The Al-Azhar Global Fatwa Center has explained the ruling on missing the opening Takbir (Takbirat al-Ihram) with the imam during congregational prayer, stressing that praying on time is one of the most beloved acts to Allah.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Whoever prays to Allah for forty days in congregation, catching the first Takbir, will be granted two protections: one from Hellfire and one from hypocrisy.”
Al-Azhar advised latecomers to walk calmly and with tranquility when joining the prayer, in accordance with the Prophet’s saying:
“When the prayer is established, do not come running; approach it walking and with calmness. Whatever you catch up with, pray; and whatever you miss, complete.”
The fatwa clarified that joining the imam before he rises from bowing counts as a full rak‘ah, even if the recitation was missed. If the imam is bowing, prostrating, or sitting, the worshipper should make two Takbirs — one to enter the prayer and one to match the imam’s movement.
What the latecomer (masbuq) prays with the imam is the beginning of his prayer, and what he completes alone is the end. This applies to all prayers, even if the sequence of rak‘ahs or tashahhud differs.
The Center confirmed that whoever catches one rak‘ah with the imam has caught the congregation, citing the Prophet’s saying:
“Whoever catches one rak‘ah with the imam has caught the prayer.”
It further explained that Friday prayer is caught by completing one rak‘ah; otherwise, it should be prayed as Dhuhr. In funeral prayers, the latecomer completes any missed Takbirs after the imam’s salutation following the proper order.
As for Eid prayer, anyone who misses the first rak‘ah should make it up after the imam finishes, performing five Takbirs just as in the first.
Al-Azhar concluded by emphasizing that maintaining calmness and following the imam’s actions reflect the discipline and devotion of a believer seeking the true reward of congregational prayer.
