Chapter on the Rulings of Congregational Prayer (the Minimum Number for Congregational Prayer, the Description of the Imam, Who Is to Be Followed and Who Is Not to Be Followed, Recitation Behind Both of Them, the Rulings of Those Led in Prayer, and Other Such Rulings Related to It)

Muhammad ibn Yaqub narrated from Muhammad ibn Yahya, from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn, from Safwan, from Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj, who said: I asked Aba Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, about a man who catches the second rak’ah of the prayer with the imam (of prayer), and it is his (the follower's) first rak’ah what should he do when the imam (of prayer) sits? Imam عليه السلام said: “He should keep himself raised and not fully settle into the sitting posture. Then, when it is the third rak’ah for the imam (of prayer) and the second for him, he should delay a little after the imam (of prayer) rises enough to recite the tashahhud and then catch up with the imam (of prayer).” He (ibn al-Hajjaj) said: “I also asked Imam عليه السلام about a man who catches the last two rak’ahs of the prayer what should he do regarding the recitation?” Imam عليه السلام said: “Recite in them, for they are your first two rak’ahs. Do not make the beginning of your prayer its end.”