Hadith: When one of you joins the prayer and finds the Imām in a certain position, he should do what the Imām is doing
عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ طَالِبٍ وَعَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ، قَالاَ: قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا أَتَى أَحَدُكُمُ الصَّلاَةَ وَالإِمَامُ عَلَى حَالٍ فَلْيَصْنَعْ كَمَا يَصْنَعُ الإِمَامُ».
[ضعيف] - [رواه الترمذي]
المزيــد ...
‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib and Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with both of them) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When one of you joins the prayer and finds the Imām in a certain position, he should do what the Imām is doing."
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by At-Termedhy] Explanation
If one of you joins the congregational prayer and finds the Imām in one of the four positions of prayer: standing up, bowing, prostrating, or sitting down, he has to do the same as the Imām immediately without waiting for the Imām to stand up like what laymen do.
Benefits from the Hadith
- It is legitimate for a person coming late to prayer to join the Imām at any part of the prayer, with no difference between Rukū‘, prostration, or sitting.
- Catching up a Rak‘ah with the Imām is realized by catching up its Rukū‘, as indicated by other Hadīths.
More ...
- Hadith: Straighten your rows, for indeed, straightening the rows is part of the perfection of the prayer
- Hadith: Isn't he who raises his head before the Imām afraid that Allah may transform his head into that of a donkey or his shape into that of a donkey?
- Hadith: Whoever unjustly usurps even one handspan of land, his neck will be encircled with it down the seven earths
- Hadith: If any of you leads the people in prayer, let him shorten it, because among them are the weak, the sick, and the busy. If any of you prays alone, then let him prolong (his prayer) as much as he wishes
- Hadith: The Imām is appointed so that he should be followed; so, do not act differently from him. When he makes Takbīr all of you should say it after him; bow when he bows; say "O our Lord, all praise be to You" when he says: Allah hears the one who praises Him; prostrate when he prostates; and all of you should pray sitting when he prays sitting
- Hadith: Tasbīh is for the men, and clapping is for the women
- Hadith: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) saw a man pray alone behind the first row, and he commanded him to repeat the prayer