What is the method of completing Maghrib salaah when joining the jamaat late? Could you please explain whether one misses the 1st,2nd or joins in the third rakaat.

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

If one joins the congregation of maghrib salat late, hereunder are the methods of making up one, two, or three missed rakats for the masbuq:

a) If one rakat was missed, the masbuq should stand after the imam completes the salat and recite Surah Fatiha and a Surah. After the ruku and sajdahs, one should sit in the tashahhud position and complete the prayer normally.

b) If two rakats were missed and the masbuq stands to complete the missed rakats, he should recite Surah Fatiha and a Surah in both the rakats. One may sit in tashahhud after the first rakat and then stand up for the second rakat or one may stand up after the first missed rakat without sitting in tashahhud. Both ways are permissible.

c) If all three rakats were missed, one should stand to make up the rakats and pray the full salat as if they started it from the beginning.

(Al-Bahr al-Raaiq, 1/379, Rashidiyya)
(Ahsan al-Fatawa, 3/383, HM Saeed)
(Aap Ki Masaail, 2/292, Maktabah Bayyanat)
(Bahisti Zewar, 1/167, Zam Zam Publishers)

And Allah knows best

Wassalam

Ml. Asif Umar,
Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa