We were in the company of the Prophet (ﷺ). The mu'adhdhin intended to call for the Zuhr prayer. He said: Make it cooler. He then intended to call for prayer. He said twice or thrice: Make it cooler. We then witnessed the shadow of the mounds. He then said: The intensity of heat comes from the bubbling over of the Hell ; so when the heat is violent, offer (the Zuhr) prayer when it becomes cooler.
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّهُ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يُصَلِّي الْعَصْرَ وَالشَّمْسُ بَيْضَاءُ مُرْتَفِعَةٌ حَيَّةٌ وَيَذْهَبُ الذَّاهِبُ إِلَى الْعَوَالِي وَالشَّمْسُ مُرْتَفِعَةٌ .
Anas b. Malik said the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say the 'Asr prayer when the sun was high and bright and living, then one would go off to al-'Awali and get there while the sun was still high.
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ زَكَرِيَّا بْنِ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ، وَيَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ حَسَّانَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ، عَنْ عَبِيدَةَ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، - رضى الله عنه - أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ يَوْمَ الْخَنْدَقِ
" حَبَسُونَا عَنْ صَلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ مَلأَ اللَّهُ بُيُوتَهُمْ وَقُبُورَهُمْ نَارًا " .
'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying on the day of Battle of Khandaq (Trench). They (the unbelievers) prevented us from offering the middle prayer i.e. 'Asr prayer. May Allah fill their houses and their graves with Hell-fire.
'Aishah commanded me to write for her come passage from the Qur'an. She also added: When you reach the following verse, inform me: "Be guardian of your prayers and of the midmost prayer" (2:238). When I reached it, I informed her. She asked me to write: "Be guardians of your prayers, and of the midmost prayer, and of the 'Asr prayer, and stand up with devotion of Allah" (2:238). 'Aishah then said: I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ أَبِي حَكِيمٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الزِّبْرِقَانَ، يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي الظُّهْرَ بِالْهَاجِرَةِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يُصَلِّي صَلاَةً أَشَدَّ عَلَى أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْهَا فَنَزَلَتْ { حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى } وَقَالَ " إِنَّ قَبْلَهَا صَلاَتَيْنِ وَبَعْدَهَا صَلاَتَيْنِ " .
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to offer the Zuhr prayer in midday heat; and no prayer was harder on the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that this one. Hence the revelation came down: "Be guardians of your prayers, and of the midmost prayer" (2:238). He (the narrator) said: There are two prayers before it and two prayers after it.
If anyone says a rak'ah of the 'Asr prayer before sunset, he has observed (the 'Asr prayer), and if anyone performs a rak'ah of the Fajr prayer, he has observed (the Fajr prayer).
We came upon Anas b. Malik after the Zuhr prayer. He stood for saying the 'Asr prayer. When he became free from praying, we mentioned to him about observing prayer in its early period or he himself mentioned it. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: This is how hypocrites pray, this is how hypocrites pray, this is how hypocrites pray: He sits (watching the sun), and when it becomes yellow and is between the horns of the devil, or is on the horns of the devil, he rises and prays for rak'ahs quickly, remembering Allah only seldom during them.
Ibn 'Umar reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " الَّذِي تَفُوتُهُ صَلاَةُ الْعَصْرِ فَكَأَنَّمَا وُتِرَ أَهْلَهُ وَمَالَهُ " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَقَالَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ " أُتِرَ " . وَاخْتُلِفَ عَلَى أَيُّوبَ فِيهِ وَقَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ عَنْ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " وُتِرَ " .
Anyone who loses his 'Asr prayer is like a person whose family has perished and whose property has been plundered.
Abu Dawud said: 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar narrated the word utira (instead of wutira, meaning perished). The dispute on this point goes back to Ayyub. Al-Zuhri reported from Salim on the authority of this father from the Prophet (ﷺ) the word 'wutira'.
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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to offer it at the hour when the moon went down on its third night.
We remained one night waiting for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to offer the Isha prayer. He came out to us when one-third of the night has passed or even after it. We did not know whether anything kept him occupied or there was some other matter. When he came out, he said: Are you waiting for this prayer ? Were it not that it would impose a burden on my people, I would normally pray with them at this time. He then gave orders to the mu'adhdhin who declared that the time of the prayer had come.
حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عُثْمَانَ الْحِمْصِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا حَرِيزٌ، عَنْ رَاشِدِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ حُمَيْدٍ السَّكُونِيِّ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ مُعَاذَ بْنَ جَبَلٍ، يَقُولُ ارْتَقَبْنَا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي صَلاَةِ الْعَتَمَةِ فَأَخَّرَ حَتَّى ظَنَّ الظَّانُّ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِخَارِجٍ وَالْقَائِلُ مِنَّا يَقُولُ صَلَّى فَإِنَّا لَكَذَلِكَ حَتَّى خَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالُوا لَهُ كَمَا قَالُوا فَقَالَ لَهُمْ
" أَعْتِمُوا بِهَذِهِ الصَّلاَةِ فَإِنَّكُمْ قَدْ فُضِّلْتُمْ بِهَا عَلَى سَائِرِ الأُمَمِ وَلَمْ تُصَلِّهَا أُمَّةٌ قَبْلَكُمْ " .
We waited for the Prophet (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), 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.
حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عَمْرَةَ بِنْتِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، - رضى الله عنها - أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ إِنْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَيُصَلِّي الصُّبْحَ فَيَنْصَرِفُ النِّسَاءُ مُتَلَفِّعَاتٍ بِمُرُوطِهِنَّ مَا يُعْرَفْنَ مِنَ الْغَلَسِ .
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would say the Fajr prayer after which the women would depart wrapped up their woolen garments, being unrecognizable because of the darkness before dawn.
AbuMuhammad fancies that witr prayer is essential. (Hearing this) Ubadah ibn as-Samit said: AbuMuhammad was wrong. I bear witness that I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْخُزَاعِيُّ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ غَنَّامٍ، عَنْ بَعْضِ، أُمَّهَاتِهِ عَنْ أُمِّ فَرْوَةَ، قَالَتْ سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَىُّ الأَعْمَالِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ
" الصَّلاَةُ فِي أَوَّلِ وَقْتِهَا " . قَالَ الْخُزَاعِيُّ فِي حَدِيثِهِ عَنْ عَمَّةٍ لَهُ يُقَالُ لَهَا أُمُّ فَرْوَةَ قَدْ بَايَعَتِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سُئِلَ .
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ): He was questioned.
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ رُؤَيْبَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ سَأَلَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ فَقَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي مَا سَمِعْتَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ
" لاَ يَلِجُ النَّارَ رَجُلٌ صَلَّى قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ أَنْ تَغْرُبَ " . قَالَ أَنْتَ سَمِعْتَهُ مِنْهُ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ . قَالَ نَعَمْ . كُلَّ ذَلِكَ يَقُولُ سَمِعَتْهُ أُذُنَاىَ وَوَعَاهُ قَلْبِي . فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ وَأَنَا سَمِعْتُهُ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ .
A man from Basrah said: Tell me what you heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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).
There are five thing, if anyone observe them with faith, he will enter Paradise. He who prays the five times prayer regularly, with the ablution for them, with their bowing, with their prostration and their (right) times ; keeps fast during Ramadan ; performs Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (Ka'bah), provided he has the ability for its passage; pays Zakat happily ; and fulfills the trust (he will enter Paradise). People said: Abu al-Darda', what is fulfilling the trust ? He replied: Washing because of sexual defilement.
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.
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked me: 'How will you act, Abu Dharr, when you are under rulers who kill prayer or delay it (beyond its proper time) ?' I said: 'Messenger of Allah, what do you command me ?' He replied: 'Offer the prayer at its proper time, and if you say it along with them, say it, for it will be a supererogatory prayer for you.'"
Amr ibn Maymun al-Awdi said: Mu'adh ibn Jabal, the Messenger of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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, Messenger 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: Messenger 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ قَفَلَ مِنْ غَزْوَةِ خَيْبَرَ فَسَارَ لَيْلَةً حَتَّى إِذَا أَدْرَكَنَا الْكَرَى عَرَّسَ وَقَالَ لِبِلاَلٍ " اكْلأْ لَنَا اللَّيْلَ " . قَالَ فَغَلَبَتْ بِلاَلاً عَيْنَاهُ وَهُوَ مُسْتَنِدٌ إِلَى رَاحِلَتِهِ فَلَمْ يَسْتَيْقِظِ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلاَ بِلاَلٌ وَلاَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ حَتَّى إِذَا ضَرَبَتْهُمُ الشَّمْسُ فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَوَّلَهُمُ اسْتِيقَاظًا فَفَزِعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " يَا بِلاَلُ " . فَقَالَ أَخَذَ بِنَفْسِي الَّذِي أَخَذَ بِنَفْسِكَ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَاقْتَادُوا رَوَاحِلَهُمْ شَيْئًا ثُمَّ تَوَضَّأَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَمَرَ بِلاَلاً فَأَقَامَ لَهُمُ الصَّلاَةَ وَصَلَّى بِهِمُ الصُّبْحَ فَلَمَّا قَضَى الصَّلاَةَ قَالَ " مَنْ نَسِيَ صَلاَةً فَلْيُصَلِّهَا إِذَا ذَكَرَهَا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى قَالَ { أَقِمِ الصَّلاَةَ لِلذِّكْرَى } " . قَالَ يُونُسُ وَكَانَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ يَقْرَؤُهَا كَذَلِكَ . قَالَ أَحْمَدُ قَالَ عَنْبَسَةُ - يَعْنِي عَنْ يُونُسَ - فِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ لِذِكْرِي . وَقَالَ أَحْمَدُ الْكَرَى النُّعَاسُ .
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) returned from the Battle of Khaibar, he travelled during the night. When we felt sleep, he halted for rest. Addressing Bilal he said: Keep vigilance at night for us. But Bilal who was leaning against the saddle of his mount was dominated by sleep. Neither the Prophet (ﷺ) nor Bilal nor any of his Companions could get up till the sunshine struck them. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got up first of all. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was embarrassed and said: O Bilal ! He replied: He who detained your soul, detained my soul, Messenger of Allah, my parents be sacrificed for you. Then they drove their mounts to a little distance. The Prophet (ﷺ) perfumed ablution and commanded Bilal who made announcement for the prayer. He (the Prophet) led them in the Fajr prayer. When he finished prayer, he said: If anyone forget saying prayer, he should observe it when he recalls it, for Allah has said (in the Qur'an): "Establish prayer for my remembrance". Yunus said: Ibn Shihab used to recite this verse in a similar way (i.e. instead of reciting the word li-dhikri - for the sake of My remembrance - he would recite li-dhikra - when you remember). Ahmad (one of the narrator) said: 'Anbasah (a reporter) reported on the authority of Yunus the word li-dhikri (for the sake of my remembrance). Ahmad said: The word nu'as (occurring in this tradition) means "drowsiness".
Another version of the above tradition adds: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Go away from this place of yours where inadvertence took hold of you. He then commanded Bilal who called for prayer and announced that the prayer in congregation was ready (i.e. he uttered the iqamah) and he observed prayer.
Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Malik, Sufyan b. 'Uyainah, al-Awza'i, and 'Abd al-Razzaq from Ma'mar and Ibn Ishaq, none of them made a mention of the call for prayer (adman) in this version of the tradition narrated by al-Zuhri, and none of them attribute (this tradition) to him except al-Awza'i and Aban al-'Attar on the authority of Ma'mar.
