Correct Method of Joining Congregational Prayer in Islam

This excerpt is taken from the book Ṣaḥīḥ Ṣalāh an-Nabī ﷺ, authored by al-Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ʿAzīz, published by Maktabah Dār al-Andalus.

Joining Prayer with an Individual Worshipper​

❀ If a person is praying alone and another person arrives, he should join him, and the first person becomes the Imam. Prior intention of Imamate is not required. This is established by the statement of Sayyidunā Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما:

❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was praying. I came and stood on his left side, so he ﷺ took me and placed me on his right side.

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 699; Muslim: 763

Method of Joining the Congregation​

The person who arrives late should join the Imam in whatever position he finds him, by saying the opening takbīr (takbīrat al-iḥrām) and entering that same posture. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

إِذَا أَتَى أَحَدُكُمُ الصَّلَاةَ وَالإِمَامُ عَلَى حَالٍ فَلْيَصْنَعْ كَمَا يَصْنَعُ الإِمَامُ

“When one of you comes to the prayer and the Imam is in a certain posture, then he should do what the Imam is doing.”

Reference: al-Tirmidhī: 591

❀ Some people arrive while the Imam is in rukūʿ or sujūd and wait for him to stand before joining—this is incorrect.
❀ Some people first recite Duʿā’ al-Istiftāḥ and then move to the Imam’s posture—this is also impermissible.

An Incorrectly Invented Method of Joining Late​

Some people have invented a strange method of joining the congregation, claiming that the latecomer should pray the rakʿah the Imam is currently praying and then make up the missed rakʿahs later in reverse order, for example:

◈ One who joins in the second rakʿah prays in this order: 2–3–4–1
◈ One who joins in the third rakʿah prays: 3–4–1–2
◈ One who joins in the fourth rakʿah prays: 4–1–2–3

This means praying in a reversed sequence. There is no proof for this in the Qur’an or Sunnah.

The correct view is that whichever rakʿah you join becomes your first rakʿah, and the remaining prayer is completed in order. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

فَمَا أَدْرَكْتُمْ فَصَلُّوا وَمَا فَاتَكُمْ فَأَتِمُّوا

“Pray whatever you catch (with the congregation), and complete whatever you miss.”

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 636; Muslim: 602

Does a Rakʿah Count if One Joins in Rukūʿ?​

Joining the congregation in rukūʿ does not count as a rakʿah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

فَمَا أَدْرَكْتُمْ فَصَلُّوا وَمَا فَاتَكُمْ فَأَتِمُّوا

“Whatever you catch, pray it, and whatever you miss, complete it.”

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 636; Muslim: 602

According to this ḥadīth, a person who misses qiyām (standing) and recitation of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah must complete what he missed. How can a prayer be complete when these obligatory acts are missing?

❀ Imam al-Bukhārī رحمه الله said while explaining this ḥadīth:

Whoever misses the obligatory recitation and standing must complete them, as commanded by the Prophet ﷺ.

Reference: Juz’ al-Qirā’ah: 109

❀ ʿAllāmah Ibn Ḥazm رحمه الله said:

Whoever joins in rukūʿ has missed qiyām and the recitation of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, both of which are obligatory, and prayer is not valid without them. The Messenger ﷺ commanded completing what was missed, and specifying an exception without textual evidence is impermissible—and no such evidence exists.

Reference: al-Muḥallā: 2/389

❀ Sayyidunā Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه and Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها said:

لَا يَرْكَعَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يَقْرَأَ فَاتِحَةَ الْكِتَابِ

“No one should go into rukūʿ until he has recited Sūrah al-Fātiḥah.”

Reference: Juz’ al-Qirā’ah: 77

❀ Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه said:

لَا يُجْزِئُهُ حَتَّى يُدْرِكَ الإِمَامَ قَائِمًا

“He does not attain the rakʿah unless he catches the Imam standing.”

Reference: Juz’ al-Qirā’ah: 20

❀ ʿAllāmah Nawāb Ṣiddīq Ḥasan Khān رحمه الله wrote:

Imam al-Bukhārī stated in Juz’ al-Qirā’ah that a rakʿah is not attained by joining in rukūʿ. This is the position of everyone who holds reciting al-Fātiḥah behind the Imam to be obligatory. Since the majority of scholars affirm recitation of al-Fātiḥah behind the Imam, this becomes the view of the majority.

Reference: Dalīl al-Ṭālib: 345

❀ ʿAllāmah ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Mubārakpūrī رحمه الله said:

In my view, the stronger opinion is that whoever finds the Imam in rukūʿ should not count that rakʿah.

Reference: Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī

Arguments of Those Who Count the Rakʿah in Rukūʿ​

First Argument​

They cite the ḥadīth:

مَنْ أَدْرَكَ مِنَ الْجُمُعَةِ رَكْعَةً فَلْيُضِفْ إِلَيْهَا أُخْرَى

“Whoever catches one rakʿah of Jumuʿah should add another rakʿah.”

Reference: al-Dāraqutnī: 2/179

This narration mentions rakʿah, not rukūʿ. Interpreting rakʿah as rukūʿ without evidence is incorrect. In Sharīʿah terminology, rakʿah means a full unit of prayer, not merely bowing.

Examples:

الوتر ركعة من آخر الليل
“Witr is one rakʿah at the end of the night.”

Reference: Muslim: 752

فرض الله الصلاة على لسان نبيكم في الخوف ركعة
“Allah has obligated prayer upon the tongue of your Prophet ﷺ during fear as one rakʿah.”

Reference: Muslim: 1575

Thus, taking rakʿah metaphorically without evidence is invalid.

Second Argument​

A narration states:

مَنْ أَدْرَكَ رَكْعَةً مِنَ الإِمَامِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُقِيمَ صُلْبَهُ فَقَدْ أَدْرَكَهَا

Reference: Ibn Khuzaymah: 1595

This narration is weak, as its wording is reported by unreliable narrators and contains defects in transmission.

Third Argument​

Another narration says:

إِذَا جِئْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ وَنَحْنُ سُجُودٌ فَاسْجُدُوا وَلَا تَعُدُّوهُ شَيْئًا، وَمَنْ أَدْرَكَ الرَّكْعَةَ فَقَدْ أَدْرَكَ الصَّلَاةَ

Reference: Abū Dāwūd: 893

This narration is severely weak. Even if accepted, it proves attaining the prayer, not attaining the rakʿah.

Fourth Argument: The Incident of Abū Bakrah رضي الله عنه​

He said:

… فَقَالَ: زَادَكَ اللَّهُ حِرْصًا وَلَا تَعُدْ

“May Allah increase your eagerness, but do not do this again.”

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 783

This narration does not state that the rakʿah was counted, nor that it was not made up later. Hence, it is not proof.

Conclusion: None of the evidences presented by those who count the rakʿah in rukūʿ are sound or decisive. The correct and precautionary view is that a rakʿah is not attained by joining in rukūʿ, and it must be made up later.

Miscellaneous Congregational Issues​

❀ When the Imam says سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ, the followers should say رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ. The Prophet ﷺ said:

إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ الإِمَامُ لِيُؤْتَمَّ بِهِ...

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 688; Muslim: 411

❀ Both the Imam and the follower should say سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ and رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ, as established by the practice of the Prophet ﷺ.

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 789; Muslim: 391

❀ Every supplication and glorification should be recited after fully reaching the relevant posture. Some people begin rukūʿ supplications before fully bowing, or sujūd supplications before placing the head on the ground—this is not proven from any authentic ḥadīth.

✔ Prayer must be performed exactly as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed it.