It is narrated from Hazrat Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) that in the early blessed period of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), it was customary that if a person missed some rak'ahs, he would ask the worshippers, and they would indicate to him by gesture how many rak'ahs he had missed. Accordingly, he would first perform the rak'ahs he had missed and then join the congregation in prayer. One day, Hazrat Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) came late to the prayer; the people were in the sitting position (qa'dah) at that time, so he also sat down. When the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer, Hazrat Mu'adh stood up and completed the part of the prayer he had missed. Seeing this, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the people: "You should do as Hazrat Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) has done."