When a Person Joined only One Rakaah of Maghrib

Q: Salaah-64: We joined the Jamaa'ah only in the final Rakaah of the Maghrib salaah and I sat after performing the first Rakaah so as to join it with the one we performed with the Imaam. My friend however did not sit after the first Rakaah and sat only after performing two Rakaahs. He then failed to perform Sajdah Sahw as well. Must he repeat his salaah?

Answer: You acted correctly by sitting after the first Rakaah. Although your friend sat only after the second Rakaah, his salaah will still be valid and he will not have to repeat it. The same thing happened before Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Mas'ood RADI. when his two students Hadhrar Masrooq RAH. and Hadhrat Jundub RAH. did the same. Although Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Mas'ood RADI. ruled that the salaahs of both were valid, he said that he preferred the salaah of Hadhrat Masrooq RAH. (who sat after the first Rakaah). And Allaah knows best what is most correct.

Fatawa Rahimiyyah vol.2