he may be sick and the amplified sound disturbs him. The mosque itself may be level with the surrounding rooftops during the sweltering summer months, and children may be playing there; the sudden blast from the loudspeaker startles them. In short, this is a trial that has afflicted some people—may Allah grant us well-being—so they end up annoying their neighbours, whether in nearby mosques or in their homes, over a practice that yields no benefit at all.

The meaning of the Prophet’s ﷺ statement, “Whatever you catch of the prayer, perform it, and whatever you miss, complete it,” is that a latecomer first pronounces the opening takbīr (takbīrat al-iḥrām) and then joins the imam in whatever posture he is currently in. Thus:

• If you arrive while the imam is bowing, say the opening takbīr as you stand upright, then bow; by doing so you have caught that rakʿah.
• If you arrive after he has risen from bowing, pronounce the takbīr, join him, and prostrate with him, but do not count that rakʿah, for whoever fails to catch the bowing has missed the rakʿah.
• If you arrive while he is in prostration, say the opening takbīr while standing, then prostrate; do not wait for him to rise.
• If you arrive while he is sitting, pronounce the takbīr standing and then sit. Whatever position you find the imam in, do exactly as he is doing.
• If you come when he is in the final tashahhud, consider your situation: if you have a group of latecomers like yourself, do not join him, because catching only the tashahhud does not count as having joined the congregational prayer. Congregation is attained only by catching a full rakʿah, as the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever catches one rakʿah of the prayer has caught the prayer.”