"The Prophet (ﷺ) was on a journey. The Prophet (ﷺ) took a turn and I also took a turn with him. He said: 'Look!' I said: 'This is a rider; these are two riders; and these are three' until we became seven. He then said: Guard for us our prayer, i.e. the Fajr prayer. But sleep dominated them and none could awaken them except the heat of the sun. They stood up and drove away a little. Then they got down (from their mounts) and performed ablution. Bilal called for prayer and they offered two rak'ahs of (Sunnah) of Fajr and then offered the Fajr prayer and mounted (their mounts). Some of them said to others: We showed negligence in prayer. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: There is no negligence in sleep. The negligence is in wakefulness. If any of you forget saying prayer, he should offer it when he remembers it and next day (he should say it) at its proper time.
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ نَصْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وَهْبُ بْنُ جَرِيرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَسْوَدُ بْنُ شَيْبَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ سُمَيْرٍ، قَالَ قَدِمَ عَلَيْنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ رَبَاحٍ الأَنْصَارِيُّ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ وَكَانَتِ الأَنْصَارُ تُفَقِّهُهُ - فَحَدَّثَنَا قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو قَتَادَةَ الأَنْصَارِيُّ فَارِسُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم جَيْشَ الأُمَرَاءِ بِهَذِهِ الْقِصَّةِ . قَالَ فَلَمْ تُوقِظْنَا إِلاَّ الشَّمْسُ طَالِعَةً فَقُمْنَا وَهِلِينَ لِصَلاَتِنَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " رُوَيْدًا رُوَيْدًا " . حَتَّى إِذَا تَعَالَتِ الشَّمْسُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ يَرْكَعُ رَكْعَتَىِ الْفَجْرِ فَلْيَرْكَعْهُمَا " . فَقَامَ مَنْ كَانَ يَرْكَعُهُمَا وَمَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَرْكَعُهُمَا فَرَكَعَهُمَا ثُمَّ أَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ يُنَادَى بِالصَّلاَةِ فَنُودِيَ بِهَا فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَصَلَّى بِنَا فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ قَالَ " أَلاَ إِنَّا نَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ أَنَّا لَمْ نَكُنْ فِي شَىْءٍ مِنْ أُمُورِ الدُّنْيَا يَشْغَلُنَا عَنْ صَلاَتِنَا وَلَكِنَّ أَرْوَاحَنَا كَانَتْ بِيَدِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَأَرْسَلَهَا أَنَّى شَاءَ فَمَنْ أَدْرَكَ مِنْكُمْ صَلاَةَ الْغَدَاةِ مِنْ غَدٍ صَالِحًا فَلْيَقْضِ مَعَهَا مِثْلَهَا " .
'Abd Allah b. Rabah al-Ansari, whom the Ansar called faqih (juries), came to us from Medina, and reported us on the authority of Abu Qatadah al-Ansari, the horseman of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent a military expedition consisting of the chief Companions. He then narrated the same story, saying Nothing awakened us except the rising sun. We stoop up in bewilderment, for our prayer. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Wait a little, wait a little. When the sun rose high, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Those who sued to observer the two rak'ahs of Fajr prayer (sunnah prayer before obligatory prayer) should observe them. Then those who used to observe and those who would not observe stood up and said prayer. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded to call for prayer; the call for prayer was made accordingly. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood and led us in prayer. When he turned away (from the prayer) he said: We thank Allah for the fact that we were not engaged in any wordily affairs which detained us from our prayer. Instead our souls were in the hands of Allah. He released them whenever He wished. If any one of you gets morning prayer tomorrow at its proper time, he should offer a similar prayer as an atonement.
"Allah takes your souls as He wishes, and returns them as He wishes. Stand up and call the Adhan to prayer." They (the Companions) stood and performed ablution. When the sun rose high, the Prophet (ﷺ) stood and led the people in prayer.
There is no remissness in sleep, it is only when one is awake that there is remissness when you delay saying the prayer till the time for the next prayer comes.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was on his journey. They (the people) slept abandoning the Fajr prayer. They awoke by the heat of the sun. Then they travelled a little until the sun rose high. He (the Prophet) commanded the mu'adhdhin (one who called for prayer) to call for prayer. He then offered two rak'ahs of prayer (sunnah prayer) before the (obligatory) fajr prayer. Then he (the mu'adhdhin) announced for saying the prayer in congregation (i.e. he uttered iqamah). Then he led them in the morning prayer.
We were in the company of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) during one of his journeys. He overslept abandoning the morning prayer until the sun had arisen. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.
Dhu Mikhbar al-Habashi, who used to serve the Prophet (ﷺ), reported a version of the previous tradition. The Prophet (ﷺ) performed ablution in such a way that there is no mud on the earth. He then commanded Bilal (to call for prayer). He called for prayer. The Prophet (ﷺ) stood and offered two rak'ahs of prayer unhurriedly.
This is narrated by Hajjaj on the authority of Yazid b. Sulaih from Dhu Mikhbar from a person of al-Habashah (Ethiopia). 'Ubaid (a narrator) said:
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ - حَدَّثَنَا حَرِيزٌ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ بْنُ أَبِي الْوَزِيرِ، حَدَّثَنَا مُبَشِّرٌ، - يَعْنِي الْحَلَبِيَّ - حَدَّثَنَا حَرِيزٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ عُثْمَانَ - حَدَّثَنِي يَزِيدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، عَنْ ذِي، مِخْبَرٍ الْحَبَشِيِّ وَكَانَ يَخْدُمُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي هَذَا الْخَبَرِ قَالَ فَتَوَضَّأَ - يَعْنِي النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم - وُضُوءًا لَمْ يَلْثَ مِنْهُ التُّرَابُ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِلاَلاً فَأَذَّنَ ثُمَّ قَامَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَرَكَعَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ غَيْرَ عَجِلٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِبِلاَلٍ
" أَقِمِ الصَّلاَةَ " . ثُمَّ صَلَّى الْفَرْضَ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ عَجِلٍ . قَالَ عَنْ حَجَّاجٍ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ صُلَيْحٍ حَدَّثَنِي ذُو مِخْبَرٍ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْحَبَشَةِ وَقَالَ عُبَيْدٌ يَزِيدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ .
