IMPORTANT QUESTION:

Question: If someone prayed the Taraweeh prayer with the first imam then left, and says: "I have the reward of praying the whole night according to the hadith: 'Whoever prays with the imam until he finishes, it is recorded for him as spending the whole night in prayer," because I started with the (first) imam and left with him? Sheikh Uthaymeen raḥimahullāh answered: As for the statement: "Whoever prays with the imam until he finishes, it is recorded for him as spending the whole night in prayer," this is authentically established from the Prophet ﷺ when the companions asked him to lead them in pray for the rest of the night. Because he had discontinued the prayer after the 1st half of the night, so they said, "O Messenger of Allah, if only you would continue to pray with us for rest of the night." so he said, "Whoever prays with the imam until he finishes, it is recorded for him as spending the whole night in prayer." However, if there are two imams (leading the night prayer) in one masjid, is each one considered independent from the other or are they substitute for one the another? The second possibility seems more likely (that each one is a substitute for the other complementing him), and thus, if there are two imams praying in a masjid, then these two imams are considered as one imam. Therefore, a person should wait until the second imam finishes, as we know that the second one complements the prayer of the first. Based on this, what I advise my brothers is to follow the imams here in the Haram until the end. Even though some brothers leave after eleven units of prayer, saying: "This is the number the Prophet ﷺ prayed," and we agree that the number the Prophet ﷺ prayed and recommended is the best, and no one doubts this. However, I believe there is no harm in increasing on this number, not based on the desire to contrdict the number chosen by the Prophet ﷺ, but based on it being a good deed permitted by the Shariah. The Prophet ﷺ was asked about night prayer, and he said, "Two by two, then when one of you fears Fajr, let him pray one rak'ah." So if there's room for an increase, then it is preferable for a person not to leave the congregation but to continue. When Uthman completed the prayer in Mina (I.e. He prayed Dhuhr and Asr as four units without shortening them, which is contrary to the Sunnah), some of the companions said إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون when they found out about it. Despite this, they prayed behind him four units, adding two more units to a prayer that should not have exceeded two units, for the sake of unity, unifying the word, avoiding division, and conformity, which is of great importance. None of you should adopt a different opinion from the congregation, dividing the congregation and saying, "You are with me or with so-and-so," as this is a mistake. Therefore, as long as the matter is permissible and there is no religious prohibition, conformity with the congregation should not involve grievances or animosities, as long as there's some scope in matter and the righteous predecessors have narrations supporting it, as Imam Ahmad and Ibn Taymiyyah said. We should adhere to what sufficed the predecessors, as we are not more knowledgeable than them, and those who preceded us from among the predecessors, so we should not deviate. I repeat the call for conformity and avoiding disagreement in matters where there's room for ijtihad. However, the dilemma, and it is indeed a dilemma, is if there are two Witr prayers in one night. What should the the ma'moom do? We say: If you want to pray the night prayer with the second imam, then when the first imam prays Witr, perform one more unit to make it two by two. If you do not intend to pray the night prayer at the end of the night, then pray Witr with the first imam. Then, if you have the opportunity to pray later, pray the Witr with the second imam and add an extra rak'ah to make it even. Source: مجموع فتاوى ورسائل الشيخ محمد صالح العثيمين - المجلد الرابع عشر - باب صلاة التطوع.