Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

ASSLAMUALAIKUM,

IF I AM PRAYING SUNNAH, AT THIS TIIME ANOTHER PERSON  JOINS ME IN THE PRAYER( HIS NIYYATH IS TO PRAY FARL). IT IS ACCEPTABLE i.e he can join me.

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Answer:

Can one praying sunnah lead fard

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Abu Said narrates that a man entered the Mosque, and the Prophet (saws) and his companions had finished praying their obligatory prayer in congregation. The Prophet (saws) said: "Who will give ‘sadaqah’ to him by praying with him in congregation?" So, a man from amongst the companions (who had already prayed) stood up and offered prayers in congregation with him.

Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and at-Tirmidhi

Yazid al-Aswad says: "We prayed dawn prayer (fajr) with the Messenger of Allah (saws) at Mina and two men came and stopped at their resting places. The Prophet (saws) ordered for them to be brought and they came shaking with fear. The Prophet (saws) said to them: 'What prevented you from praying with the people (in congregation)? ...Are you two not Muslims?' They answered: 'Certainly we are, O Messenger of Allah (saws), but we had already prayed in our resting place.' The Prophet (saws) told them: 'If you pray in your resting places and then come upon an imam (leading a congregation), pray again with him, and it will be ‘nafl’ prayers for you.'"

Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'I, and at-Tirmidhi.

There is absolutely no condition or stipulation in Shariah that the intention of prayer of the ‘Imam’ leading the prayer, and the believers praying behind him must have the exact same intentions.

It is absolutely permissible and lawful for the ‘Imam’ to intend to pray ‘nafl’ or ‘sunnah’ optional prayer, and a believer praying behind him offering his ‘fard’ prayers; or the ‘imam’ intending to offer ‘fard’ prayer, and the believer praying behind him making intention to offer his ‘nafl’ prayer.

Your Question: IF I AM PRAYING SUNNAH, AT THIS TIIME ANOTHER PERSON  JOINS ME IN THE PRAYER( HIS NIYYATH IS TO PRAY FARL). IT IS ACCEPTABLE i.e he can join me.

Ibn 'Umar reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "Prayer in congregation is superior to a prayer performed individually by twenty-seven degrees."

Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

If one reaches a mosque and finds that he is late and the congregational ‘fard’ prayer is already over, there is absolutely no harm in this person joining a person who is engaged in praying his ‘sunnah’ or ‘nafl’ prayers and making intention to offer his ‘fard’ prayers behind the brother (who is praying his ‘nafl’ or ‘sunnah’ prayer); thus availing himself of the superior reward of having offered his prayer in congregation. Regardless of how many ‘rakah’s the brother praying the ‘sunnah’ and leading the prayer offers, the person joining him should make his intention of his appropriate ‘fard’ prayer and finish his number of rakahs after the brother he has joined finishes his prayer and declares the ‘tasleems’.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan