Does Reciting Durood While Praying as a Latecomer Invalidate My Prayer?

Answered by Ustadh Sufyan Qufi

Question

In the past, whenever I arrived late for congregational prayer, I used to recite durood in the imam’s last raka and my own last raka (two in total) and give salam only in my last raka.
I asked a friend who is studying to become a scholar about this, and he told me that I don’t have to say durood in the imam’s last raka. When I asked him if there would be any problem if I continued praying as I had been before, he told me it was ok. Now I am doubting that those prayers may be invalid. Can you please tell me if I have to repeat them?

Answer

Your prayers are not invalid because you have not committed an action that would break the prayer such as uttering worldly speech or excessive movement. [Shurunbulali, Nur al-Idah]

Rather what you have uttered behind the Imam is speech that belongs to the prayer. Thus you do not have to repeat those prayers.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)said: “Religion is easy, and no one overburdens himself in his religion but he will be unable to continue in that way. So do not be extremists, but try to be near perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded.” [Bukhari, Muslim]

And Allah knows best.

Wassalam

[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Sufyan Qufi is an advanced seeker of knowledge, originally from Algeria, who grew up in France. He began searching far and wide for answers to the fundamental questions of life and was disappointed at the answers he found.

Then he connected with various traditional teachers and gradually connected with SeekersGuidance. He embarked on his journey of learning through the various teachers at SeekersGuidance, including his mentor Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

He studied numerous texts in Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith, and other areas with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and other teachers, including Shaykh Abdurrahman al-Sha‘ar, Shaykh Ali Hani, and others.

He is an active instructor at SeekersGuidance and answers questions through the SeekersGuidance Answers Service.