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Fatwa CenterWhen to Say the Takbeer when Moving from One Position to the Other
Question
Assalaamu ‘Alaykum. I saw a hadith from Sunan An-Nasa’i about Abu Hurairah saying takbir when he stood up after two rak'ahs, after saying the Tashahhud. If I join the congregation in the second Rakah, should i say Takbir upon standing after this Tashahhud or the Tashahhud in the last Rakah for the Imam which is the second to last one for me, or both?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Perhaps the questioner refers to the Hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah 
which reads: “When the Prophet would stand up to pray he would say the Takbeer [i.e., Allahu Akbar] when standing, then say the Takbeer when bowing. Then he would say: “Allah hears the one who praised Him” when coming to an erect position after bowing. Then he would say while standing: “O Lord, to you belongs the praise!” Then he would say Takbeer when he goes down (to prostrate) and would say Takbeer when he raises his head. Then he would say Takbeer when he prostrates himself, then he would say Takbeer upon raising his head. He would do that throughout the whole prayer until he completes it. He would also say Takbeer when he gets up at the end of the two Rak‘ahs [i.e., after the first Tashahhud]. The Hadeeth was narrated by al-Nasa’i, as the questioner mentioned, and it was also narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
In addition, know that all the Takbeers that are mentioned in the Hadith - except Ihram Takbeer [i.e, the Tabeer to start the prayer] – including the Takbeers that you are asking about when standing from the first Tashahhud, the scholars differed about its obligation. The majority of them are of the view that it is desirable but some of them are of the opinion that it is obligatory. If you are asking whether that Takbeer is obligatory or desirable, then it is desirable according to the view of the majority of scholars, not obligatory. Hence, whether you attend the prayer from the beginning or in the second Rak’ah, it is legislated for you to say Takbeer when standing up from the first Tashahhud, just as it is Sunnah for you to say Takbeer when standing up after the Imam’s salutation to make up what you’ve missed, so you say Takbeer in both positions.
Moreover, if you are asking about the position of that Takbeer [i.e, when to say it], whether it is while getting up to the upright position, or after standing upright, then the answer is that the position of this Takbeer is when starting to stand up in the view of most of the jurists.
Allah knows best.
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