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Fatwa CenterArriving at Mosque as Prayer Is Ending
Question
When I reached mosque I found that the congregation (Jama'at) was in last Tashahhud, I saw some people waiting for Jama'at to finish not joining the congregation. Which is better, to join the congregation or wait for Jama'at to finish and make another Jama'at. Please answer in the light of Qur'an and Hadith.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
The scholars of Islam have different opinions regarding this issue. But the most preponderant opinion is that whoever comes to the mosque while he had missed all the prayer except a bit less than a Rak'ah and he could join another Jamaa'ah (congregation) in the same mosque from the beginning of the prayer, then it is better for him to join the new Jamaa'ah.
This is the view of the Shaafi'i School of jurisprudence and Ibn Taymiyyah 
considered it more preponderant. He (Ibn Taymiyyah) said: “When the person catches less than a Rak'ah with the Imam, it is better for him if there is another Jamaa'ah with which he can pray a complete prayer, to pray with that Jamaa'ah.”
However, if he joins the first Jamaa'ah before the Imam's Tasleem, then he gets the reward of praying with the congregation.
Allah knows best.
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