Joining the congregation when the imam is in the second prostration of the first Rakat of salah

Darulifta Ahlesunnat

(Dawateislami)

Question

   What do the scholars of Islam say about the following matter: a person comes to the masjid, finding the imam in the second prostration of the first unit of salah. He has missed participating in the first unit altogether, and will make up for this once the imam has offered salam. Can this person join the imam whilst the latter is in the second prostration? If he joins, will he have to perform the first prostration that he missed or stand up with the imam?

بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

   If a person finds the imam performing the second prostration of a Rak’at in salah, he should join in the following manner: whilst standing, he should firstly say takbīr taḥrīma, then recite takbir again whilst going into prostration, joining the imam. In this case, it is not mandatory for the follower to make up the first prostration, which the imam has already performed. Rather, when he makes up the Rak’at he missed, the prostrations of this Rak’at will be fulfilled.

   In such a case, it is not sinful for a person to wait for the imam to stand before joining salah. Nevertheless, it is recommended (mustaḥabb) to join salah in whatever state the imam is in, and to not wait.

   It is narrated:

قال رسول الله صلی الله تعالی علیه وسلم اذا اتی احدکم الصلاۃ والامام علی حال فلیصنع کما یصنع الامام

   “When any of you come for salah and the imam is in any state, he should do what the imam is doing.”[1]

   A hadith reads:

فما ادرکتم فصلوا وما فاتکم فاتموا

   “Offer whatever you find of salah with the imam and make up whatever you missed.”[2]

   Imam Badr al-Dīn al-ʿAynī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه adds:

فیه استحباب الدخول مع الامام فی ای حالة وجدہ علیھا

   “We come to learn from this blessed hadith that a person should join salah in whatever state he finds the imam to be; this is recommended(mustaḥabb).”[3]

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم