The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: Gabriel
(peace_be_upon_him) led me in prayer at the House (i.e.
the Ka'bah). He prayed the noon prayer with me when the
sun had passed the meridian to the extent of the thong of
a sandal; he prayed the afternoon prayer with me when the
shadow of everything was as long as itself; he prayed the
sunset prayer with me when one who is fasting breaks the
fast; he prayed the night prayer with me when the twilight
had ended; and he prayed the dawn prayer with me when food
and drink become forbidden to one who is keeping the fast.
On the following day he prayed the noon prayer with me
when his shadow was as long as himself; he prayed the
afternoon prayer with me when his shadow was twice as long
as himself; he prayed the sunset prayer at the time when
one who is fasting breaks the fast; he prayed the night
prayer with me when about the third of the night had
passed; and he prayed the dawn prayer with me when there
was a fair amount of light.
Then turning to me he said: Muhammad, this is the time
observed by the prophets before you, and the time is
anywhere between two times.
I would offer my noon prayer with the Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) and took a handful of gravels so that
they might become cold in my hand and I placed them
(before me) so that I may put my forehead on them at the
time when I would prostrate. I did this due to the
intensity of heat.
Marthad ibn Abdullah said: When AbuAyyub came upon us
to fight the infidels and in those days Uqbah ibn Amir was
the Governor of Egypt, he (Uqbah) delayed the sunset
prayer. Hence AbuAyyub stood and said: What kind of prayer
is this, Uqbah? He said: We were busy. He said: Did you
not hear the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: My
community will remain well, or he said: will remain on its
natural condition, so long as it would not delay the
evening prayer until the stars shine brightly just like a
network.
I am the one who is best informed of the time of this
prayer, i.e. the night prayer. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him)
used to offer it at the hour when the moon went down on
its third night.
We waited for the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) to offer
the night prayer. He delayed until people thought that he
would not come out and some of us said that he had offered
the prayer. At the moment when we were in this condition
the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) came out. People said to
him as they were already saying. He said: Observe this
prayer when it is dark, for by it you have been made
superior to all the peoples, no people having observed it
before you.
We observed the prayer after nightfall with the Apostle
of Allah (peace_be_upon_him), and he did not come out till
about half the night had passed. He then said: Take your
places. We then took our places. Then he said: The people
have prayed and gone to bed, but you are still engaged in
prayer as long as you wait for the prayer. Were it not for
the weakness of the weak and for the sickness of the sick.
I would delay this prayer till half the night had gone.
AbuMuhammad fancies that witr prayer is essential.
(Hearing this) Ubadah ibn as-Samit said: AbuMuhammad was
wrong. I bear witness that I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him)
say: Allah, the Exalted, has made five prayers obligatory.
If anyone performs ablution for them well, offers them at
their (right) time, and observes perfectly their bowing
and submissiveness in them, it is the guarantee of Allah
that He will pardon him; if anyone does not do so, there
is no guarantee for him on the part of Allah; He may
pardon him if He wills, and punish him if He wills.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) was asked:
Which of the actions is best? He replied: Observing prayer
early in its period.
Al-Khuza'i narrated in his version from his aunt named
Umm Farwah who took the oath of allegiance to the Prophet
(peace_be_upon_him): He was questioned.
A man from Basrah said: Tell me what you heard from the
Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him). He said: I heard the
Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: No one will
enter Hell who has prayed before the rising of the sun and
before its setting (meaning the dawn and the afternoon
prayers). He said three times: Have you heard it from him?
He replied: Yes, each time saying: My ears heard it and my
heart memorised it. The man then said: And I heard him
(the Prophet) say that.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) taught me and
what he taught me is this: Observe the five prayers
regularly. He said: I told (him): I have many works at
these times; so give me a comprehensive advice which, if I
follow, should be enough for me. He said: Observe the two
afternoon prayers (al-asrayn). But the term al-asrayn (two
afternoon prayers) was not used in our language. Hence I
said: What is al-asrayn? He said: A prayer before the
sunrise and a prayer before the sunset (i.e. the dawn and
the afternoon prayers).