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ جَامِعِ بْنِ شَدَّادٍ، سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ أَبِي عَلْقَمَةَ، سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ أَقْبَلْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم زَمَنَ الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ يَكْلَؤُنَا " . فَقَالَ بِلاَلٌ أَنَا . فَنَامُوا حَتَّى طَلَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَاسْتَيْقَظَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " افْعَلُوا كَمَا كُنْتُمْ تَفْعَلُونَ " . قَالَ فَفَعَلْنَا . قَالَ " فَكَذَلِكَ فَافْعَلُوا لِمَنْ نَامَ أَوْ نَسِيَ " .
We proceeded with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the occasion of al-Hudaybiyyah. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Who will keep watch for us? Bilal said: I (shall do). The overslept till the sun arose. The Prophet (ﷺ) 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 mosque (of the Prophet) during his lifetime was built with bricks, its roof with branches of the palm-tree, and its pillars with palm-wood, as Mujahid said: Abu Bakr did not add anything to it. But 'Umar added to it; he built as it was built during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with bricks and branches, and he changed its pillars. Mujahid said: Its pillars were made of wood. 'Uthman changed it altogether with increasing addition. He built its walls with decorated stone and lime. And he built the pillars with decorated stone and its roof with teak. Mujahid said: Its roof was made of teak.
Abu Dawud said: Al-Qassah means lime used as mortar.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ شَيْبَانَ، عَنْ فِرَاسٍ، عَنْ عَطِيَّةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ مَسْجِدَ النَّبِيِّ، صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَتْ سَوَارِيهِ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ جُذُوعِ النَّخْلِ أَعْلاَهُ مُظَلَّلٌ بِجَرِيدِ النَّخْلِ ثُمَّ إِنَّهَا نَخِرَتْ فِي خِلاَفَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَبَنَاهَا بِجُذُوعِ النَّخْلِ وَبِجَرِيدِ النَّخْلِ ثُمَّ إِنَّهَا نَخِرَتْ فِي خِلاَفَةِ عُثْمَانَ فَبَنَاهَا بِالآجُرِّ فَلَمْ تَزَلْ ثَابِتَةً حَتَّى الآنَ .
The pillars of the mosque of the Prophet (ﷺ) during the life time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) were made of the trunks of the palm-tree; they covered from the above by twigs of the palm-tree; they decayed during the caliphate of Abu Bakr. He built it afresh with trunks and twigs of the palm-tree. But they again decayed during the caliphate of 'Uthman. He, therefore, built it with bricks. That survives until today.
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، عَنْ أَبِي التَّيَّاحِ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمَدِينَةَ فَنَزَلَ فِي عُلْوِ الْمَدِينَةِ فِي حَىٍّ يُقَالُ لَهُمْ بَنُو عَمْرِو بْنِ عَوْفٍ فَأَقَامَ فِيهِمْ أَرْبَعَ عَشَرَةَ لَيْلَةً ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَ إِلَى بَنِي النَّجَّارِ فَجَاءُوا مُتَقَلِّدِينَ سُيُوفَهُمْ - فَقَالَ أَنَسٌ - فَكَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى رَاحِلَتِهِ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ رِدْفَهُ وَمَلأُ بَنِي النَّجَّارِ حَوْلَهُ حَتَّى أَلْقَى بِفِنَاءِ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي حَيْثُ أَدْرَكَتْهُ الصَّلاَةُ وَيُصَلِّي فِي مَرَابِضِ الْغَنَمِ وَإِنَّهُ أَمَرَ بِبِنَاءِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى بَنِي النَّجَّارِ فَقَالَ
" يَا بَنِي النَّجَّارِ ثَامِنُونِي بِحَائِطِكُمْ هَذَا " . فَقَالُوا وَاللَّهِ لاَ نَطْلُبُ ثَمَنَهُ إِلاَّ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ . قَالَ أَنَسٌ وَكَانَ فِيهِ مَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ كَانَتْ فِيهِ قُبُورُ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَكَانَتْ فِيهِ خِرَبٌ وَكَانَ فِيهِ نَخْلٌ فَأَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِقُبُورِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَنُبِشَتْ وَبِالْخِرَبِ فَسُوِّيَتْ وَبِالنَّخْلِ فَقُطِعَ فَصَفُّوا النَّخْلَ قِبْلَةَ الْمَسْجِدِ وَجَعَلُوا عِضَادَتَيْهِ حِجَارَةً وَجَعَلُوا يَنْقُلُونَ الصَّخْرَ وَهُمْ يَرْتَجِزُونَ وَالنَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَعَهُمْ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ لاَ خَيْرَ إِلاَّ خَيْرُ الآخِرَهْ فَانْصُرِ الأَنْصَارَ وَالْمُهَاجِرَهْ
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came over to Medina and encamped at the upper side of Medina among the tribe known as Banu 'Amr b. 'Awf. He stayed among them for fourteen days. He then sent someone to call Banu al-Najjar. They came to him hanging their swords from the necks. Anas then said: As if I am looking at the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sitting on his mount and Abu Bakr seated behind him, and Banu al-Najjar standing around him. He descended in the courtyard of Abu Ayyub. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would say his prayer in the folds of the sheep and goats. He commanded us to build a mosque. He then sent for Banu al-Najjar and said to them: Banu al-Najjar, sell this land of yours to me for some price. They replied: By Allah, we do not want any price (from you) except from Allah. Anas said: I tell what this land contained. It contained the graves of the disbelievers, dung-hills, and some trees of date-palm. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded and the graves of the disbelievers were dug open, and the trees of the date-palm were cut off. The wood of the date-palm were erected in front of the mosque ; the door-steps wre built of stone. They were reciting verses carrying the stones. The Prophet (ﷺ) also joined them (in reciting verses) saying: O Allah, there is no good except the good of the Hereafter. So grant you aid to the Ansar and the Muhajirah.
