Sayyiduna Yazid bin Aswad says: We performed the Farewell Hajj with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. He led us in the Fajr prayer, and when he turned towards the people and sat down, he saw that there were two men sitting at the back of the people; they had not prayed with the people. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Bring these two to me. The two men were brought, and the flesh of their shoulders was trembling. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, asked them: What prevented you from praying with the people? They said: O Messenger of Allah! We had already prayed at our homes. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Do not do so in the future, and when any of you has prayed at home and then finds the congregational prayer with the Imam, he should also pray with him; it will become a voluntary prayer for him. One of the two said: O Messenger of Allah! Please seek forgiveness from Allah for me. So the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sought forgiveness for him. Then the people rose towards the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and I also rose with them. At that time, I was the best and strongest young man among the people, so I made my way through the people until I reached the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Then I took his hand and placed it on my face or chest. I did not find anything better and cooler than the hand of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. On that day, he was in the Mosque of Khaif (in Mina).

Sayyiduna Mihjan (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I came to the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and in the meantime, the iqamah for prayer was called, but I remained seated (and did not pray). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: Are you not a Muslim? I replied: Why not! The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: What kept you from praying with the people? I said: O Messenger of Allah, I had already performed the prayer at home. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (Still) perform the prayer with the people. And in another narration: When you come, perform the prayer with the people, even if you have already performed the prayer at home.

(Second Chain) Sayyiduna Mihjan (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he was in the gathering of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), when the call to prayer was given. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and led the prayer. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) returned, he saw that Mihjan was still sitting in the same place, so he (peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: What prevented you from praying with the people? Are you not a Muslim? ... ... . (As in the previous hadith)

Hanzalah bin Ali Aslami narrates from a man of Banu Dail, who says: I performed the Zuhr prayer at home, then I took the camels out to take them to the shepherd. As I passed by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, he was leading the people in the Zuhr prayer. I passed by and did not pray with him. When I had driven the camels ahead and returned, this matter was conveyed to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. He asked me: O so-and-so! When you passed by us, what prevented you from praying with us? I said: O Messenger of Allah! I had already prayed at home. He, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Even if (you have already prayed at home, when you find the prayer with the Imam, then pray again).

Abu’l-‘Aliyah Bara’ says: One day Ibn Ziyad delayed the prayer. ‘Abdullah bin Samit came to me, I placed a chair for him and he sat on it. Then I mentioned to him this delay of Ibn Ziyad. In response, he bit his lip and struck his hand on my thigh and said: Just as you asked me, I had asked Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) the same question, and he too struck my thigh just as I have struck yours, and said: Indeed, I had asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) the same question as you have asked me, and he struck my thigh just as I have struck yours. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Perform the prayer at its appointed time, but if you find (the rulers) praying, then pray with them, and do not say: I have already prayed, so I will not pray (again).

Sayyiduna ‘Ubada bin Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Soon there will be rulers over you who will be so occupied with other matters that they will delay the prayers from their prescribed times. (In such a situation) you should perform the prayer at its proper time, and then consider the prayer you perform with them as a voluntary (nafl) prayer. A man asked: O Messenger of Allah! If I happen to pray with them, should I (pray again)? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: If you wish (then do so).

(Second chain) In a similarly narrated hadith: A man said, "O Messenger of Allah! Should we then also pray with them?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Yes." Abdullah says: My father (Imam Ahmad, peace be upon him) said: And this is correct.