The ruling on following a person who is praying alone

Question:
From the Al-Mukha district of Taiz, Yemen Arab Republic, a message was sent by the listener Abdul-Nur Muhammad Ghalib Ma'amarah. He asks one question, saying: I was praying alone, so a man came and prayed with me with the intention of praying in congregation, while I was praying alone without the intention of congregation. Is his prayer valid, or does the congregation require the intention from the beginning, and the one praying alone has his own intention? The point is, is this prayer valid as a congregation, or not?

Answer:
There is no harm in that. If a believer and his brother is praying alone, and then someone comes and stands to his right, making him his imam, and his brother prays behind him, there is nothing wrong with it. It is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray alone at night, so Ibn Abbas came and stood in a row to his left. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) moved him to his right and prayed with him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) started the prayer alone, not as an imam, and did not intend congregation. But when Ibn Abbas came and stood to his left, he placed him to his right and prayed with him (peace and blessings be upon him). So if a person is praying and he missed the prayer, and his brother comes and stands to his right, and they pray as a congregation, there is nothing wrong with that. He starts the intention of congregation during the prayer, and the intention of being imam during the time his brother stands with him. Yes.

The presenter : May Allah reward you with good.