Rulings for one who is late for the congregational prayer

Praise
be to Allah

Firstly:

It says in
al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah (3353):

The one who is
late for the congregational prayer is the one who comes when the imam has
already done all or some of the rak‘ahs of the prayer. End quote.

Secondly:

Some of the
rulings concerning the one who is late for the congregational prayer:

-1-

It is mustahabb
for the one who is late for the congregational prayer to come to the mosque
in a calm and dignified manner. He should understand that whatever he
catches up with of the prayer with the imam is regarded as the start of his
prayer. So if the one who is late for the prayer catches up with the imam in
the second rak‘ah of Maghrib prayer – for example – this rak‘ah is regarded
as the second rak‘ah for the imam and the first rak‘ah for him.

The evidence for
these two rulings is the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him): “When you hear the iqaamah, then walk to the prayer and be
calm and dignified. Do not rush, and whatever you catch up with pray, and
whatever you miss, complete it.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (600).

Some of the
scholars made an exception for the one who fears that he will miss out on
the congregational prayer altogether; he may hurry somewhat, so as to catch
up with the congregational prayer.

For more
information please see the answers to questions no.
23426 and 214858.

-2-

If  the one who
is late for the prayer catches up with it when the imam is bowing, then he
must say the takbeerat al-ihraam (opening takbeer, which is said to commence
the prayer) whilst standing. If he says it whilst bending forward, his
prayer is not valid.

An-Nawawi (may
Allah have mercy on him) said:

It is obligatory
to say the takbeerat al-ihram whilst standing. This also applies to one who
is late for the prayer and catches up with the imam when he is already
bowing. His takbeerat al-ihraam must be enunciated properly whilst he is
standing; if he pronounces any letter of it when he is not standing, he has
not started his prayer, and there is no difference of scholarly opinion
concerning that.

End quote from
al-Majmoo‘ (3/296).

-3-

If the one who
is late for the prayer comes when the imam is bowing, then to be on the safe
side he should say takbeer twice: the first one for takbeerat al-ihram, and
the second one for the takbeer of bowing. If he says takbeerat al-ihram
only, then bows without saying the takbeer for bowing, that is acceptable
according to the correct scholarly opinion.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz
(may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:

If a worshipper
joins the prayer when the imam is bowing, should he say the opening takbeer
and the takbeer for bowing, or should he say just one takbeer and then bow?

Answer: It is
preferable and more prudent for him to say two takbeers: one for takbeerat
al-ihram, which is an essential part of the prayer and must be said when he
is standing,

and the second
is the takbeer of bowing, which he should say as he is bending down for
rukoo‘. If he is afraid of missing the rak‘ah, then takbeerat al-ihram is
sufficient according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions,
because they are two acts of worship to be done at the same time, so doing
that which is more important will suffice for that which is less important,
and this rak‘ah will be valid, according to most of the scholars.

End quote from
Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn Baaz (11/245).

-4-

If the
worshipper joins the prayer when the imam is bowing, this rak‘ah will count
as valid, even if he does not say the tasbeeh until after the imam has stood
up. For more information, please see the answer to question no.
75156.

-5-

If the one who
is late for the prayer does not know whether he caught up with rukoo‘
(bowing) with the imam or not, then in this case he should act on the basis
of what he thinks most likely to be the case. If he thinks it most likely
that he caught up with the imam when he was bowing, then he has caught up
with the rak‘ah;  if he thinks it most likely that he did not catch up with
him when he was bowing, then he is not regarded as having caught up with the
rak‘ah.

It says in
ash-Sharh al-Mumti‘ (3/383) by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have
mercy on him):

Question:
Someone comes when the imam is bowing, and he says takbeerat al-ihram then
bows, then he is not sure whether he caught up with the imam in rukoo‘ or
the imam stood up before he caught up with him.

According to the
author’s view, this rak‘ah is not to be counted as valid, because this
person is not sure whether he caught up with it (the rak‘ah) or not. So he
should proceed on the basis of what is certain, which is that he did not
catch up with it, therefore this rak‘ah does not count.

According to the
second view – which is that he should proceed on the basis of what he thinks
most likely to be the case – we say: Do you think it most likely that you
caught up with the imam when he was bowing, or not? If he says: Yes, I think
it most likely that I caught up with him when he was bowing, then we say:
This rak‘ah counts in your case. But if he says: I think it most likely that
I did not catch up with it, then we say: Do not count this rak‘ah, and
complete your prayer (on that basis).

