If one catches up with the imam after his takbir for the final tashahhud, is he considered to have caught up with the congregation, or should he wait until the imam says the taslim to pray with another congregation? I hope for guidance on this.
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The questioner : This questioner, your brother in Allah, Hamad Khalid al-Khalid from Riyadh, says to the honorable Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen, may Allah reward him with good, I hope you will answer my questions, and may Allah reward you with the best reward for me and for the Muslims.
The first question: If one catches up with the imam after his takbir for the final tashahhud, is he considered to have caught up with the congregation, or should he wait until the imam says the taslim to pray with another congregation? I hope for guidance on this?
The Shaykh : If one catches up with the imam during the final tashahhud, some of the scholars say that he has caught up with the congregation.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Based on the fact that the prayer is caught up with the takbir of intention.
And some of the scholars say that he has not caught up with the congregational prayer, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)Muwatta Malik 1:15 The implication of the hadith is that whoever does not catch up with a rak'ah has not caught up with it, meaning he has not caught up with the prayer.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And this opinion is the stronger one. Accordingly, if a person comes and the imam is in the final tashahhud, if he hopes to find a congregation in this mosque or in another, he should not enter with the imam. But if he does not hope to find a congregation, he should enter with him, because catching up with some of the prayer is better than catching up with none, especially since some scholars say that he catches up with the congregational prayer by doing so, and especially since someone might say that the general meaning of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) isBulugh al-Maram 2:329. Yes.
The first question: If one catches up with the imam after his takbir for the final tashahhud, is he considered to have caught up with the congregation, or should he wait until the imam says the taslim to pray with another congregation? I hope for guidance on this?
The Shaykh : If one catches up with the imam during the final tashahhud, some of the scholars say that he has caught up with the congregation.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Based on the fact that the prayer is caught up with the takbir of intention.
And some of the scholars say that he has not caught up with the congregational prayer, due to 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 الصلاةThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And this opinion is the stronger one. Accordingly, if a person comes and the imam is in the final tashahhud, if he hopes to find a congregation in this mosque or in another, he should not enter with the imam. But if he does not hope to find a congregation, he should enter with him, because catching up with some of the prayer is better than catching up with none, especially since some scholars say that he catches up with the congregational prayer by doing so, and especially since someone might say that the general meaning of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is