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How to perform missed rakah of congregational prayer

Question

Assalamualaikum Warahmathullahi Wabarakathuh! Dear Respected Scholars, May Allah accept your efforts and grant you the jannah! If a person joined in a congregational prayer in second rakah, when he stood up to makeup missed rakah after the thasleem then Imam made prostration for forgetfulness. What he should do, sit up and follow the Imam or continue to make his fourth rakah? Jazakumullahu hairan

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

There is a difference of opinion among the scholars over this issue. However, Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him is of the view that the preponderant opinion is that the person who is preceded in prayer should not prostrate with the Imaam if the latter prostrates for forgetfulness after the Tasleem (concluding the prayer by saying Salaam). Instead, he should stand up and make up what he has missed with the Imaam and then he prostrates (for forgetfulness) if he catches up with the Imaam during the portion that necessitates prostration for forgetfulness.

However, the Hanbali School of jurisprudence is of the view that he should prostrate along with his Imaam, and if he stands up before the Imaam prostrates for forgetfulness, then he should come back if he is not yet in the standing position, and he prostrates with him.

In case he has already stood up [and is in the standing position], it is disliked for him to go back [to the prostration for forgetfulness]. However, in case he has already started the recitation (of the opening chapter of the Quran), then it is forbidden for him to go back and he should prostrate at the end of his prayer. According to both opinions, since this person has already stood up, then it is not permissible for him to go back; he should continue his prayer and then he should prostrate for forgetfulness at the end of his prayer.

Allaah Knows best.

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