Muslim (24). Because what he misses with the Imam is better than what he performs [in the nafilah], therefore he should not occupy himself with it, just as if he feared missing the rak'ah. Ibn 'Abd al-Barr said regarding this issue: The argument at the time of contention is the Sunnah; so whoever presents it has achieved victory (25), and whoever acts upon it has succeeded. He said: 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, went out when the prayer was commenced, and he saw people praying, so he said: "Two prayers together?" Anas, 'Abd Allah ibn Sarjis, Ibn Buhaynah (26), and Abu Hurayrah also narrated something similar from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and Ibn 'Abd al-Barr recorded them all in his book al-Tamhid (27). He said: All of this is his disapproval of this action. As for if the prayer is commenced while he is [already] in the nafilah prayer, and he does not fear missing the congregation, he should complete it and not break it off, due to the saying of Allah Almighty: {And do not invalidate your deeds} (28). If he fears missing the congregation, there are two narrations [in our school]; one is that he completes it for that reason. The second is that he breaks it off, because what he catches of the congregation is greater in reward and more in merit than what he misses by cutting off the nafilah, because congregational prayer exceeds the prayer of a man alone by twenty-seven degrees.
(24) In: Chapter on the Dislike of Starting a Supererogatory Prayer After the Mu'adhdhin Has Begun [the Iqamah], from the Book of Traveler's Prayer. Sahih Muslim 1/493. It was also narrated by al-Bukhari, in: Chapter on If the Prayer Is Commenced, There Is No Prayer Except the Obligatory One (in the heading), from the Book of Adhan. Sahih al-Bukhari 1/168. And Abu Dawud, in: Chapter on If One Catches the Imam and Has Not Performed the Two Rak'ahs of Fajr, from the Book of Supererogatory Prayers. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/291. And al-Tirmidhi, in: Chapter on What Was Said Regarding If the Prayer Is Commenced, There Is No Prayer Except the Obligatory One, from the Chapters on Prayer. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 2/213. And al-Nasa'i, in: Chapter on What Is Disliked of Prayer at the Time of Iqamah, from the Book of Leadership. al-Mujtaba 2/90. And Ibn Majah, in: Chapter on What Was Said Regarding: If the Prayer Is Commenced, There Is No Prayer Except the Obligatory One, from the Book of Establishing Prayer. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/364. And al-Darimi, in: Chapter on If the Prayer Is Commenced, There Is No Prayer Except the Obligatory One, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan al-Darimi 1/337. And Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 2/331, 352, 455, 517, 531. (25) Falaja: To triumph/attain what one sought. And one who 'falaja' with his evidence: he proved it. (26) He is Abu Muhammad 'Abd Allah ibn Malik ibn al-Qushayb; he was an ascetic and virtuous man who used to fast perpetually. He died during the administration of Marwan ibn al-Hakam, at Batn Rim, thirty miles from Medina, and the governorship of Marwan over Medina was from the year 54 AH to 58 AH. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 5/381, 382. (27) Imam Malik narrated something similar from Abu Salamah ibn 'Abd al-Rahman, in: Chapter on What Was Said Regarding the Two Rak'ahs of Witr, from the Book of Night Prayer. al-Muwatta 2/215. (28) Surah Muhammad 33.
