“...then pray what you have caught” (1)—that is, whatever you catch of the imam’s prayer at its end; thus, catching up generally occurs toward the end. We say: if he catches enough of its time to perform it, then he has caught it. But if legal accountability ceases, or an impediment arises at a time during which he is permitted to choose [whether to perform it then or delay it], he is neither sinful nor transgressing, and therefore he is not required to make it up.

The second view is more precautionary...

Whoever becomes subject to its obligation before its time expires must perform it...

His statement, “Whoever becomes subject to its obligation”: eligibility for an obligation arises through becoming legally accountable or through the removal of an impediment. Thus, one becomes subject to its obligation if one reaches puberty before the time expires, regains reason before the time expires, or recovers from unconsciousness before the time expires—according to the view that an unconscious person is not required to make up the prayer (2). An example of the removal of an impediment is when a woman becomes purified before the time expires.

Thus, his statement, “whoever becomes subject to its obligation,” includes one who becomes subject to it because he was not legally accountable and then became accountable, or because he was affected by an impediment which then ceased. Whenever he becomes subject to its obligation before the time expires by enough time for the opening takbir, he must perform it according to the established school; according to the second view, he is not required to do so unless he catches enough of its time for one rak'ah (3).

His statement, “before its time expires, he must perform it,” means that he must perform that prayer of whose time he caught enough for the opening takbir according to the established school, or enough for one rak'ah according to the stronger view. This is clear, for he was addressed with its obligation during