Allah , the Exalted said: I made five times' prayers
obligatory on your people, and I took a guarantee that if
anyone observes them regularly at their times, I shall
admit him to Paradise; if anyone does not offer them
regularly, there is no such guarantee of Mine for him.
Amr ibn Maymun al-Awdi said: Mu'adh ibn Jabal, the
Messenger of the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) came
to us in Yemen, I heard his takbir (utterance of
AllahuAkbar) in the dawn prayer. He was a man with loud
voice. I began to love him. I did depart from him until I
buried him dead in Syria (i.e. until his death).
Then I searched for a person who had deep understanding
in religion amongst the people after him. So I came to Ibn
Mas'ud and remained in his company until his death. He (Ibn
Mas'ud) said: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him)
said to me: How will you act when you are ruled by rulers
who say prayer beyond its proper time? I said: What do you
command me, Apostle of Allah, if I witness such a time? He
replied: Offer the prayer at its proper time and also say
your prayer along with them as a supererogatory prayer.
After me you will come under rulers who will be
detained from saying prayer at its proper time by (their)
works until its time has run out, so offer prayer at its
proper time. A man asked him: Apostle of Allah, may I
offer prayer with them? He replied: Yes, if you wish (to
do so).
Sufyan (another narrator through a different chain)said:
May I offer prayer with them if I get it with them? He
said: Yes, if you wish to do so.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: After me
you will be ruled by rulers who will delay the prayer and
it will be to your credit but to their discredit. So pray
with them so long as they pray facing the qiblah.
We were in the company of the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him)
during one of his journeys. He overslept abandoning the
morning prayer until the sun had arisen. The Apostle of
Allah (peace_be_upon_him) awoke and said: Go away from
this place.
He then commanded Bilal to call for prayer. He called
for prayer. They (the people) performed ablution and
offered two rak'ahs of the morning prayer (sunnah prayer).
He then commanded Bilal (to utter the iqamah, i.e. to
summon the people to attend the prayer). He announced the
prayer (i.e. uttered the iqamah) and he led them in the
morning prayer.
We proceeded with the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him)
on the occasion of al-Hudaybiyyah. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him)
said: Who will keep watch for us? Bilal said: I (shall
do). The overslept till the sun arose. The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him)
awoke and said: Do as you used to do (i.e. offer prayer as
usual). Then we did accordingly. He said: Anyone who
oversleeps or forgets (prayer) should do similarly.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) commanded us
to build mosques in different localities (i.e. in the
locality of each tribe separately) and that they should be
kept clean and be perfumed.
I said: Apostle of Allah, tell us the legal injunction
about (visiting) Bayt al-Muqaddas (the dome of the Rock at
Jerusalem). The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said:
go and pray there. All the cities at that time were
effected by war. If you cannot visit it and pray there,
then send some oil to be used in the lamps.
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The rewards of my
people were presented before me, so much so that even the
reward for removing a mote by a person from the mosque was
presented to me. The sins of my people were also presented
before me. I did not find a sin greater than that of a
person forgetting the Qur'anic chapter or verse memorised
by him.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: When a
man stands with the intention of saying prayer, or if any
of you says prayer, he should not spit before him, nor at
his right side; but he should do so at his left side, if
there is a place for it; or he should spit under his left
foot and then rub it off.
We came to Jabir ibn Abdullah who was sitting in his
mosque. He said: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him)
came to us in this mosque and he had a twig of date-palm
of the kind of Ibn Tab. He looked and saw phlegm on the
wall towards qiblah. He turned to it and scraped it with
the twig.
He then said: Who of you likes that Allah turns His
face from him? He further said: When any of you stands for
praying, Allah faces him. So he should not spit before
him, nor on his right side. He should spit on his left
side under his left foot. If he is in a hurry (i.e. forced
to spit immediately), he should do with his cloth in this
manner. He then placed the cloth on his mouth and rubbed
it off.
He then said: Bring perfume. A young man of the tribe
stood and hurried to his house and returned with perfume
in his palm. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) took
it and put it at the end of the twig. He then stained the
mark of phlegm with it.
