Also, he says: If the iqamah is called and a person is praying a sunnah, should he complete the two rak'ahs of the sunnah even if he misses a rak'ah of the obligatory prayer, or should he cut off the sunnah and pray with the congregation?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Also, he says: If the iqamah is called and a person is praying a sunnah, should he complete the two rak'ahs of the sunnah even if he misses a rak'ah of the obligatory prayer, or should he cut off the sunnah and pray with the congregation?
The Shaykh : People have differed on this issue, with two extremes and a middle position.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Some say that if you begin a voluntary prayer and then the iqamah is called, you must cut off the voluntary prayer and join the obligatory prayer.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Others say that you are not required to cut it off, but rather you should continue with it, even if you miss a rak'ah, or even if you miss all the rak'ahs, as long as you can join the imam before he concludes the prayer, even if it is only by the amount of the opening takbir. These are the two extremes, and the middle position is to say: If you have completed one full rak'ah and the iqamah is called while you are in the second rak'ah, then complete it briefly; otherwise, cut it off. I base this opinion on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)Muwatta Malik 1:15 This man caught up with a rak'ah of the prayer at a time when it was not prohibited, so if he catches up with it at a time when it is not prohibited, he has caught up with it, so let him complete it. However, if the iqamah is called and you are in the first rak'ah and have not completed it, then cut it off, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) Jami` at-Tirmidhi 421Sahih (Darussalam) narrated by Muslim from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
The questioner : (may Allah be pleased with him).
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So, if he is in the first rak'ah, meaning he has not said the takbir in the air, for example, meaning he has not started the bowing.
The Shaykh : No, in the rak'ah he has not prostrated the second time, meaning he has not stood up for the second rak'ah.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because as long as he has not prostrated the second prostration of the first rak'ah and stood up from it, he is still in the first rak'ah.
The questioner : He is still in the first rak'ah.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Yes, because it might be understood that the rak'ah is completed by the bowing, or meaning by the bowing in the air, the rak'ah is completed.
The Shaykh : No, that is called bowing, not a rak'ah.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : People have differed on this issue, with two extremes and a middle position.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Some say that if you begin a voluntary prayer and then the iqamah is called, you must cut off the voluntary prayer and join the obligatory prayer.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Others say that you are not required to cut it off, but rather you should continue with it, even if you miss a rak'ah, or even if you miss all the rak'ahs, as long as you can join the imam before he concludes the prayer, even if it is only by the amount of the opening takbir. These are the two extremes, and the middle position is to say: If you have completed one full rak'ah and the iqamah is called while you are in the second rak'ah, then complete it briefly; otherwise, cut it off. I base this opinion on 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 الصلاةWhen the Iqamah has been called for the Salat then there is no Salat except the obligatory.
إذا أقيمت الصلاة فلا صلاة إلا المكتوبةThe questioner : (may Allah be pleased with him).
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So, if he is in the first rak'ah, meaning he has not said the takbir in the air, for example, meaning he has not started the bowing.
The Shaykh : No, in the rak'ah he has not prostrated the second time, meaning he has not stood up for the second rak'ah.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because as long as he has not prostrated the second prostration of the first rak'ah and stood up from it, he is still in the first rak'ah.
The questioner : He is still in the first rak'ah.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Yes, because it might be understood that the rak'ah is completed by the bowing, or meaning by the bowing in the air, the rak'ah is completed.
The Shaykh : No, that is called bowing, not a rak'ah.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.