mosque on the road where they were praying Maghrib, and I wanted to pray 'Isha. When the imam stood for the third rak'ah, I intended to pray alone, then

The questioner : I was traveling and passed by a mosque on the road where they were praying Maghrib, and I wanted to pray 'Isha. When the imam stood for the third rak'ah, I intended to pray alone, then I said the closing salam and left the congregation. Some of the people who had come in said: Is this prayer invalid?

The Shaykh : The correct view is that it is not invalid, and that this action is valid. If a person wants to pray Maghrib and prays behind an imam who is praying 'Isha with four rak'ahs, and he joins him in the first rak'ah, he should sit when the imam stands for the fourth, recite the tashahhud, and say the closing salam, then join the imam in the remainder of the 'Isha prayer. If he catches the imam in the second rak'ah, he should say the closing salam with him, because he has already prayed three rak'ahs. If he catches him in the third rak'ah, he should pray one rak'ah after him... so that he has prayed two rak'ahs with the imam and has one rak'ah remaining. Yes.

The questioner : May Allah preserve you. This questioner says, O honorable Shaykh.