Ruling on Repeating the Obligatory Prayer in Congregation for One Who Prayed It Alone

This message is from Najih Masilh Abdullah from the Kingdom of Bahrain, Muharraq Security District. He says in his message: To the honorable subscribers of the "Light on the Path" program on the Riyadh Radio, greetings of Islam, and after: We thank you for your program and for answering listeners' questions. He says: What is the ruling for one who prayed the obligatory prayer alone, then the congregation was established? Does he repeat the prayer with the congregation? And if he repeats the prayer with the congregation, does he intend it as making up a missed prayer or as a voluntary prayer, or does he repeat the same obligatory prayer he prayed before the congregation?
Answer: It is prescribed for one who prayed alone and then a congregation came to pray with them, in order to seize the virtue of the congregation. His prayer with them is a voluntary prayer, and the first one is his obligatory prayer. This is the correct view. What indicates this is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) to Abu Dharr when he mentioned the rulers who delay the prayer from its time, he said: , and when a man entered after the people had prayed, he said (peace and blessings be upon him): .
So the conclusion is: if he prayed the obligatory prayer alone and then a congregation came, it is prescribed for him to pray with them so that he may attain the virtue of the congregation. And if he prayed before the people, considering that they had already prayed, and then the people and the imam came, it is prescribed for him to pray with them. His first prayer is his obligatory prayer, and the second is a voluntary prayer. Yes.
The presenter: What if he was alone in the first one?
The Shaykh: Whether he was alone or in congregation, if he prayed his first obligatory prayer alone or in congregation, and then he attended another congregation, his prayer with them is voluntary, not obligatory. Because this is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) when he was asked in Mina during the Farewell Pilgrimage about two men who had not prayed. He called them and said: , so he ordered them to pray with the imam if they arrived while he was in prayer, and he informed them that it is voluntary for them, and that the obligatory prayer is the one that preceded. Yes.