Catching a Rak'ah by Catching the Ruku'

Question:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. May Allah prolong the life of our pious father, 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Baz, and make him a treasure for Islam and the Muslims.
Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings, and after that:
I submit these questions to your Eminence, hoping for an answer from Allah and then from you. The author of this letter is our brother from 'Asir, 'Ajib Khalaf al-Ghunaymi al-Rubi. In his first question, he says: If I catch up with the imam while he is bowing and I bow, is that rak'ah counted for me, or do I have to repeat it? Knowing that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ?

Answer:
Scholars have disagreed on this issue. Some said that the rak'ah suffices for him, which is the view of the majority, and the view of the four Imams and other scholars. They said: Because Abu Bakrah al-Thaqafi asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about this case. Abu Bakrah arrived while the imam was bowing, so he bowed with the row and then entered the row. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer, he said: , and he did not order him to make up the rak'ah, but rather forbade him from returning to bowing in front of the row. The one who joins the prayer is not allowed to bow in front of the row; rather, he should wait until he connects with the row and stands in the row, and he is not allowed to bow in front of it. He was not ordered to make up the rak'ah. Also, he is excused because he did not catch the recitation, so he is excused. Thus, this hadith specifies the hadith mentioned by the questioner, which is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): . This is a general statement from which is excepted the one who entered while the imam was bowing, or entered with the imam and forgot the recitation, or believed that it is not obligatory upon him, as the majority say: that it is not obligatory on the ma'mum. So he is excepted according to the majority.
The correct view is that it is obligatory on the ma'mum, but if he leaves it out due to forgetfulness, or following others without knowing the legal ruling, or if he only caught the bowing, such as arriving at the time of bowing or while the imam is bowing, then he is excused. The correct view is that it suffices for him. This is the correct view held by the majority of scholars and most scholars.
Some went to the view that it does not suffice for him, and al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) and a group of scholars said this based on the hadith: . However, they are refuted by the hadith of Abu Bakrah, because he was excused due to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) not ordering him to make it up. If the one who missed the recitation had to make it up and the rak'ah sufficed for him, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would have ordered him to do so. It is not permissible to delay clarification until the time of need, and this is the time of clarification. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent and did not order him to make up the rak'ah, it indicates that there is no obligation on him to make it up, and that this case is an exception.

The presenter: May Allah bless you.