Quick Congregation Prayer Question

[KnockKnock]

As-salam Aleikum hope this reaches you in good health Insha Allah.

So the question is, if you are late for a congregation (e.g: Isha) and they started and finished one rakaat and you join in the second one, how does that work? Like everyone gets up from sujood completing one rakaat, then you come in and say "Allahu Akbar." How does one pray or finish Salat?


Also I know we are supposed to recite the last three Quls before we sleep. I'm just confused on how to do it, like hold the palms then spit a little then recite? Or hold the palms, recite, then spit?

Any advice, info, and help would be most appreciated.
Thanks and Barakallahu Feek

[Iceee]

Salaam.

So the question is, if you are late for a congregation (e.g: Isha) and they started and finished one rakaat and you join in the second one, how does that work? Like everyone gets up from sujood completing one rakaat, then you come in and say "Allahu Akbar." How does one pray or finish Salat?

First, the reference of each Raka(ركعة) is Rokou3 (ركوع), which means that if you reached after Rokou3, then the missed Raka must be repeated.Second, you must follow the Imam, you don't start with the missing Raka then continue with him, for ex: if you arrived while he was in Sujud, you must make Sujud with them.
You follow the Imam till he finishes praying, then check how many have you prayed, in order to continue the Rakat till finishing the required number of Rakat in this prayer.
Since the first lost Rakat contain the verse reading after Fatiha, then while repeating your missed Rakat you read the verses, even if this was your 3rd Raka for ex.
Now we will start the scenarios:

1. Arriving in 1st Raka:

If you arrived in the 1st Raka, and they hadn't make rokou3 yet or in the Rokou3, then you continue with them, make Rokou3 with them, even if you hadn't finish Reading Fatiha, you have to follow the imam, then continue the prayer with them, and make salam with them, because you hadn't miss any Raka.
If you had arrived after Rokou3 (it is considered the 2nd Raka), continue with them, then when they finish you don't make salam, you stand up and make an additional Raka and read a verse after Fatiha during this Raka as if you were making the first missed Raka, then after Sujud you sit, say Tahiyat, then make salam.

1. Arriving in 2nd Raka: IF you arrived before or during Rokou3 in 2nd Raka, continue with them, then when they finish you don't make salam, you stand up and make an additional Raka and read a verse after Fatiha during this Raka as if you were making the first missed Raka, then after Sujud you sit, say Tahiyat, then make salam.

If you arrived after Rokou3 then this will be considered the 3rd Raka.

1. Arriving in 3nd Raka: IF you arrived before or during Rokou3 in 3nd Raka, continue with them, then when they finish you don't make salam, you stand up and make the missed Rakat (you will have two more Rakat to repeat). If this was Maghrib prayer (then the total is 3 Rakat, and you have done only one raka), so after you stand up, make Rokou3, then after Sujud you sit down to say tahiyat because it will be your 2nd Raka, then you stand up to make the 3rd Raka, after Rokou3 and Sujud, you say tahiyat, then make salam. Else, if this was Duhr, Aser, or Isha'a prayer (4 Rekaat), then after the imam makes salam, you stand up to make your 3rd Raka, you don't sit after sujud, you stand again to make the forth raka, then sit again and finish.
2. Arriving in 4th Raka: this means you still have 3 Rakat to make, so you stand up to make your 2nd Raka (1st one made with imam), then after sujud you sit, say ta7iyat, then stand up, and make other 2 Rakat as usual.

[Iceee]

Also I know we are supposed to recite the last three Quls before we sleep. I'm just confused on how to do it, like hold the palms then spit a little then recite? Or hold the palms, recite, then spit?

1. When one goes to bed then do the following: ‘When retiring to his bed every night, the Prophet would hold his palms together, spit (A form of spitting comprising mainly of air with little spittle) in them, recite the last three chapters (Al-Ikhlaas, Al-Falaq, An-Naas) of the Quran and then wipe over his entire body as much as possible with his hands, beginning with his head and face and then all parts of the body, he would do this 3 times.’ (Tirmidhi)

[Ali Mujahidin]

Here's what I have learned about joining a solat jemaah late.

The main thing is to join in at whatever point they are already at. Follow to the end. Then add whatever is needed to complete the set. For example:

It's subuh or subhi, depending on what it's called in your place. They are already at the second rakaat. Still at qiyam. You join in. Manage to say at least "Bismillah" before the rukuk. That counts as one rakaat for you. So after they have done the salaam, you rise to continue like you would after completing the first rakaat of solat subuh, which means you start at the second rakaat and you also do the dua qunut even though you have done it once with them already (this depends on your mazhab). Continue to the end. Say salaam and you have completed your solat subuh successfully.

There are a lot of finer details but this should suffice for a start.