Jabir said: This is the reason you use perfume in your
mosques.
A man led the people in prayer. He spat towards qiblah
while the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) was looking
at him. The Apostle of Allah said to the people when he
finished his prayer: He should not lead you in prayer
(henceforth).
Thenceforth he intended to lead them in prayer, but
they forbade him and informed him of the prohibition of
the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him). He mentioned it
to the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) who said to
him: Yes.
The narrator said: I think he (the Prophet) said: You
did harm to Allah and His Apostle.
AbuSa'id said: I saw Wathilah ibn al-Asqa' in the
mosque of Damascus. He spat at the mat and then rubbed it
with his foot. He was asked: Why did you do so? He said:
Because I saw the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him)
doing so.
AbuSalih al-Ghifari reported: Ali (once) passed by
Babylon during his travels. The mu'adhdhin (the person who
calls for prayer) came to him to call for the afternoon
prayer. When he passed by that place, he commanded to
announce for the prayer. After finishing the prayer he
said: My affectionate friend (i.e. the Prophet) prohibited
me to say prayer in the graveyard. He also forbade me to
offer prayer in Babylon because it is accursed.
and the narrator Musa said: As far as Amr thinks, the
Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The whole earth is a
place of prayer except public baths and graveyards.
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Command a boy to
pray when he reaches the age of seven years. When he
becomes ten years old, then beat him for prayer.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: Command
your children to pray when they become seven years old,
and beat them for it (prayer) when they become ten years
old; and arrange their beds (to sleep) separately.
Narrated Mu'adh ibn Abdullah ibn Khubayb al-Juhani:
Hisham ibn Sa'd reported: We entered upon Mu'adh ibn
Abdullah ibn Khubayb al-Juhani. He said to his wife: When
(at what age) should a boy pray? She replied: Some person
of us reported: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him)
was asked about it; he said: When a boy distinguishes
right hand from the left hand, then command him to pray.
AbuUmayr reported on the authority of his uncle who was
from the Ansar (the helpers of the Prophet): The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him)
was anxious as to how to gather the people for prayer.
The people told him: Hoist a flag at the time of
prayer; when they see it, they will inform one another.
But he (the Prophet) did not like it. Then someone
mentioned to him the horn.
Ziyad said: A horn of the Jews. He (the Prophet) did
not like it. He said: This is the matter of the Jews. Then
they mentioned to him the bell of the Christians. He said:
This is the matter of the Christians. Abdullah ibn Zayd
returned anxiously from there because of the anxiety of
the Apostle (peace_be_upon_him). He was then taught the
call to prayer in his dream. Next day he came to the
Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) and informed him
about it.
He said: Apostle of Allah, I was between sleep and
wakefulness; all of a sudden a newcomer came (to me) and
taught me the call to prayer. Umar ibn al-Khattab had also
seen it in his dream before, but he kept it hidden for
twenty days.
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said to me (Umar): What
did prevent you from saying it to me?
He said: Abdullah ibn Zayd had already told you about
it before me: hence I was ashamed.
Then the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said:
Bilal, stand up, see what Abdullah ibn Zayd tells you (to
do), then do it. Bilal then called them to prayer.
AbuBishr reported on the authority of AbuUmayr: The
Ansar thought that if Abdullah ibn Zayd had not been ill
on that day, the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him)
would have made him mu'adhdhin.
Prayer passed through three stages and fasting also
passed through three stages. The narrator Nasr reported
the rest of the tradition completely. The narrator, Ibn
al-Muthanna, narrated the story of saying prayer facing in
the direction of Jerusalem.
He said: The third stage is that the Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) came to Medina and prayed, i.e. facing
Jerusalem, for thirteen months.
Then Allah, the Exalted, revealed the verse: "We have
seen thee turning thy face to Heaven (for guidance, O
Muhammad). And now verily We shall make thee turn (in
prayer) toward a qiblah which is dear to thee. So turn thy
face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship, and ye (O
Muslims), wherever ye may be, turn your face (when ye
pray) toward it" (ii.144). And Allah, the Reverend and the
Majestic, turned (them) towards the Ka'bah. He (the
narrator) completed his tradition.
