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Is the latecomer (to prayer) required to perform the prostration of forgetfulness (sujood al-sahw) if he was unable to recite Al-Fatihah or the Tashahhud due to the Imam's speed, given that he did not join the prayer from its beginning?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

If the Imam's speed compromises the pillars of the prayer, such as Al-Fatiha, then prayer behind him is not valid. However, if it does not compromise the pillars, then your prayer is valid, even if you do not complete Al-Fatiha or the final Tashahhud with him. This is because Al-Fatiha is waived for the congregant according to the majority of scholars, and because the final Tashahhud is not a pillar according to some. As for the first Tashahhud, the Imam bears it on your behalf because it is a Sunnah according to most scholars.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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