"Whoever catches up with a Rak'ah of the prayer, then he has caught up with the prayer."
Hadith Text & Reference
"Whoever catches up with a Rak'ah of the prayer, then he has caught up with the prayer."
Source: Sunan an-Nasa'i 555 | The Book of the Times (of Prayer)
Meaning & Significance
This hadith establishes a fundamental principle in Islamic prayer jurisprudence. It means that if a person joins the congregational prayer during any rak'ah and manages to complete at least one full rak'ah with the imam, they are considered to have attained the full reward of that prayer in congregation.
The wisdom behind this ruling demonstrates Allah's mercy, making it easier for Muslims to obtain the great reward of praying in congregation even if they arrive late, provided they catch at least one rak'ah.
Juridical Application
According to scholarly consensus, the person who catches one rak'ah must complete the remaining rak'ahs after the imam concludes the prayer. For example, if someone joins the Dhuhr prayer during the third rak'ah, they complete the third rak'ah with the imam, then remain seated while the imam completes the fourth rak'ah and gives salams. The latecomer then stands to complete the first two rak'ahs they missed.
This ruling applies to all five daily prayers. However, the Friday prayer has additional conditions where one must catch at least one rak'ah to be considered as having prayed Jumu'ah rather than Dhuhr.
Spiritual Lessons
This teaching encourages Muslims to rush to the mosque even if they fear they might miss the beginning of the prayer, rather than abandoning congregational prayer altogether.
It reflects the principle that every effort in obedience to Allah is rewarded, and Allah's mercy encompasses His servants, making the religion easy rather than burdensome.