The narrator, Nasr, mentioned the name of the person
who had the dream, saying: And Abdullah ibn Zayd, a man
from the Ansar, came. The same version reads: And he
turned his face towards the qiblah and said: Allah is most
great, Allah is most great; I testify that there is no god
but Allah, I testify that there is no god but Allah; I
testify that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah, I testify
that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah; come to prayer (he
pronounced it twice), come to salvation (he pronounced it
twice); Allah is Most Great, Allah is most great. He then
paused for a while, and then got up and pronounced in a
similar way, except that after the phrase "Come to
salvation" he added. "The time for prayer has come, the
time for prayer has come."
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: Teach it
to Bilal, then pronounce the adhan (call to prayer) with
the same words. As regards fasting, he said: The Apostle
of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to fast for three days
every month, and would fast on the tenth of Muharram. Then
Allah, the Exalted, revealed the verse: ".......Fasting
was prescribed for those before you, that ye may ward off
(evil)......and for those who can afford it there is a
ransom: the feeding of a man in need (ii.183-84). If
someone wished to keep the fast, he would keep the fast;
if someone wished to abandon the fast, he would feed an
indigent every day; it would do for him. But this was
changed. Allah, the Exalted, revealed: "The month of
Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an ..........(let
him fast the same) number of other days" (ii.185).
Hence the fast was prescribed for the one who was
present in the month (of Ramadan) and the traveller was
required to atone (for them); feeding (the indigent) was
prescribed for the old man and woman who were unable to
fast. (The narrator, Nasr, further reported): The
companion Sirmah, came after finishing his day's
work......and he narrated the rest of the tradition.
The words of adhan were pronounced from the time of the
Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) twice in pairs (i.e.
four times) each, and the words of iqamah were pronounced
once in pairs (twice each), except that the phrase "The
time for prayer has come" would be pronounced twice. When
we heard iqamah, we would perform ablution, and go out for
prayer. Shu'bah said: I did not hear AbuJa'far narrating
any other tradition except this one.
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) intended to do many
things for calling (the people) to prayer, but he did not
do any of them. Then Abdullah ibn Zayd was taught in a
dream how to pronounce the call to prayer. He came to the
Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and informed him. He said:
Teach it to Bilal. He then taught him, and Bilal made a
call to prayer. Abdullah said: I saw it in a dream and I
wished to pronounce it, but he (the Prophet) said: You
should pronounce iqamah.
When the adhan for the dawn prayer was initially
introduced, the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) commanded me
to call the adhan and I did so. Then I began to ask:
Should I utter iqamah, Apostle of Allah? But he began to
look at the direction of the east, (waiting) for the break
of dawn, and said: No.
When the dawn broke, he came down and performed
ablution and he then turned to me. In the meantime his
Companions joined him. Then Bilal wanted to utter the
iqamah, but the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said to him:
The man of Suda' has called the adhan, and he who calls
the adhan utters the iqamah.
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The mu'adhdhin
will receive forgiveness to the extent to which his voice
reaches, and every moist and dry place will testify on his
behalf; and he who attends (the congregation of) prayer
will have twenty-five prayers recorded for him and will
have expiation for sins committed between every two times
of prayer.
Urwah ibn az-Zubayr reported on the authority of a
woman from Banu an-Najjar. She said: My house was the
loftiest of all the houses around the mosque (of the
Prophet at Medina). Bilal used to make a call to the
morning prayer from it. He would come there before the
break of dawn and wait for it. When he saw it, he would
yawn and say: O Allah, I praise you and seek Your
assistance for the Quraysh so that they might establish
Thine religion. He then would make the call to prayer.
She (the narrator) said: By Allah, I do not know
whether he ever left saying these words on any night.
A man said: Apostle of Allah, the mu'adhdhins excel us.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: Say (the
same words) as they say, and when you come to the end,
make a petition and that will be granted to you.
