What the latecomer catches of the prayer is considered the beginning of his prayer
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Q: Is what the latecomer catches of the rak'ahs with the imam considered the beginning of his prayer or the end? If, for example, he misses two rak'ahs of a four-rak'ah prayer, is it prescribed for him to recite whatever is easy after al-Fatihah?
A: The correct view is that what the latecomer catches with the imam is considered the beginning of his prayer, and what he makes up is the end of it, in all prayers. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Abi Dawud 572Hasan Sahih (Al-Albani) It is agreed upon that it is authentic. Accordingly, it is recommended to restrict oneself to reciting al-Fatihah in the third and fourth rak'ahs of a four-rak'ah prayer and in the third rak'ah of Maghrib. This is based on what is in the two Sahihs from Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: .
If he sometimes recites more than al-Fatihah in the third and fourth rak'ahs of the Dhuhr prayer, that is good. This is based on what is established in Sahih Muslim from Abu Sa'id (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: This is understood to mean that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did this sometimes in the last two rak'ahs of the Dhuhr prayer, thereby combining the two hadiths.
A: The correct view is that what the latecomer catches with the imam is considered the beginning of his prayer, and what he makes up is the end of it, in all prayers. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
When the iqamah is pronounced for prayer, do not come to it running, but come walking(slowly). You should observe tranquility. The part of the prayer you get(along with the imam) offer it, and the part you miss complete it(afterwards).
إذا أقيمت الصلاة فلا تأتوها تسعون وأتوها تمشون وعليكم السكينة، فما أدركتم فصلوا، وما فاتكم فأتمواThe Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite in the Dhuhr and 'Asr prayers in the first two rak'ahs al-Fatihah and a surah, lengthening it in the first and shortening it in the second, and he would recite in the last two rak'ahs al-Fatihah.
كان النبي ﷺ يقرأ في الظهر والعصر في الركعتين الأوليين بفاتحة الكتاب وسورة يطول في الأولى ويقصر في الثانية ويقرأ في الأخريين بفاتحة الكتابIf he sometimes recites more than al-Fatihah in the third and fourth rak'ahs of the Dhuhr prayer, that is good. This is based on what is established in Sahih Muslim from Abu Sa'id (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite in the first two rak'ahs of the Dhuhr prayer the length of "Alam Tanazzal" (the surah of prostration), and in the last two rak'ahs half of that, and in the first two rak'ahs of the 'Asr prayer the length of the last two rak'ahs of the Dhuhr, and in the last two rak'ahs of the 'Asr prayer half of that.
كان النبي ﷺ يقرأ في الأوليين من الظهر قدر ألم تنزيل السجدة، وفي الأخريين على النصف من ذلك، وفي الأوليين من العصر على قدر الأخريين من الظهر، وفي الأخريين من العصر على النصف من ذلك
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.