Nasai

559. Commentary:

➊ The previous ahadith were about the morning (Fajr) and afternoon (‘Asr) prayers. The ahadith under this chapter are about general prayers: that if a person performs one rak‘ah of any prayer within its prescribed time, and completes the remaining rak‘ahs along with it, then even if the remaining rak‘ahs are performed after the time has ended, the prayer will be considered performed (ada) rather than made up (qada), taking into account the initiation.

➋ Furthermore, it is understood that at the last time of the prayer, if a person is a traveler, he will perform the traveler’s prayer, and if he is a resident at that time, he will perform the resident’s prayer, even if he performs it later. If death occurs at that time, the prayer will be excused. And if at that time someone reaches puberty, or a woman’s menstruation ends, or a mad person regains sanity, then the prayer will become obligatory upon them, provided that the time for one rak‘ah remains.

➌ In the Friday (Jumu‘ah) prayer, if a person joins for one rak‘ah, he will perform the Friday prayer. If he joins for less than one rak‘ah, then according to this hadith, he will perform the four rak‘ahs of Zuhr instead of Jumu‘ah. However, according to the scholars of the Hanafi school, if a person joins at any time before the imam says the final salam of the Friday prayer, he will perform the Friday prayer (two rak‘ahs). The aforementioned ahadith explicitly mention one rak‘ah, therefore, rational argument is not valid in opposition to the text.

➍ If a person catches one rak‘ah with the congregation and performs the rest afterwards, it will be said that he performed the prayer in congregation, although the one who joined from the beginning and this person cannot be equal in the reward of congregation.

➎ If a person finds time for one rak‘ah, that prayer will be obligatory upon him; if he finds less than that, the prayer will not be obligatory. The Hanafis are of the opinion that if a person finds time for the opening takbir (takbir tahrimah), even then the prayer will be obligatory, but this view is contrary to these ahadith.

➏ Some scholars have interpreted “rak‘ah” here to mean “bowing” (ruku‘), and “salat” to mean “rak‘ah,” deriving the meaning that whoever catches the ruku‘ with the imam has caught the rak‘ah. But it is worth considering: would a person with an unprejudiced mind understand this meaning? Certainly not. What is the evidence for abandoning the literal meanings of all the words and taking metaphorical meanings instead? Interpretation without evidence is not correct. In some ahadith, the word «رکعة واحدة» is also present, which explicitly refutes this interpretation. As for the investigation of the issue of whether the rak‘ah of ruku‘ is valid or not, that will come in its proper place, insha’Allah.