Narrated AbuUmamah, or one of the Companion of the
Prophet:
Bilal began the Iqamah, and when he said: "The time for
prayer has come," the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said:
"May Allah establish it and cause it to continue."
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) taught me to
say when the adhan for the sunset prayer was called; "O
Allah, this is the time when Thy night comes on, Thy day
retires, and the voices of Thy summoners are heard, so
forgive me."
Apostle of Allah, appoint me the leader of the tribe in
prayer. He said: You are their leader, but you should
follow on who is the weakest of them: and appoint a
mu'adhdhin who does not charge for the calling of adhan.
Bilal made a call to prayer before the break of dawn;
the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him), therefore, commanded him
to return and make a call: Lo! the servant of Allah (i.e.
I) had slept (hence this mistake).
The version of Musa has the addition: He returned and
made a call: Lo! the servant of Allah had slept.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said to Bilal:
Do not call adhan until the dawn appears clearly to you in
this way, stretching his hand in latitude.
Mujahid reported: I was in the company of Ibn Umar. A
person invited the people for the noon or afternoon prayer
(after the adhan had been called). He said: Go out with us
(from this mosque) because this is an innovation (in
religion).
I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say:
If there are three men in a village or in the desert among
whom prayer is not offered (in congregation), the devil
has got the mastery over them. So observe (prayer) in
congregation), for the wolf eats only the straggling
animal. Sa'ib said: By the word Jama'ah he meant saying
prayer in company or in congregation.
If anyone hears him who makes the call to prayer and is
not prevented from joining the congregation by any
excuse--he was asked what an excuse consisted of and
replied that it was fear or illness--the prayer he offers
will not be accepted from him.
Ibn Umm Maktum asked the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him)
saying: Apostle of Allah, I am a blind man, my house is
far away (from the mosque), and I have a guide who does
not follow me. Is it possible that permission be granted
to me for saying prayer in my house? He asked: Do you hear
summons (adhan)? He said: Yes. He said: I do not find any
permission for you.
Apostle of Allah, there are many venomous creatures and
wild beasts in Medina (so allow me to pray in my house
because I am blind). The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said:
Do you hear the call, "Come to prayer," "Come to
salvation"? (He said: Yes.) Then you must come.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) led us in the
dawn prayer one day. And he said: Is so and so present?
They said: No. He (again) asked: Is so and so present?
They replied: No. He then said: These two prayers are the
ones which are most burdensome to hypocrites. If you knew
what they contain (i.e. blessings), you would come to
them, even though you had to crawl on your knees. The
first row is like that of the angels, and if you knew the
nature of its excellence, you would race to join it.
A man's prayer said along with another is purer than
his prayer said alone, and his prayer with two men is
purer than his prayer with one, but if there are more it
is more pleasing to Allah, the Almighty, the Majestic.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: If
anyone goes out from his house after performing ablution
for saying the prescribed prayer in congregation (in the
mosque), his reward will be like that of one who goes for
hajj pilgrimage after wearing ihram (robe worn by the hajj
pilgrims).
And he who goes out to say the mid-morning (duha)
prayer, and takes the trouble for this purpose, will take
the reward like that of a person who performs umrah. And a
prayer followed by a prayer with no worldly talk during
the gap between them will be recorded in Illiyyun.
Prayer in congregation is equivalent to twenty-five
prayers (offered alone). If he prays in a jungle, and
performs its bowing and prostrations perfectly, it becomes
equivalent to fifty prayers (in respect of reward).
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Give good tidings
to those who walk to the mosques in darkness for having a
perfect light on the Day of Judgment.
AbuThumamah al-Hannat said that Ka'b ibn Ujrah met him
while he was going to the mosque; one of the two
(companions) met his companion (on his way to the mosque)
And he met crossing the fingers of my both hands. He
prohibited me to do so, and said: The Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) has said: If any of you performs
ablution, and performs his ablution perfectly, and then
goes out intending for the mosque, he should not cross the
fingers of his hand because he is already in prayer.
Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab said: An Ansari was breathing his
last. He said: I narrate to you a tradition, and I narrate
it with the intention of getting a reward from Allah.
