If one catches the imam in the final tashahhud, joins him, and completes his prayer, and then hears the iqamah in another mosque, is it permissible for him to go and pray in congregation with that imam?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and bless your knowledge: If a man catches only the final tashahhud of the prayer with the imam, and the imam says the taslim and stands up to complete the prayer, and then the man leaves the mosque and hears another mosque calling the iqamah at that moment, is it permissible for him to enter that mosque and consider the prayer he just performed as a voluntary prayer, so that he can catch the obligatory prayer in full congregation, or catch the takbirat al-ihram, or not?
The Shaykh : If one catches the imam in the final tashahhud, joins him, and prays, and completes his prayer, his obligation is discharged and he has performed the obligatory prayer. It is not recommended for him to go to another mosque to pray there. However, if he has a matter in the other mosque and enters to find the people praying, he prays with them, and it counts as a voluntary prayer for him—I mean the second one—based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Jami` at-Tirmidhi 219Sahih (Darussalam). He said this regarding two men who missed the prayer with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)—the Fajr prayer in the Musjid al-Khaif in Mina—so when he saw them, he called them and asked them about the reason, and they said: .
The questioner : What about the virtue of the congregation in the first prayer?
The Shaykh : The virtue of the congregation depends on the person. If he is keen on the congregation and it is his habit to pray with the congregation, but he missed it for an excuse, it is hoped that the full reward of the congregation will be recorded for him, by analogy to the sick person and the traveler. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:.
The Shaykh : If one catches the imam in the final tashahhud, joins him, and prays, and completes his prayer, his obligation is discharged and he has performed the obligatory prayer. It is not recommended for him to go to another mosque to pray there. However, if he has a matter in the other mosque and enters to find the people praying, he prays with them, and it counts as a voluntary prayer for him—I mean the second one—based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
when you pray in your camp then you come to a Masjid with a congregation, then pray with them. That will be a voluntary prayer for you.
إذا صليتما في رِحالِكما ثم أتيتما مسجد جماعة فصليا معهم فإنها لكما نافلةWe prayed in our tents.
صلينا في رحالناThe questioner : What about the virtue of the congregation in the first prayer?
The Shaykh : The virtue of the congregation depends on the person. If he is keen on the congregation and it is his habit to pray with the congregation, but he missed it for an excuse, it is hoped that the full reward of the congregation will be recorded for him, by analogy to the sick person and the traveler. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: