Jamaat Salaah and Imaamat

Being considerate towards the musallees

Q: Is it permissible for an unpaid Imam to regularly go on to the musalla one or two minutes late because he is performing the Sunnah of Zohar Salah? Should the Imam defer the performance of 4 Sunnah if he knows or it is obvious he will overrun by a couple of minutes? It may be the case that these one or two minutes do make a difference to the office worker who needs to get back to work at a certain time, though it may be argued that there are several other Masaajids in the area with different Jamat times. The timetable states a particular time for Salah and there are numerous Darul Uloom students and teachers that could perform Imamat if the regular Imam is late. Yes, the timetable may have the caveat that Jamat times may change according to circumstances, but this obviously does not mean one makes a deliberate habit out of it. If the Imam is mazoor, that is understandable. However, in such a situation, is it not possible for the Darul Uloom to appoint another student or teacher to do the Imamat? Please note there are 3 questions above all relating to the same topic. It is requested you answer all 3.

Performing Salaah in the Musjid

Q: Is prayer in musjid obligatory? There is a hadeeth which says something like prayer not being accepted if you hear the azaan and don't go to the musjid. Also there is a hadeeth of a blind man and he wasn't given concession to pray at home if he heard the azaan. Also there is another hadeeth about the prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) wanting to burn the houses of those who don't pray in the musjid. Yet I heard zakir naik say most scholars say it is sunnah muakkada (maybe he meant if we don't hear azaan). Also if prayer is obligatory in the musjid if you hear the azaan, how should this be understood in modern times? Like literally if we hear it? What if someone lives right next to the musjid in a western country but they don't give the azaan through the external speakers of the musjid so the sound of the azaan can just be heard inside, where as in some muslim countries the azaan can be heard from a distance of even 500 meters because of the speakers. Or should we consider how far the sound would travel if done in an open area (desert) and give the azaan without speakers and see how many meters it would travel? Another thing to keep in mind would be thick infrastructure and noise also plays a role on how far the azaan would travel these days. Jazak Allah Khair. Please explain if there has been some ignorance present in my question pertaining to context of Ahadeeth. This is so important as not praying woukd be kufr and if our prayers aren't being in the masjid they might not be accepted. Also what about congregation prayer. Does that suffice? If he hears the azaan but prays in congregation somewhere else? Please provide evidence from Quran and Sunnah.

Reciting Aameen softly

Q: Within the Hanafi Madhab, is the issue of a soft or a loud aameen in Jamaat Salaah a valid difference of opinion? I am asking this as more and more Hanafis are reciting aameen loudly, hence, I am unsure whether or not to try to correct people.

Joining the jamaat after two rakaats in a four rakaat Salaah

Q: When I am late for a fardh for example salatul dhuhr, I am late of two rakaats and I joined them and I am performing the 3rd rakaat and then after salaam you will stand again to finish the two rakaats. Here's my question, on the first rakaat should I perform attahiyat and point a finger or you will only point a finger on the second rakaat? And then after that will be salaam?