I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say:
If any one of you performs ablution and performs it very
well, and goes out for prayer, he does not take his right
step but Allah records a good work (or blessing) for him,
and he does not take his left step but Allah remits one
sin from him. Any one of you may reside near the mosque or
far from it; if he comes to the mosque and prays in
congregation, he will be forgiven (by Allah).
If he comes to the mosque while the people had prayed
in part, and the prayer remained in part, and he prays in
congregation the part he joined, and completed the part he
had missed, he will enjoy similarly (i.e. he will be
forgiven). If he comes to the mosque when the people had
finished prayer, he will enjoy the same.
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: whoever performs
ablution, and performs his ablution perfectly, and then
goes to the mosque and finds that the people had finished
the prayer (in congregation), Allah will give him a reward
like one who prayed in congregation and attended it; The
reward of those who prayed in congregation will not be
curtailed.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) saw a person
praying alone. He said: Is there any man who may do good
with this (man) and pray along with him.
Yazid prayed along with the Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) when he was a young boy. When he (the
Prophet) had prayed there were two persons (sitting) in
the corner of the mosque; they did not pray (along with
the Prophet). He called for them. They were brought
trembling (before him). He asked: What prevented you from
praying along with us? They replied: We have already
prayed in our houses. He said: Do not do so. If any of you
prays in his house and finds that the imam has not prayed,
he should pray along with him; and that will be a
supererogatory prayer for him.
I came while the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) was saying
the prayer. I sat down and did not pray along with them.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) turned towards us
and saw that Yazid was sitting there. He said: Did you not
embrace Islam, Yazid? He replied: Why not, Apostle of
Allah; I have embraced Islam. He said: What prevented you
from saying prayer along with the people? He replied: I
have already prayed in my house, and I thought that you
had prayed (in congregation). He said: When you come to
pray (in the mosque) and find the people praying, then you
should pray along with them, though you have already
prayed. This will be a supererogatory prayer for you and
that will be counted as obligatory.
Sulayman, the freed slave of Maymunah, said: I came to
Ibn Umar at Bilat (a place in Medina) while the people
were praying. I said: Do you not pray along with them? He
said: I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him)
say: Do not say a prayer twice in a day.
I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say:
He who leads the people in prayer, and he does so at the
right time, will receive, as well as those who are led (in
prayer) will get (the reward). He who delays (prayer) from
the appointed time will be responsible (for this delay)
and not those who are led in prayer.
I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say:
One of the signs of the Last Hour will be that people in a
mosque will refuse to act as imam and will not find an
imam to lead them in prayer.
When the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) proceeded for the
Battle of Badr, I said to him: Apostle of Allah allow me
to accompany you in the battle. I shall act as a nurse for
patients. It is possible that Allah might bestow martyrdom
upon me. He said: Stay at your home. Allah, the Almighty ,
will bestow martyrdom upon you.
The narrator said: Hence she was called martyr. She
read the Qur'an. She sought permission from the Prophet
(peace_be_upon_him) to have a mu'adhdhin in her house. He,
therefore, permitted her (to do so).
She announced that her slave and slave-girl would be
free after her death. One night they went to her and
strangled her with a sheet of cloth until she died, and
they ran away.
Next day Umar announced among the people, "Anyone who
has knowledge about them, or has seen them, should bring
them (to him)."
Umar (after their arrest) ordered (to crucify them) and
they were crucified. This was the first crucifixion at
Medina.
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: There are three
types of people whose prayer is not accepted by Allah: One
who goes in front of people when they do not like him; a
man who comes dibaran, which means that he comes to it too
late; and a man who takes into slavery an emancipated male
or female slave.
AbuAtiyyah a freed slave of us, said: Malik ibn
al-Huwayrith came to this place of prayer of ours, and the
iqamah for prayer was called. We said to him: Come forward
and lead the prayer. He said to us: Put one of your own
men forward to lead you in prayer. I heard the Apostle of
Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: If anyone visits people, he
should not lead them in prayer, but some person of them
should lead the prayer.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) rode a horse
in Medina. It threw him off at the root of a date-palm.
