Salat - The Muslim Prayer Book — Page 29
S al a t —The Muslim Prayer Book 29 Sunnats performed before the Jumu‘ah (Friday) Prayer are necessary and should not be omitted. In case the Im a m is leading the congregation for ‘A s r Prayer and a worshipper who comes late does not know which Prayer is being offered, he should join in anyway. Later, if he comes to know that he has missed the earlier Prayer, he should offer it individually after the congregational Prayer. However, if a worshipper who came in late knows that the Im a m is leading the later Prayer, he should offer the earlier Prayer individually first and then join in the congregation. For example, if the Im a m is leading ‘Ish a’ Prayer, the latecomer should offer Maghrib Prayer, which he has missed, and then join in the congregation. If he does not know that the Im a m is leading ‘Ish a’ Prayer and he joins in thinking that it is Maghrib Prayer which the Im a m is leading, he should carry on following the Im a m. Afterwards, he has only to offer Maghrib Prayer individually, as his ‘Ish a’ Prayer behind the Im a m was valid. In normal circumstances, however, one should offer the earlier Prayer first and the later Prayer afterwards.