Not catching the congregation for one who catches only the final tashahhud

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Question:
I pray in the mosque, and sometimes I do not catch the entire prayer. If I catch only the final tashahhud, is it considered that I have caught the congregational prayer?

Answer:
The congregation is not caught except by a rak'ah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

Whoever catches a raka of the prayer has caught the prayer.

من أدرك ركعةً من الصلاة، فقد أدرك الصلاة

Muwatta Malik 1:15

. Therefore, it is obligatory to hasten to the prayer in congregation and to strive to be prompt after hearing the adhan, so that nothing of the prayer is missed. If it happens that you miss something, you make up what you missed, and you are not considered to have caught the congregation unless you catch a rak'ah or more.
As for the one who arrives while the imam is in the final tashahhud, he prays with him, but he has missed the congregation. However, he prays with him; he sits and prays with him, based on his (peace and blessings be upon him) saying:

and pray whatever you get (with the people) and complete the rest which you have missed

ما أدركتم فصلوا، وما فاتكم فأتموا

Sahih al-Bukhari 635

. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) generalized,

What you catch

ما أدركتم

. This encompasses the final rak'ah, the final prostration, and the tashahhud; it encompasses them. Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.

Source binbaz.org.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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