Cutting short and dismissing the voluntary prayer upon the start of the obligatory prayer
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Question: I notice some people praying a voluntary prayer, and when the mu.adhdhin announces the start of the prayer, they cut short and dismiss their (voluntary) prayer even though they have already performed one rak'ah but not completed the second rak'ah. So is this permissible or not?

Response: If the prayer has started and the Muslim had started praying a legislated voluntary (prayer) before the (obligatory) prayer had begun, then it is best to swiftly complete it and not to cut and dismiss the prayer, as Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala) says:

{and render not vain your deeds}, [Soorah Muhammad, Aayah 33]

Shaykh Saailh ibn Fowzaan
al-Muntaqaa min Fataawa Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan - Volume 5, Page 51, Fatwa No.77