His foot was injured. We visited him to inquire about his
illness. We found him praying sitting in the apartment of
Aisha. We, therefore, stood, (praying) behind him. He kept
silent.
We again visited him to inquire about his illness. He
offered the obligatory prayer sitting. We, therefore,
stood (praying) behind him; he made a sign to us and we
sat down. When he finished the prayer, he said: When the
imam prays sitting, pray sitting; and when the imam prays
standing, pray standing, and do not act as the people of
Persia used to act with their chiefs (i.e. the people
stood and they were sitting).
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The imam is
appointed only to be followed; when he says "Allah is most
great," say "Allah is most great" and do not say "Allah is
most great" until he says "Allah is most great." When he
bows; bow; and do not bow until he bows. And when he says
"Allah listens to him who praise Him," say "O Allah, our
Lord, to Thee be the praise."
The version recorded by Muslim goes: "And to Thee be
the praise: And when he prostrate; and do not prostrate
until he prostrates. When he prays standing, pray
standing, and when he prays sitting, all of you pray
sitting.
Alqamah and al-Aswad sought permission from Abdullah
(ibn Mas'ud) for admission, and we remained sitting at his
door for a long time. A slave-girl came out and gave them
permission (to enter). He (Ibn Mas'ud) then got up and
prayed (standing) between me (al-Aswad) and him (Alqamah).
He then said: I witnessed the Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) doing similarly.
Jabir ibn Yazid ibn al-Aswad reported on the authority
of his father: I prayed behind the Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him). When he finished the prayer, he would
turn (his face from the direction of the Ka'bah).
When we would pray behind the Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him), we liked to be on his right side. He
(the Prophet) would sit turning his face towards us (and
back towards the Ka'bah) (peace_be_upon_him).
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: When the Imam
completes the prayer and sits (for reciting tashahhud),
and then becomes defiled (i.e. his ablution becomes void)
before he speaks (to someone), his prayer becomes
complete. And those who prayed behind him also complete
the prayer.
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The key of prayer
is purification; takbir (saying "Allah is most great")
makes (all acts which break prayer) unlawful and taslim
(uttering the salutation) makes (all such acts) lawful.
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Do not try to
outstrip me in bowing and prostrating because however
earlier I bow you will join me when I raise (my head from
bowing); I have become bulky.
We came to the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him), and a man
came and said: Prophet of Allah, what do you say if one
prays in a single garment? The Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) then took off his wrapper and combined
it with his sheet, and put it on them. He got up and the
Prophet of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) led us in prayer.
When he finished the prayer, he said: Does every one of
you have two garments?
I said: Apostle of Allah, I am a man who goes out
hunting; may I pray in a single shirt? He replied: Yes,
but fasten it even if it should be with a thorn.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) prohibited us
to pray in a sheet of cloth without crossing both its
ends, and he also prohibited us to pray in a wrapper
without putting on a sheet.
I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say:
He who lets his garment trail during prayer out of pride,
Allah, the Almighty, has nothing to do with pardoning him
and protecting him from Hell.
Sa'id ibn AbuSa'id al-Maqburi reported on the authority
of his father that he saw AbuRafi' the freed slave of the
Prophet (peace_be_upon_him), passing by Hasan ibn Ali
(Allah be pleased with them) when he was standing offering
his prayer. He had tied the back knot of his hair.
AbuRafi' untied it. Hasan turned to him with anger,
AbuRafi' said to him: Concentrate on your prayer and do
not be angry: I heard the Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) say: This is the seat of the devil,
referring to the back knot of the hair.
Kurayb the freed slave of Ibn Abbas reported: Abdullah
ibn Abbas saw Abdullah ibn al-Harith praying having the
back knot of the hair. He stood behind him and began to
untie it. He remained standing unmoved (stationary). When
he finished his prayer he came to Ibn Abbas and said to
him: What were you doing with my head? He said: I heard
the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: A man who
prays with the black knot of hair tied is the one praying
pinioned.