If he says: I am
not sure, but I do not think it most likely that I caught up with it, then
we say: Proceed on the basis of what is certain; do not count this rak‘ah,
and complete your prayer. End quote.

-6-

It is
permissible for the one who is late for the prayer to pray behind the row on
his own, if he cannot find space in the row in front of him. For more
information, please see the answer to question no. 11199.

-7-

If the imam does
an extra rak‘ah by mistake, should the one who was late for the prayer count
that extra rak‘ah (as part of his own prayer)? Concerning this issue there
is a difference of opinion among the scholars.

Shaykh Ibn
‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:

If the imam
prays five rak‘ahs and someone joins the prayer late in the second rak‘ah,
should he say the salaam with the imam or add a rak‘ah (after the imam has
finished)?

He (may Allah
have mercy on him) replied:

The scholars
differed concerning this issue. Some of the scholars said that when the imam
who prayed five says the salaam, the one who was late for the prayer must do
another rak‘ah, so that he will have prayed five as his imam did. The
evidence for that is the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him): “Whatever you catch up with, pray; and whatever you have
missed, complete it.” They (the scholars) said: This man missed a rak‘ah
(with the imam), so he must do it.

But the more
correct view is that it is not permissible for him to do a fifth rak‘ah;
rather he should say the salaam with the imam in this case, because the imam
did the fifth rak‘ah with a valid excuse (which is that he forgot), but this
man has no excuse after knowing that he has prayed four rak‘ahs. Therefore
it is not permissible for him to add something to the prayer.

The response
concerning the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him), “and whatever you have missed, complete it” is to note that the word
“complete it” indicates that because of what he has missed, his prayer is
lacking, and if he had prayed four rak‘ahs with the imam, his prayer would
not be lacking. This is the answer to the one who quotes this hadith. And
Allah knows best.

End quote from
Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (20/14).

See also the
answers to questions no. 87853 and
49046.

-8-

If the imam does
the prostration of forgetfulness (sujood as-sahw) before the salaam, then
the one who was late for the prayer should prostrate with him, whether he
was with the imam when he made that mistake or he joined the prayer after
the imam made the mistake. But if the imam does the prostration of
forgetfulness after the salaam, then the one who was late for the prayer
should not follow his imam in that prostration, because it is not possible
for him to follow the imam in this case. For more information, please see
the answer to question no. 72290.

-9-

The one who was
late for the prayer is not regarded as having caught up with the prayer in
congregation unless he caught up with at least one rak‘ah of the prayer. One
can only catch up with the rak‘ah by catching up with rukoo‘ (bowing).

It says in
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah (vol. 2, 6/225):

The one who was
late for the prayer has not caught up with the prayer in congregation unless
he catches up with one rak‘ah, according to the correct view, because of the
hadith: “Whoever catches up with a rak‘ah of the prayer has caught up with
the prayer.” Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh. One catches up with
the rak‘ah by catching up with rukoo‘ (bowing). End quote .

-10-

If the one who
is late for the prayer comes after the final rukoo‘, then it is still better
for him to join the imam, and not look for another congregation.

It says in
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah (vol. 2, 6/225):

If the Muslim
comes after the final rukoo‘, it is better for him to join the imam in
whatever he has caught up with, because of the general meaning of the words
of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “When you come to
the prayer, then come in a tranquil manner, then whatever you catch up with,
pray, and whatever you have missed, complete it.” This includes both what
comes before the final rukoo‘ and what comes after it. End quote.

For more
information, please see the answer to question no. 31029.

-11-

The one who was
late for the prayer is not regarded as having caught up with Jumu‘ah is he
misses rukoo‘ (bowing) in the second rak‘ah. If he comes after the imam has
stood up from bowing in the second rak‘ah of Jumu‘ah prayer, then he has
missed Jumu‘ah. So he should join the imam (for the remainder of the
prayer), then complete it as Zuhr [with four rak‘ahs] after the imam says
the salaam. For more information, please see the answer to question no.
12601.

-12-

In order to be
on the safe side, the one who was late for the prayer should not stand up to
make up what he missed of the prayer until after the imam has finished
saying the second tasleemah. For more information, please see the answer to
question no. 119604.

And Allah knows
best.