What is the ruling on one who joins the prayer in the final tashahhud and feels that people have entered, so he cuts off his prayer to form a new congregation?

The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : A man caught up with the prayer in the final tashahhud before the taslim, and before he completed the prayer he had missed, he felt that people had entered the mosque, so he cut off his prayer and started a new congregation. Is this action of his prescribed, and what is the basis for it? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : Yes, this is permissible, meaning it is not commanded nor forbidden. The original ruling is that it is prohibited because he entered the obligatory prayer, but considering that he wants to cut off this act of worship to move to what is better, the scholars permitted it. The scholars permitted him to cut off this prayer of his to pray it in congregation.

The questioner : Does he get the reward of the congregation?

The Shaykh : He gets the reward of the congregation. They took as an analogy for this the story of the man who came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and said to him: They said that this was because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) allowed him to move to the better option, and the man cutting off this prayer of his was a move to the better option. Yes.