The Mosque (of the Prophet) was built in the land of Banu al-Najjar which contained crops, palm trees and graves of the disbelievers. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Sell it to me for some price. They (Banu al-Najjar) replied: We do not want (any price). The palm-trees were cut off, and the crops removed and the graves of the disbelievers dug opened. He then narrated the rest of the tradition. But this version has the word "forgive" in the verse, instead of the word "help". Musa said: 'Abd al-Warith also narrated this tradition in a like manner. The version of 'Abd al-Warith has the word "dung-hill" (instead of crop), and he asserted that he narrated this tradition to Hammad.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ زَائِدَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ أَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِبِنَاءِ الْمَسَاجِدِ فِي الدُّورِ وَأَنْ تُنَظَّفَ وَتُطَيَّبَ .
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.
After (praising Allah and blessing the Prophet) that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to command us to build mosques in our localities and keep them well and clean.
I said: Messenger of Allah, tell us the legal injunction about (visiting) Bayt al-Muqaddas (the dome of the Rock at Jerusalem). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.
I asked Ibn 'Umar about the gravel spread pin the mosque. He replied: One night the rain fell and the earth was moistened. A man was bringing the gravel (broken stones) in his cloth and spreading it beneath him. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) finished his prayer, he said: How fine it is !
The Prophet (ﷺ) 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.
If we left this door for women (it would have been better). Nafi' said: Ibn 'Umar did not enter (the door) until his death. The other except 'Abd al-Warith said: This was said by 'Umar (and not by Ibn 'Umar) and that is more correct.
This tradition has been reported by 'Umar b. al-Khattab through a different chain of narrators. He narrated it to the same effect and that is more correct.
Abu Usaid al-Ansari reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying:
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ، - يَعْنِي الدَّرَاوَرْدِيَّ - عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا حُمَيْدٍ، أَوْ أَبَا أُسَيْدٍ الأَنْصَارِيَّ يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
" إِذَا دَخَلَ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَلْيُسَلِّمْ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ لْيَقُلِ اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ فَإِذَا خَرَجَ فَلْيَقُلِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ " .
when any of you enters the mosque he should invoke blessing on the prophet (ﷺ) and then he should say: O Allah, open to me the gates of thy mercy. And when he goes out, he should say: O Allah, I ask thee out of Thine abundance.
I met ‘Uqbah b. Muslim and said to him: it has been reported to me that someone has narrated to you from the prophet (ﷺ) that when he entered the mosque, he would say: I seek refuge in Allah, the Magnificent, and in His noble face, and in his eternal domain, from the accursed Devil. He asked : is it so much only? I said: Yes. He said: when anyone says so. The devil says: he is protected from me all the day long.
Abu Qatadah reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying; when any one of you enters the mosque, he should pray two RAKAHS before sitting down.
Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying; The angels invoke blessings on any of you who remains sitting at the place where he says his prayers so long as he is defiled (needs ablution) or stands up, saying:
Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying; one is considered to be at prayer so long as one is detained by prayer:
Abu Hurairah reported the apostle of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying; The servant (of Allah) is considered to he at prayer so long as he remains at the place of prayer waiting for prayer. The angels say:
O Allah, forgive him? O Allah, take mercy on him, until he turns away, or he is defiled. He was asked: what is meant by defilement? He replied: he breaks wind gently or loudly.
I heard the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying; if anyone hears a man crying out in the mosque about something he has lost, he should say: May Allah not restore it to you, for the mosque were not built for this.
The Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said: if anyone enters the mosque, and spits in it, or ejects phlegm, he should remove some earth and bury it there. If he does not do so, then he should spit in his clothes and not come out with it.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.
One day while the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ)was giving sermon he suddenly saw phlegm on the wall towards the qiblah(the direction to which Muslims turn in prayer) of the mosque. So he became angry at people. He then scraped it and sent for saffron and stained with it. He then said: When any one of you prays, Allah, the Exalted, faces him: he, therefore, should not spit before him.
The Prophet(ﷺ) liked the twigs of the date-palm, and he often had one of them in his hand. He entered the mosque and saw phlegm in the wall towards qiblah and he scraped it. He then turned towards people in anger and said: Is any one of you is pleased to spit in his face? When any of you faces qiblah, he indeed faces his Lord, the Majestic the Glorious: the angels are at right side. Therefore, he should not spit on his right side or before him towards qiblah. He should spit towards his left side or beneath his foot. If he is in a hurry, he should do so-and-so. Describing it Ibn ‘Ajlan said: He should spit in his cloth and fold a part of it over the other.
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرٌو، عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ سَوَادَةَ الْجُذَامِيِّ، عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ خَيْوَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَهْلَةَ السَّائِبِ بْنِ خَلاَّدٍ، - قَالَ أَحْمَدُ - مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّ رَجُلاً أَمَّ قَوْمًا فَبَصَقَ فِي الْقِبْلَةِ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَنْظُرُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ فَرَغَ " لاَ يُصَلِّي لَكُمْ " . فَأَرَادَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ لَهُمْ فَمَنَعُوهُ وَأَخْبَرُوهُ بِقَوْلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " نَعَمْ " . وَحَسِبْتُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ " إِنَّكَ آذَيْتَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ " .
A man led the people in prayer. He spat towards qiblah while the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was looking at him. The Messenger 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) doing so.
We came to Jabir ibn Abdullah who was sitting in his mosque. He said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 entered the mosque on camel and made it kneel down, and then tied his leg with rope. He then asked: Who among you is Muhammad? The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) was sitting leaning upon something among them. We said to him: This white (man) who is leaning. The man said: O son of ‘Abd al-Muttalib. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said; I already responded to you. The man (again) said: O Muhammad. I am asking you. The narrator then narrated the rest of the tradition.
Banu Sa’d b. Bakr sent Qamam b. Tha’labah to the apostle of Allah (May peace be upon him). He came to him and made his camel kneel down near the gate of the mosque. He then tied its leg and entered the mosque. The narrator then reported in a similar way. He then said: Who among you is the son of Abd al-Muttalib? The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) replied: I am the son of Ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib. He said: O son of ‘Abd al-Muttalib. The narrator then reported the rest of the tradition.
The Jews came to the Prophet (May peace be upon him) and he was sitting in the mosque among his Companions. They said: O Abu al-Qasim, a man and a woman have committed adultery.
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.
Abu Salih narrated this tradition with a different chain of transmitters to the same effect as reported by Sulaiman b. Dawud. But this version has the word KHARAJA (he went out) instead of BARAZA (proceeded).
The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) was asked about saying prayer at places where the camels kneel down. He replied; Do not say prayer at places where the camels kneel down because they are the places of devils. And he was asked about saying prayer in the fold of sheep. He replied: pray there because they are the places of blessing.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.
This tradition has been narrated by Dawud b. Sawar al-Muzani through a different chain of transmitters and to the same effect. This version adds; if any of you marries his slave-girl to his male-slave or his servant, he should not look at her private part below her navel and above her knees.
Abu Dawud said:
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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about it; he said: When a boy distinguishes right hand from the left hand, then command him to pray.
حَدَّثَنَا عَبَّادُ بْنُ مُوسَى الْخُتَّلِيُّ، وَزِيَادُ بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، - وَحَدِيثُ عَبَّادٍ أَتَمُّ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، - قَالَ زِيَادٌ أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بِشْرٍ، - عَنْ أَبِي عُمَيْرِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ عُمُومَةٍ، لَهُ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ قَالَ اهْتَمَّ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِلصَّلاَةِ كَيْفَ يَجْمَعُ النَّاسَ لَهَا فَقِيلَ لَهُ انْصِبْ رَايَةً عِنْدَ حُضُورِ الصَّلاَةِ فَإِذَا رَأَوْهَا آذَنَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا فَلَمْ يُعْجِبْهُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَذُكِرَ لَهُ الْقُنْعُ - يَعْنِي الشَّبُّورَ - وَقَالَ زِيَادٌ شَبُّورَ الْيَهُودِ فَلَمْ يُعْجِبْهُ ذَلِكَ وَقَالَ " هُوَ مِنْ أَمْرِ الْيَهُودِ " . قَالَ فَذُكِرَ لَهُ النَّاقُوسُ فَقَالَ " هُوَ مِنْ أَمْرِ النَّصَارَى " . فَانْصَرَفَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ زَيْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ رَبِّهِ وَهُوَ مُهْتَمٌّ لِهَمِّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأُرِيَ الأَذَانَ فِي مَنَامِهِ - قَالَ - فَغَدَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَخْبَرَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَبَيْنَ نَائِمٍ وَيَقْظَانَ إِذْ أَتَانِي آتٍ فَأَرَانِي الأَذَانَ . قَالَ وَكَانَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ - رضى الله عنه - قَدْ رَآهُ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَكَتَمَهُ عِشْرِينَ يَوْمًا - قَالَ - ثُمَّ أَخْبَرَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ لَهُ " مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تُخْبِرَنِي " . فَقَالَ سَبَقَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ زَيْدٍ فَاسْتَحْيَيْتُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَا بِلاَلُ قُمْ فَانْظُرْ مَا يَأْمُرُكَ بِهِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ زَيْدٍ فَافْعَلْهُ " . قَالَ فَأَذَّنَ بِلاَلٌ . قَالَ أَبُو بِشْرٍ فَأَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو عُمَيْرٍ أَنَّ الأَنْصَارَ تَزْعُمُ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ زَيْدٍ لَوْلاَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَوْمَئِذٍ مَرِيضًا لَجَعَلَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُؤَذِّنًا .
AbuUmayr reported on the authority of his uncle who was from the Ansar (the helpers of the Prophet): The Prophet (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ). He was then taught the call to prayer in his dream. Next day he came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and informed him about it.
He said: Messenger 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 (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would have made him mu'adhdhin.
when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered a bell to be made so that it might be struck to gather the people for prayer, a man carrying a bell in his hand appeared to me while I was asleep, and I said; servant of ‘abd Allah, will you sell the bell? He asked; what will you do with it? I replied; we shall use it to call the people to prayer. He said; should I not suggest you something better than that. I replied: certainly. Then he told me to say: Allah is most great, Allah is most great, Allah is most great, Allah is most great. I testify that there is no god but Allah, I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Come to pray, come to pray; come to salvation; come to salvation. Allah is most great, Allah is most great. I testify that there is no god but Allah. He then moved backward a few steps and said: when you utter the IQAMAH, you should say: Allah is most great, Allah is most great. I testify that there is no god but Allah, I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Come to prayer, come to salvation. The time for prayer has come, the time for prayer has come: Allah is most great, Allah is most great. There is no god but Allah. When the morning came, I came to the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) and informed him of what I had seen in the dream. He said: it is a genuine vision, and he then should use it to call people to prayer, for he has a louder voice than you have. So I got up along with Bilal and began to teach it to him and he used it in making the call to prayer. ‘Umar b. al-khattab (Allah be pleased with him) heard it while he was in his house and came out trailing his cloak and said: Messenger of Allah. By him who has sent you with the truth, I have also seen the kind of thing as has been shown to him. The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) said: To Allah be the praise.
