How do you join the congregation when you arrive late?

If someone joins the congregation after the salah has begun, they are considered a masbuq (a latecomer).

If you arrive late, and the jama (congregation) has began to pray the salah, how do you join in?

How you complete your salah depends on how many rak’ahs you have missed.

The general rule when joining is to say “Allahu Akbar” and join the imam immediately, following his movements. Do not try to catch up what you’ve missed while the imam is still leading.

If the imam is in ruku position when you join, say “Allahu Akbar” twice (once to begin the salah, and again for going into ruku position). Though you have missed reciting Surah Al Fatiha, the recitation of the imam counts as your recitation.

If you managed to join the congregation during ruku (bowing), that counts as one ra’kah as long as you joined the ruku before before the imam rises from his ruku.

If you joined after this point, that rakah is not counted. Your salah has to contain the full number of ra’kahs, so you have to make up the ra’kah you have missed at the end of the salah. When the imam says ‘Salam’ at the end, you do not do salam, but stand up and make up the missed ra’kahs, ending with salam.

Specific Scenarios:

1. If you missed 1 rakah and joined during the 2nd rak’ah:

After the Imam finishes, stand up and perform 1 more rak’ah.

Recite Surah Al-Fatihah and another Surah, as this is effectively your first rak’ah.

Then complete the final sitting and end with salam.

2. If you missed 2 ra’kahs and joined during the 3rd rak’ah:

After the Imam finishes, stand up and perform 2 rak’ahs:

1st rak’ah: recite Surah Al-Fatihah and another Surah.

2nd rak’ah: recite only Surah Al-Fatihah.

Then complete the sitting and end with salam.

3. If you missed 3 ra’kahs and joined during the 4th rak’ah:

After the Imam finishes, stand up and perform 3 rak’ahs:

1st rak’ah: Surah Al-Fatihah + another Surah.

2nd rak’ah: Surah Al-Fatihah + another Surah. Then sit for Tashahhud.

3rd rak’ah: Surah Al-Fatihah only. Followed by the final sitting and end with salah.

If a group of men are praying, and a woman joins behind them, is her salah valid, as the imam did not include her in his intention when he began? The Hanafi view is that it is invalid, but in the other schools, her salah is valid.

Shaykh Haytham Tamim – Hadith Class 27th April 2025