and it is the view preferred by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (1), may Allah have mercy on him; it is the correct view. The excuse in this case is a legal excuse, because if he were to stand with the imam for the fourth rak'ah, his prayer would be invalidated.

If he separates without an excuse, the apparent meaning of the author’s words is that his prayer is invalidated. This is the position of the school. The second view is that it is not invalidated (2). However, if we adopt this view, it must be restricted to one who has caught the congregational prayer—that is, one who has prayed one rak'ah or more with the imam. But if he has not caught the congregational prayer, it is not permissible for him to separate, because this results in abandoning the congregation without an excuse. If, however, he has prayed one rak'ah and then wishes to separate, then it is permissible for him to do so. Yet there is some hesitation about the view that separation without an excuse is permissible. As for a physical or legal excuse, there is no doubt that it is permissible.

Question: Is it a valid excuse for the follower to be a traveller while the imam is a resident, such that the follower separates after praying two rak'ahs and then gives the salām?

Answer: No. For if a travelling follower prays behind a resident imam, he is obliged to complete the prayer, due to the Prophet’s saying, “The imam has only been appointed to be followed” (3), and his saying, “Pray whatever you catch, and complete whatever you miss” (4).