Abu Dawud said; Al-Zuhri narrated this tradition in a similar way from Sa’id b. al-Musayyib on the authority of ‘Abd Allah b. Zaid. In this version Ibn Ishaq narrated from al-Zuhri: Allah is most great. Allah is most great, Allah is most great, Allah is most great. Ma;mar and yunus narrated from al-Zuhri; Allah is most great, Allah is most great. They did not report it twice again.
Abu Mahdhurah reported; I said; Messenger of Allah, teach me the method of ADHAN (how to pronounce the call to prayer). He wiped my forehead (with his hand) and asked me to pronounce; Allah is most great. Allah is most great. Allah is most great. Allah is most great, raising your voice while saying them (these words). Then you must raise your voice in making the testimony:
I testify that there is no god but Allah, I testify that there is no god but Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Lowering your voice while saying them (these words). Then you must raise your voice in making the testimony: I testify that there is no god but Allah, I testify there is no god but Allah; I testify Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I testify Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Come to prayer, come to prayer; come to salvation, come to salvation. If it is the morning prayer, you must pronounce; prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep, Allah is most great; there is no god but Allah.
Abu Mahdhurah also narrated this tradition from the prophet (May peace be upon him) to the same effect through a different chain of transmitters. This version has the additional wordings. The phrases “prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep” are to be pronounced in the first ADHAN (i.e., not in Iqamah) of the morning prayer.
Abu Dawud said; The version narrated by Musaddad is more clear. It reads:
He (the prophet) taught me IQAMAH (to pronounce each phrase) twice: 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 Messenger of Allah, I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah: come to prayer, come to prayer: come to salvation, come to salvation: Allah is most great. Allah is great; there is no god but Allah.
Abu Dawud said: The narrator ‘Abd al-Razzaq said; You pronounce IQAMAH for announcing the prayer; you must say twice: the time for prayer has come, the time for prayer has come. (The Prophet said to Abu Mahdhurah): did you listen (to me)? Abu Mahdhurah would not have the hair of his forehead cut, nor would he separate them (from him) because the Prophet (ﷺ) wiped over them.
Abu Mahdhurah reported ; The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) taught him nineteen phrases in ADHAN and seventeen phrases in IQAMAH. ADHAN runs; Allah is most great. Allah is most great. Allah is most great. Allah is most great; I testify that there is no god but Allah. I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; I testify that there is no god but Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I testify that Muhammad is Messenger of Allah:
come to prayer, come to prayer, come to salvation; Allah is most great, Allah is most great: there is no god but Allah. IQAMAH runs: Allah is most great, Allah is most great. 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 Messenger of Allah, I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; come to prayer; come to prayer: come to salvation. Come to salvation; the time for prayer has come the time for prayer has come: Allah is most great, Allah is most great: there is no god but Allah. This is recorded in his collection (i.e., in the collection of the narrator Hammam b. Yahya) according to the tradition reported by Abu Mahdhurah (i.e., IQAMAH contains seventeen phrases)
The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) himself taught me the call to prayer (adhan). He asked me to pronounce: Allah is most great. Allah is most great. 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 Messenger of Allah, I testify that Muhammad is Messenger of Allah. Then repeat and raise your voice; I testify that there is no god but Allah, I testify that there is no god but Allah ; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; come to prayer, come to prayer; come to salvation, come to salvation; Allah is most great. Allah is most great; there is no god but Allah.
The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) taught me the call to prayer (adhan) verbatim; Allah is most great, Allah is most great, 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 Messenger of Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; I testify that there is no god but Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; come to prayer, come to prayer; come to salvation, come to salvation. He used to pronounce “prayer is better than sleep” in the dawn prayer.
Allah is most great, Allah is most great; I testify that there is no god but Allah. He then narrated adhan like the one contained in the tradition transmitted by Ibn Juraij from ‘Abd al-aziz b. ‘abd al-Malik to the same effect. The version Malik b. Dinar has. I asked the son of Abu Mahdhurah, saying: Narrate to me the adhan of your father narrated from the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him). He said: Allah is most great, Allah is most great, that is all. Similar is the version narrated by Ja’far b. Sulaiman from the son of Abd Muhdhurah from his uncle on the authority of his grandfather, excepting that he said; Then repeat and raise your voice. Allah is most great. Allah is most great.
Prayer passed through three stages. And out people narrated to us that Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) said; it is to my liking that the prayer of Muslims or believers should be united (i.e., in congregation), so much so that I intended to send people to the houses to announce the time of prayer; and I also resolved that I should order people to stand at (the tops of) the forts and announce the time of the prayer for Muslims; and they struck the bell or were about to strike the bell (to announce the time for prayer). Then came a person from among the Ansar who said: Messenger of Allah, when I returned from you, as I saw your anxiety. I saw (in sleep) a person with two green clothes on him; he stood on the mosque and called (people) to prayer. He then sat down for a short while and stood up and pronounced in a like manner, except that he added: “The time for prayer has come”. If the people did not call me (a liar), and according to the version of Ibn al-Muthanna, if you did not call me (a liar). I would say that I was awake; I was awake; I was not asleep. The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) said: According to the version of Ibn al-Muthanna, Allah has shown you a good (dream). But the version of ‘Amr does not have the words: Allah has shown you a good (dream). Then ask Bilal to pronounce the ADHAN (to call to the prayer). ‘Umar (in the meantime) said: I also had a dream like the one he had. But as he informed earlier. I was ashamed (to inform). Our people have narrated to us: when a person came (to the mosque during the prayer in congregation), he would ask (about the RAKAHS of prayer), and he would be informed about the number of RAKAHS already performed. They would stand (in prayer) along with the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him): some in standing position; others bowing; some sitting and some praying along with the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him).
