What latecomers should do when joining the Salah while the Imam is in Ruku`

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تصفح برقم المجلد > Volume 11 > The Book of Salah: Section Two > The essential pillars of Salah > What latecomers should do when joining the Salah while the Imam is in Ruku`

What latecomers should do when

joining the Salah while the Imam is in Ruku` [3]

Q: When a latecomer joins the Salah (the Prayer) while the Imam (the one who leads congregational Prayer) is in Ruku` (bowing), what should he do? Is catching the Rak`ah (unit of Prayer) conditional upon saying "Subhana Rabi Al-`Azhim (Glory be to my Lord, the Greatest)" before the Imam rises from Ruku`?

(Part No. 11; Page No. 246)

A: If the Ma'mum (a person being led by an Imam in Prayer) joins the Salah while the Imam is in a state of Ruku`, he catches the Rak`ah even if he does not manage to say "Subhana Rabi Al-`Azhim except after the Imam rises from Ruku`. This is understood by the general meaning of the Prophetic Hadith in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated:

Whoever catches one Rak`ah (in congregation) has caught the full reward of the prayer (in congregation). [1]

(Related by Muslim in his Sahih Book of Hadith) .

It is well-known that the Rak`ah is counted by completing the Ruku`, according to what was related by Al-Bukhari in his Sahih Book of Hadith from 'Abu Bakrah Al-Thaqafy (may Allah be pleased with him)

that he came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the Masjid (mosque) while he (peace be upon him) was bowing in the Salah and he bowed before joining the row. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to him: May Allah increase your eagerness (caring to join Salah). But do not repeat it again (bowing in that manner). [2]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not order him to perform that Rak`ah again, but he (peace be upon him) forbade him to bow before joining the row. Thus, latecomers should not bow before they join the row with those performing the Salah.

[1] Narrated by Al-Bukhari, Book on times of Prayer, no. 546; and Muslim, Book on Masjids and places for Salah, no. 954, and the wording is agreed upon.
[2] Al-Bukhari, Sahih, Book on Adhan, no. 783; Al-Nasa*y, Sunan, Book on Imamate, no. 871; Abu Dawud, Sunan, Book on Salah, no. 684; and Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 5, p. 42.
[3] One of the questions asked to His Eminence, compiled by brother Muhammad Al-Shay` into a book.

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