Praying twice but leading in the second prayer which is Nafil for me: my brothers Fardh is not accepted

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:

The Question is regarding an action that happened yesterday. I prayed Isha prayer twice, once in the mosque with jamaat and once with my brother after the jamaat at mosque. But the only problem is I led the prayers and it was a Nafil prayer for me, So the question is the fullfillment of Fardh prayer for my brother. A mufti here has said that my brothers Fardh is not accepted and will be accounted as Nafl. Please Enlighten. And May Allah raise people like you amongst us untill the Decided day so that Truth pierces through chaos and Falsehood!

Wassalamu Alyikum

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Answer:

Prayer in jamaat

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 al Khudri narrates that a man entered the Prophet’s Mosque, and the Prophet (saws) and his companions had already finished their obligatory prayer in congregation. The Prophet (saws) said: "Who will give charity to him by praying with him (in congregation)?"  So, a man (Abi Shaibah reports that it was Hadrat Abu Bakr (r.a.)) from the people who stood and prayed with him.

Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and at-Tirmidhi

Respected brother, it is not necessary in Shariah Law that the intention of the Imam of a particular prayer be exactly the same as the intention of the 'muktadi' or the beleiver/s praying behind him.  If you had already offerred your obligatory Isha prayers in congregation, and your brother happened to enter late and found no one to offer congregation with him, and you stood up and offerred (regardless of whether you assumed the role of the 'Imam' or the 'mukatadi') another prayer in congregation with your brother, there is absolutely no harm.

The Isha prayer you offerred in congregation first will count as your obligatory (fard) prayer, and the one you offerred with your brother in congregation will count as 'Nafl' prayer for you, and will suffice as the obligatory (fard) prayer of your brother.  What you did for your brother was in accordance with the Sunnah, and with all due respect, the opinion of the Mufti is not accurate in this particular instance.

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

Your brothers and well wishers in Islam,

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