Latecomer to Jamaat Prayer

Latecomer to Jamaat Prayer

If a person is late for Jamat and joins the Jamat after the prayer has begun, he should perform the prayer as follows:

Join the Jamat by performing Takbeer-e-Tahreema (by saying Allah-o-Akbar, raising your hands to the ears and then folding and placing them below the navel).

Then you have one of the following options:

Imam is in Qiyaam (standing)	Imam is not in Qiyaam (standing)
– After performing Takbeer-e-Tahreema, keep standing with the Imam. – If the Imam is reading the Holy Quran aloud, do not read Thana. – Also, if you believe you have joined after the first Rakat, do not read Thana.	– After performing Takbeer-e-Tahreema, stand just for a second and then by saying the Takbeer (Allah-o- Akbar), move into the position of the Imam.

The rest of the prayer with the Imam will be read as usual.

If you had joined the first Rakaat with the Imam, you will end your prayer with the Imam.

However, if you missed the first Rakaat with the Imam, you will carry on reading the missed.

Rakaats after the Imam has ended his prayer.

A Rakaat is found if the latecomer is able to join the Imam before or in Ruku.

For instance, if the latecomer joins the Jamat when the Imam is in Sajda, then he has missed that Rakat and all the previous Rakaats.

If a person has missed a Rakaat, he should perform the prayer in the following way:

When the Imam has sat down for the last Qa’ada, you must only read Tasha-hud (do not carry on reading Darood and Dua after Tasha-hud as this not your last Qa’ada).

When the Imam performs Salam, do not perform Salam with the Imam.

Instead, after the Imam has completed Salam to both sides, stand back up to read the missed Rakaats.

If the latecomer performs Salam forgetfully after the Imam has performed Salam or has read Darood or Dua in the Tasha-hud, he must perform Sajda Sahv in his last sitting.

When the latecomer stands back up to read his missed Rakaats, he should read Thana, Ta’awuz and Tasmia first.

Now he must read the missed Rakaats in the same sequence and order as he would have read them with the Imam.

The table shows what to read depending on whether you have missed 2, 3 or 4 rakaats.

While the latecomer is performing his missed Rakaats, if he makes any mistakes, he needs to perform Sajda Sahv at his last Tasha-hud.

In the Hanafi school, it is not valid for the latecomer to lead others in prayer, and thus the prayer of those who follow behind him is invalid.

	2 Rakaat Farz	3 Rakaat Farz	4 Rakaat Farz
Missed 1 Rakaats	1. Recite Sana (Subhanakalluham….), Surah Fatiha and an additional Surah. 2. Then perform Ruku and Sajda, sit down and complete your Salah to the end, with Salam.	1. Recite Sana (Subhanakalluham….), Surah Fatiha and an additional Surah. 2. Then perform Ruku and Sajda, sit down and complete your Salah to the end, with Salam.	1. Recite Sana (Subhanakalluham….), Surah Fatiha and an additional Surah. 2. Then perform Ruku and Sajda, sit down and complete your Salah to the end, with Salam.
Missed 2 Rakaats	1. Complete 2 Rakaats as if you were praying the full salaah on your own	1. Recite Sana (Subhanakalluham….), Surah Fatiha and an additional Surah. 2. After Ruku and Sajad, sit down and recite al-Tahiyat. 3. Then stand for your second unit. Read Surah Fatiha and a Surah with it. Then perform Ruku and Sajda, sit down and complete your Salah to the end, with Salam	1. Recite Sana (Subhanakalluham….), Surah Fatiha and an additional Surah. 2. After Ruku and Sajad stand for your second unit 3. Read Surah Fatiha and a Surah with it. Then perform Ruku and Sajda, sit down and complete your Salah to the end, with Salam.
Missed 3 Rakaats		1. Complete 3 Rakaats as if you were praying the full salaah on your own	1. Recite Sana (Subhanakalluham….), Surah Fatiha and an additional Surah. 2. After Ruku and Sajad, sit down and recite al-Tahiyat. 3. Then stand for your second unit. Read Surah Fatiha and a Surah with it. 4. Perform Ruku and Sajda and stand for your third Rak’at. 5. Recite Surah Fatiha only. Then perform Ruku and Sajda, sit down and complete your Salah to the end, with Salam.
Missed 4 Rakaats			1. Complete 4 Rakaats as if you were praying the full salaah on your own.