without need, so it is not permitted, just as it is not for the Imam. This differs from shifting to being an Imam because there is a need that calls for it. According to this view, he should break his prayer and restart the prayer with them. Ahmad said, regarding a man who entered the mosque and prayed two or three units (rak'at) intending Dhuhr, then the mu'adhdhin came and pronounced the iqamah for prayer: "He should complete his prayer (by performing the taslim), and it becomes a voluntary prayer for him, and he enters with them." He was asked: "What if he enters the prayer with the people and counts it (as his obligatory prayer)?" He said: "It does not suffice him until he intends it as the prayer with the Imam from the beginning of the obligatory prayer."

Section: If he begins prayer as a follower, then intends to depart from the Imam and complete it alone due to an excuse, it is permissible. This is because of what Jabir narrated, who said: Mu'adh used to pray the Isha prayer with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), then he would return to his people and lead them in prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) delayed the Isha prayer, so he prayed with him, then he returned to his people and recited Surah al-Baqarah. A man fell behind and prayed alone. It was said to him: "Have you become a hypocrite, oh so-and-so?" He said: "I have not become a hypocrite, but I will certainly go to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and inform him." He went to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and mentioned that to him, and he said: "Are you an inciter of discord (fattan), oh Mu'adh? Are you an inciter of discord, oh Mu'adh?" (repeated twice). "Recite such-and-such surah and such-and-such surah." He said: "And the surah of al-Buruj, al-Layl idha yaghsha, al-Sama'i wal-tariq, and Hal ataka hadith al-ghashiyah." This is agreed upon (49). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not order the man to repeat it, nor did he disapprove of his action. The excuses for which one may leave are such as the hardship caused by the Imam's lengthening of the prayer, illness, fear of overcoming drowsiness, or something that invalidates his prayer, or fear of missing wealth or its destruction, or missing his traveling companions, or one who leaves the row and finds no one to stand with him, and similar things. If he does that without an excuse, there are two narrations: The first is that his prayer becomes void because he abandoned following his Imam without an excuse, similar to if he had abandoned it without the intention of departure. The second is that it is valid, because if a person praying alone intended to become a follower it would be valid according to one narration, so the intention for solitude (infitar) is even more appropriate, for a follower may become a person praying alone without an intention, as in the case of a masbuq (one who joins late) when his Imam makes the taslim, whereas someone else cannot become a follower without intention under any circumstance.