Question
Asalaamu Alaikum.
You have stated in a previously that if a person makes Ruku’ after the Imam raises his head from Ruku’ then his Ruku is counted and his Salah is valid. This will mean that if a person joins the congregation when the Imam is in Ruku but does not go directly into Ruku’ rather he makes after the Imam raise his head, then his Salah is correct and he does not have to make up for that Rak’ah after the Imam gives Salaam. Please clarify if this is correct.
Answer:
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
What you have concluded is incorrect.
A person performing Salah in congregation must follow his Imam in the various postures. If a Muqtadi were to perform Ruku’ before the Imam, then his Ruku will not be counted and therefore needs to re-do it, failure to do so will render the Salah null and void.[1]
If a person performs his Ruku’ after the Imam raises from Ruku’ it will be counted except that such an action is Makrooh (it done without a valid excuse) and thus his Salah will be valid. This is the ruling provided that he joined the congregation when the Imam was standing [i.e. before going in Ruku’]. [2]
If however, he meets the imam while in Ruku thereafter delays in performing Ruku’ to the extent that the Imam raises from Ruku’ then the Ruku’ of that person [the muqtaqi] will not counted and consequently the Rak’ah. He will have to make up for that missed Rak’ah after the Salaam of the Imam. If he fails to do so, his has will be invalid.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Kaleem Muhammad
Darul Iftaa, Jaamia Madinatul Uloom (Trinidad)
www.fatwa-tt.com /www.jaamia.net
[1] الفتاوى التاتارخانية(2/ 175)
رجل صلى مع الامام أربع ركعات و سبق إمامه في كل ركوع و سجد السجدات كلها مع الامام:إن هذا الرجل صلى ركعة بغير سجدتين فيصلى سجدتين و ثلاث ركعات لإن الركوع قبل الامام لا يعتد به فكان سجوده مع الامام فبل الركوع فلا يعتد به فبقيت الركوعات بغير سجدات فلا يجوز هــ
[2] المحيط البرهاني في الفقه النعماني (2/ 175)
ولهذا قلنا: إن الرجل إذا أدرك الإمام وهو قائم، فكبر وركع الإمام ولم يركع هو معه، وسجد الإمام ولم يسجد هو معه أيضاً ولم يتابعه حتى تفرد وأدى الركوع والسجدتين جميعاً في حالة الانفراد، لا تفسد صلاته، وكذلك لو جاء والإمام راكع، فلم يتابعه في الركوع حتى رفع رأسه ثم تفرد بالركوع جازت صلاته هـ.