Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
If I get to the mosque late for Fajr and see the congregation in the final sitting, do I pray my sunnats and miss the congregation or join the congregation and miss my sunnats?
AL-Salam alaykum
In this case you join the congregation and make up the sunnah after sunrise.
Abu Usamah
Just one note: if you miss the fajr sunna, you have missed it. According to Imam Abu Hanifa and Abu Yusuf, you cannot make it up. Even if you intend that, it just counts as 2 rak`as of supererogatory prayer. However, Imam Muhammad said that it can be made up after sunrise. The former is the relied upon opinion, though the latter may be taken if one is seeking to do extra good. But missing the sunna of fajr is a serious matter, for the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said that it is, “better than the world and all it contains,” and it is the strongest of the confirmed sunna prayers, so strongly confirmed actually that the predominant opinion in the school is that it cannot, unlike other sunnas, be offered sitting without excuse.
Wassalam,
Faraz.