Question Summary:
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.

Question Detail:

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.

Answer :

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.
ثم المسبوق يقضي أول صلاته في حق القراءة وآخرها في التشهد ، حتى لو أدرك مع الإمام ركعة من المغرب فإنه يقرأ في الركعتين بالفاتحة والسورة ، ولو ترك في إحداهما فسدت صلاته وعليه أن يقضي ركعة بتشهد لأنها ثانيته .ولو ترك جازت استحسانا لا قياسا
(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, Madrassah In'aamiyyah