No prayer may be begun except the prescribed prayer. Thus, what is meant by the iqamah must be its commencement, because if a person begins a voluntary prayer at this time, he will be delayed from joining the congregational prayer.

Issue: Does the Prophet’s statement, peace and blessings be upon him, “There is no prayer,” include both beginning and completing a prayer?

Answer: The scholars have held two views on this.

The first view is that it includes both beginning and completing; that is, no prayer may be either begun or completed. Thus, one should not complete a prayer in which he is already engaged. Some even went so far as to say that if only the second taslim remained and the iqamah was called, his prayer becomes invalid, because the two taslims are a pillar of the prayer, an obligation, or a sunnah.

The second view is that the prohibition applies only to beginning a prayer. According to this view, he should complete the voluntary prayer even if he misses the congregation.

What appears correct is that the Prophet’s statement, peace and blessings be upon him, “There is no prayer,” refers to beginning it, and that it is forbidden for a person to begin a voluntary prayer after the iqamah for the prayer has commenced, because this time has been designated for following the imam.

If he is engaged in a voluntary prayer, he should complete it, unless he fears missing the congregation, in which case he should cut it short.

His statement, “If he is engaged in a voluntary prayer, he should complete it,” means that if he began a voluntary prayer and then the iqamah was called, he should complete it, but complete it lightly, so that he may promptly join the obligatory prayer.

His statement, “unless he fears missing the congregation, in which case he should cut it short,” with the letter ayn vowelled with dammah, is an independent clause; that is, he should cut it short. And when is the congregation considered missed?