He should lighten the prayer for them, because the fundamental basis of the Prayer of Fear is lightness. Likewise, the group that parts from him prays for themselves, reciting a light surah, and they do not part from him until he is firmly standing; for they all participate in rising, so there is no need for them to part from him before that, and parting from him is only permissible for an excuse. He then recites and sits for the tashahhud, and remains in the state of waiting until they catch up with him. Al-Shafi'i said, in one of his two opinions: He should not recite while waiting; rather, he should delay the recitation so as to recite with the second group, so that he may have attained equality between the two groups. Our argument is that there is no state of silence in prayer, and standing is the place for recitation, so it is appropriate that he should perform it during it, as in the case of the tashahhud; when he waits for them, he performs the tashahhud and does not remain silent. Likewise (4) it is here, and equality between them is achieved by his waiting for them in two places, and the first in one place. Once this is established, the Qadi said: If he recited while waiting for them, he should recite after they arrive by the measure of the Fatihat al-Kitab and a light surah. If he did not recite while waiting for them, he should recite when they arrive with the Fatihat al-Kitab and a light surah, and this is by way of recommendation. If he were to recite before their arrival and then bow when they arrive or before it, and they caught him while bowing, they bow with him, and the rak'ah is valid for them, despite his leaving (5) the Sunnah. When he sits for the tashahhud, they stand and pray another rak'ah, and he lengthens the tashahhud with supplication and seeking closeness to Allah until they catch up with him and perform the tashahhud, then he performs the taslim with them. Malik said: They perform the tashahhud with him, and when the Imam performs the taslim, they stand and make up what they missed like a masbuq (one who joins the prayer late). What we have mentioned is better, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: "And let another group that has not yet prayed, pray with you" (6). This indicates that their entire prayer is with him. In the hadith of Sahl, it is stated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sat until those behind him prayed one rak'ah, then he performed the taslim. Reported by Abu Dawood (7). And it was reported that he performed the taslim with the second group. And because the first group attained the virtue of the opening takbir (tahrim) with him, it is appropriate that