If a single taslīmah is sufficient to conclude the prayer, and the phrase "As-salāmu ʿalaykum" alone suffices, should I stand to make up what I missed after the imām says "As-salāmu ʿalaykum" in the first taslīmah, or should I wait until he completes "wa raḥmatullāh"? And if I wish to act upon the mustaḥabb (recommended), which is to wait for the second taslīmah, should I wait for "As-salāmu ʿalaykum" only, or for "As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāh"? And does my prayer become void if I remain until the imām says "wa raḥmatullāh" in the second taslīmah? What about my past prayers in which I did that? Should I repeat them? And is the imām's saying "As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāh" considered a single taslīmah, such that it is not permissible to stand before completing it?
According to the Shafi'is, it is permissible for a latecomer (masbuq) to stand up to complete what he missed after the the Imam's first taslim, because by doing so, he has exited the prayer. It is, however, recommended for him to wait until the Imam completes both taslims, as this is the Sunnah, and the prayer is not invalidated by waiting. But if he prolongs his sitting after the Imam has finished both taslims, his prayer becomes invalid if he did so intentionally and it was not a position for tashahhud. The Hanbalis, on the other hand, believe it is obligatory for the latecomer to wait until the Imam finishes both taslims, and this is more cautious and absolves one's responsibility.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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