Leading the Latecomer

Q: A man entered the mosque after the imam and the congregation had finished their prayers, but he found a latecomer completing his prayer. He stood beside him to make the latecomer his imam so that he could receive the reward of congregational prayer. Is this permissible, or is the latecomer not considered an imam? And is the prayer performed by this man with the latecomer valid?

A: If a latecomer enters the mosque after the people have prayed and finds a latecomer praying, it is prescribed for him to pray with him, standing to the right of the latecomer, in order to strive for the virtue of congregational prayer. The latecomer should intend to lead the prayer, and there is no harm in this according to the more correct of the two opinions of the scholars. Likewise, if he finds a person praying alone after the imam has finished, it is prescribed for him to pray with him, standing to his right to obtain the virtue of congregational prayer. When the latecomer or the person praying alone finishes, this late-arriving man stands up and completes what remains of his prayer, due to the general evidence indicating the virtue of congregational prayer, and because it is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he saw a man enter the mosque after the prayer had ended, said: .