The Creed of Compassion-Islamic Teachings & Answering Doctrinal Misconceptions

Issue No. 1244- If a person knows that the prayer of one of the front rows is void, and if the front row is a barrier, the back rows cannot follow the imam.

Issue No. 1246- If a follower knows that the prayer of the imam is void, like if he knows that the imam does not have wuḍū, though the imam himself may not be mindful of the fact, he cannot follow that imam. In case, however it transpires after the prayer that the imam was not a just (‘ādil) person, or was (God forbid) a disbeliever, or the prayer he led was void for any other reason, the prayer of the follower will be valid.

Issue No. 1247- If a follower doubts during prayer whether he has made the intention of following the imam or not, if he is in such a situation that makes him sure he is performing congregational prayer, he should complete the prayer with the congregation. However, if he does not become certain, he should continue the prayer with the intention of individual prayer.

Issue No. 1248- A person who is performing congregational prayer cannot turn his intention into individual prayer without any excuse, irrespective of whether or not he had decided to do so from the beginning or he decided to do so during the prayer.

Issue No. 1251- If a person, while the imam is in rukū‘, joins the congregational prayer and reaches the rukū‘ of the imam, his prayer will be in order, whether the imam has already uttered the dhikr of rukū‘ or not and it will be counted as his first rak‘at. However, if he [bends completely but] does not reach the imam in his rukū‘, he should continue the prayer with the intention of individual prayer and as an obligatory precaution, he should repeat the prayer. The same ruling applies if one doubts whether or not he has reached the imam’s rukū‘.

Issue No. 1254- If one joins the congregation from the beginning of the prayer or when sūrah al-fātiḥa and the sūrah are being recited, but does not reach the rukū‘ and before he goes to rukū‘, the imam raises his head from rukū‘, the congregational prayer of that person will not be correct, unless he has a valid excuse.

Issue No. 1255- If a person arrives for prayer when the imam is reciting the last tashahhud, and he wishes to obtain the spiritual reward of the congregational prayer, he should make the intention, utter takbīrat-ul-iḥrām, and then sit down and recite tashahhud with the imam. However, he should not utter salām and should wait until the imam completes the salām of the prayer. Then he should stand up and continue the prayer by reciting sūrah al-fātiḥa and the following sūrah. It will be counted as the first rak‘at of his prayer.

Issue No. 1256- If a person joins the congregation in the second rak‘at, he should recite qunūt and tashahhud with the imam, and the obligatory precaution is that when reciting tashahhud, he should crouch, meaning raise his knees and keep the fingers of his hands and the inner part of his feet on the ground. After the tashahhud he should stand up with the imam and recite sūrah al-fātiḥa and the other sūrah. However, if he does not have enough time for the following sūrah, he should complete sūrah al-fātiḥa and join the imam in rukū‘.

Issue No. 1258- If the imam is in the third or fourth rak‘at, and the follower knows that if he joins him and recites sūrah al-fātiḥa he will not be able to reach him in rukū‘, he should, as an obligatory precaution, wait until the imam goes to rukū‘ and then join the congregation.

Issue No. 1259- If a person joins the imam when he is in the third or fourth rak‘at, he should recite sūrah al-Fātiḥa and the sūrah, and if he does not have time for the sūrah he should complete sūrah al-fātiḥa and then join the imam in rukū‘. Anyhow, the sūrah al-Fātiḥa and the sūrah must be recited in whispering manner.

Issue No. 1261- If the imam is standing, and the follower does not know in which rak‘at he is, he can join him, but he should recite sūrah al-fātiḥa and the following sūrah with the intention of proximity to Allah (swt) and his prayer will be in order, even though he may come to know later that the imam was in the third or fourth rak‘at or in the first or second rak‘at, provided that [in case of these two] it is either ẓuhr or ‘aṣr prayer in which the imam recites sūrah al-fātiḥa and the sūrah in low voice.

Issue No. 1263- If a congregational prayer begins while a person is offering a mustaḥab prayer, and he fears that if he completes his mustaḥab prayer, he will not be able to join the congregational prayer, it is mustaḥab that he abandons the mustaḥab prayer, and joins the congregational prayer.