While the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) was
leading his Companions in prayer, he took off his sandals
and laid them on his left side; so when the people saw
this, they removed their sandals. When the Apostle of
Allah (peace_be_upon_him) finished his prayer, he asked:
What made you remove your sandals? The replied: We saw you
remove your sandals, so we removed our sandals.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) then said:
Gabriel came to me and informed me that there was filth in
them. When any of you comes to the mosque, he should see;
if he finds filth on his sandals, he should wipe it off
and pray in them.
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: When any of you
prays, he should not place his sandals on his right side
or on his left so as to be on the right side of someone
else, unless no one is at his left, but should place them
between his feet.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to pass
through the row from one side to the other; he used to set
out chests and shoulders in order, and say: Do not be
irregular. And he would say: Allah and His angels bless
those who are near the first rows.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to
straighten our rows when we stood up to pray, and when we
were straight, he said: Allah is most great (takbir).
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Set the rows in
order, stand shoulder to shoulder, close the gaps, be
pliant in the hands of your brethren, and do not leave
openings for the devil. If anyone joins up a row, Allah
will join him up, but if anyone breaks a row, Allah will
cut him off.
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Stand close
together in your rows, bring them near one another, and
stand neck to neck, for by Him in Whose hand my soul is, I
see the devil coming in through openings in the row just
like a small black sheep.
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Complete the
front row, then the one that comes next, and if there is
any incompleteness, let it be in the last row.
I offered the Friday prayer along with Anas ibn Malik.
We were pushed to the pillars (due to the crowd of
people). We, therefore, stopped forward and backward. Anas
then said: We used to avoid it (setting a row between the
pillars) during the time of the Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him).
Should I not tell you how the Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) led the prayer? He said: He had the
iqamah announced, drew the men up in line and drew up the
youths behind them, then led them in prayer. He then
mentioned how he conducted it. and said: Thus is the
prayer of......AbdulA'la said: I think he must have said:
My people.
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: When one of you
prays, he should put something in front of his face, and
if he can find nothing , he should set up his staff; but
if he has no staff, he should draw a line; then what
passes in front of him will not harm him.
I never saw the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him)
praying in front of a stick, a pillar, or a tree, without
having it opposite his right or left eyebrow, and not
facing it directly.
Qatadah said: I heard Jabir ibn Zayd who reported on
the authority of Ibn Abbas; and Shu'bah reported the
Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) as saying: A menstruating
woman and a dog cut off the prayer.
Ikrimah reported on the authority of Ibn Abbas, saying:
I think the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said:
When one of you prays without a sutrah, a dog, an ass, a
pig, a Jew, a Magian, and a woman cut off his prayer, but
it will suffice if they pass in front of him at a distance
of over a stone's throw.
I was sleeping in front of the Prophet
(peace_be_upon_him) with my legs between him and the
qiblah. Shu'bah said: I think she said: I was
menstruating.
I used to sleep lying between the Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) and the qiblah. The Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) used to pray when I (was lying) in
front of him. When he wanted to offer the witr prayer -
added by the narrator Uthman - he pinched me - then the
narrators are agreed - and said: Set aside.
I came riding a donkey. Another version has: Ibn Abbas
said: When I was near the age of the puberty I came riding
a she-ass and found the Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) leading the people in prayer at Mina.
I passed in front of a part of the row (of worshippers),
and dismounting left my she-ass for grazing in the
pasture, and I joined the row, and no one objected to
that.
AbusSahba' said: We discussed the things that cut off
the prayer according to Ibn Abbas. He said: I and a boy
from Banu AbdulMuttalib came riding a donkey, and the
Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) was leading the
people in prayer. He dismounted and I also dismounted. I
left the donkey in front of the row (of the worshippers).
He (the Prophet) did not pay attention to that. Then two
girls from Banu AbdulMuttalib came and joined the row in
the middle, but he paid no attention to that.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) came to us
accompanied by Abbas when we were in open country
belonging to us. He prayed in a desert with no sutrah in
front of him, and a she-ass and a bitch of ours were
playing in front of him, but he paid no attention to that.
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Nothing interrupt
prayer, but repulse as much as you can anyone who passes
in front of you, for he is just a devil.