One Performing Salah (Prayer) Partially behind an Imam Who then Asks Him to Lead because of Losing his Wudu’

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who joins the congregation in the second Rak‘at which is the first for him. What is he to do when the Imam sits down? He (the Imam) said, ‘He displays readiness to stand up (by raising his knees from the ground and placing his palms on the ground), does not allow himself to sit down. When it is the third Rak‘at for the Imam and the second for him, he waits a little while to say Tashahhud (testimonies of belief), then joins the Imam? He (the narrator) has said that he then asked him (the Imam) about one who joins a congregation in the two last Rak‘at of Salah (prayer) and what is one to do about recitation. He (the Imam) said, ‘Recite in them; they are the first two Rak‘at for you and do not make the beginning of your Salah (prayer) its end.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If you cannot join in Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) for Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) do not enter (congregational Salah (prayer)) in that Rak‘at.’”

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, the Imam is one Rak‘at ahead of me which is the first for me and the second for him. Do I say Tashahhud (testimonies of belief) when I sit down? He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, Tashahhud (testimonies of belief) is but a blessing.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If the Imam is one Rak‘at ahead and you join in the last recitation, recite in the third Rak‘at for him which is the second for you. You must do so even if you cannot join him for more than one Rak‘at in which you recited as well as in the one that follows. If he is one Rak‘at ahead of you, sit down in the second Rak‘at for you and the third for him until the row stand up in line.’ He (the narrator) has said that he (the Imam) said, ‘If you find the Imam in Sajdah (prostration) remain where you are until he raises his head, and if he is sitting, you also sit down, and if he is standing, stand up.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If you join the Imam for one Rak‘at, say Takbir (Allah is great beyond description). You must perform Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) before he raises his head (from Ruku‘). You have joined for one Rak‘at but if he raises his head before you are in Ruku‘, you have missed one Rak‘at.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If a man finds the Imam in Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees), says Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) while his back is straight and performs Ruku‘ before the Imam raises his head, has joined for one Rak‘at.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who comes to Masjid when they are in Salah (prayer) and the Imam is one Rak‘at ahead or more. The Imam faces a problem and holds his hand when he is the closest to him and makes him to lead. He (the Imam) said, ‘He completes Salah (prayer) of the people, then sits down until they complete Tashahhud (testimonies of belief), he makes a gesture to his right and lifts and it (gesture) is considered saying Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace) and completion of their Salah (prayer) and he completes whatever he is yet to complete.’”

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about a man who comes to a people during their Salah (prayer) and he is not intending it to be Salah (prayer). Their Imam faces invalidation of his Wudu’ and holds the hand of this man and makes him to lead. He performs Salah (prayer) with them. Is his Salah (prayer) sufficient to complete their Salah (prayer) while he has not intended it to be Salah (prayer)? He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not proper for a man to come to a people in their Salah (prayer) and not intend it to be Salah (prayer). It is proper for him to intend it to be Salah (prayer). If he has already performed Salah (prayer) he has another Salah (prayer). Otherwise, he must not come to them; their Salah (prayer) is sufficient for them even if he did not intend it to be Salah (prayer).”’

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who leads Salah (prayer) with a people and performs one Rak‘at; then he dies. He (the Imam) said, ‘They make another man to lead and count it as one Rak‘at, leave the dead body behind them and then take Ghusl (bath) for touching a dead body.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), once asked, ‘What do they say about a man who has missed two Rak‘at of the Imam’s Salah (prayer)?’ I replied, ‘They say that he is to recite al-Hamd and Surah (chapter) in them.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He turns his Salah (prayer) backward by making its first the last.’ I then asked, ‘How is he to do it?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He recites al-Fatihah al-Kitab in every Rak‘at.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I come to the Imam when he is one Rak‘at ahead of me in the morning Salah (prayer). When he says Sal am (the phrase of offering greeting of peace) I, thinking to have completed, remain speaking of Allah until sunrise. At sunrise I stood up and remembered that the Imam was one Rak‘at ahead of me.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If you are still in your place, complete it with one Rak‘at but if you have moved away, perform your Salah (prayer) again.’”

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about a man who performs Salah (prayer) with a people and he thinks it is the first (al-Dhuhr) but it is al-‘Asr. He (the Imam) said, ‘He considers it the first and perform al-‘Asr.’” In another Hadith it is said, ‘If he knows that it is al-‘Asr and has not performed the one before, he is not to join them.”’

“I once asked one of the two Imam, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, about the case of an Imam who leads a people and remembers that his Wudu’ is not valid. He moves away and holds the hand of another man to make him lead and he does not know how much is performed. He (the Imam) said, ‘He performs Salah (prayer) with them and if he makes a mistake, the people remind him by saying Tasbih (Allah is free of all defects) to complete Salah (prayer) as it was before him.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about one who raises his head before the Imam. Is he to return to Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) if the Imam delays, or raise his head?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he must not raise his head.’”