Ibn al-Muthanna reported from ‘Amr from Hussain b. Abi Laila, saying ; Until Mu’adh came. Shu’bah said ; I heard it from Hussain who said : I shall follow the position (in the prayer in which I find him (the prophet)). . . you should do in a similar way.
Abu Dawud said: I then turned to the tradition reported by ‘Amr b. Marzuq he said; then Ma’adh came and they (the people) hinted at him. Shu’bah said; I heard it from hussain who said: Mu’adh then said; I shall follow the position (in the prayer when I join it) in which I find him (the prophet). He then said: Mu’adh has prayer when I join it in which I find him (the prophet). He then said: MU’adh has introduced for you a SUNNAH (a model behaviour), so you should do in a like manner.
He said; our people have narrated to us; when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to Madina, he commanded them (the people) to keep fast for three days. Thereafter the Quranic verses with regard to the fasts during Ramadan were revealed. But they were people who were not accustomed to keep fast ; hence the keeping of the fasts was hard for them; so those who could not keep fast would feed an indigent; then the month”. The concession was granted to the patient and the traveler; all were commanded to keep fast.
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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah, I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Teach it to Bilal, then pronounce the adhan (call to prayer) with the same words. As regards fasting, he said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.
This tradition has been narrated by Abu Ja’far, the mu’adhdhin of ‘Uryan mosque (at Kufah), from Abu al-Muthanna, the mu’adhdhin of masjid al-akbar (at kufah) on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar. The rest of the tradition was transmitted in a like manner.
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ عَمِّهِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، قَالَ أَرَادَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الأَذَانِ أَشْيَاءَ لَمْ يَصْنَعْ مِنْهَا شَيْئًا قَالَ فَأُرِيَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ زَيْدٍ الأَذَانَ فِي الْمَنَامِ فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَخْبَرَهُ فَقَالَ " أَلْقِهِ عَلَى بِلاَلٍ " . فَأَلْقَاهُ عَلَيْهِ فَأَذَّنَ بِلاَلٌ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ أَنَا رَأَيْتُهُ وَأَنَا كُنْتُ أُرِيدُهُ قَالَ " فَأَقِمْ أَنْتَ " .
The Prophet (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) commanded me to call the adhan and I did so. Then I began to ask: Should I utter iqamah, Messenger 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 (ﷺ) said to him: The man of Suda' has called the adhan, and he who calls the adhan utters the iqamah.
The Prophet (ﷺ) 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.
when the call to prayer is made; the devil turns his back and breaks wind so as not to hear the call being made; but when the call is finished, he turns round. When the second call to prayer (iqamah) is made, he turns his back, and when the second call is finished, he turns round and suggest notions in the mind of the man (at prayer) to distract his attention, saying: remember such and such, referring to something the man did not have n mind, with the result that he does not know how much he has prayed.
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، قَالَ نُبِّئْتُ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، - قَالَ وَلاَ أُرَانِي إِلاَّ قَدْ سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْهُ، - عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِثْلَهُ .
This tradition has also been transmitted through a different chain of narrators by Abu Hurairah who reported it in a similar manner from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).
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.
I came to the prophet (ﷺ) at Mecca; he was sitting in a tent made of leather. Then Bilal came out and called to prayer. I looked at his mouth following him this side and that side (i.e., right and left). Later at his Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came out clad in a red suit, i.e, wearing the sheets of the Yemen, of the Qatri design. The version narrated by Musa has the word; “I saw Bilal going towards al-Abtah”.
He then made a call to prayer. When he reached the words “ come to prayer, come to salvation”. He turned his neck right and left, respectively; he did not turn himself (with his whole body). He then entered (his house) and came out with a lancet. The narrator then reported the rest of the tradition.
when you hear the mu'adhdhin repeat what he says, invoke a blessing on me, for everyone who invoke one blessing on me will receive ten blessings from Allah. Then ask Allah to give me the wasilah, which is a rank in paradise fitting for only one of Allah’s servants, and I hope that I may be the one. If anyone asks Allah that I be given the wasilah, he will be assured of my intercession.
A man said: Messenger of Allah, the mu'adhdhins excel us. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.
If anyone says when he hears the MU’ADHDHIN : “And I testify that there is no god but Allah alone who has no partner and that Muhammad is His servant and Apostle: I am satisfied with Allah as lord, with Muhammad as apostle and with Islam as religion”, he will be forgiven.
“Allah is most great, Allah is most great”, and one of you says in response: “Allah is most great”, Allah is most great; then says: “ I testify tht there is no god but Allah”, and he says in response: “I testify that there is no god but Allah”, then say:” I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”, and he makes the response: “ I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”, then says: “Come to prayer”, and he makes the response: “There is no might and no power except in Allah”: then says: “ Allah is most great, Allah is most great”, and he makes the response: “Allah is most great”, then says: “There is no god but Allah”, if he says this from his heart, he enter Paradise.
if anyone says when he hears the call to prayer : “O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and of the prayer which is established for all time, grant Muhammad the wasilah and excellency, and raise him up in a praiseworthy position which Thou hast promised, he will be assured of my intercession.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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."
Messenger 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 (ﷺ), 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.
Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by al-Darawardi from 'Ubaid Allah on the authority of Ibn 'Umar saying: There was a mu'adhdhin of 'Umar, named Mas'ud. He then narrated the rest of the tradition. This version is more correct than that one.
A mu'adhdhin of ‘Umar, named Masruh, called the Adhan for the morning prayer before the break of dawn; ‘Umar commanded him (to repeat). The narrator reported the tradition in a similar way.
Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted by al-Darawardi from ‘Ubaid Allah on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, saying: there was a mu'adhdhin of ‘Umar, named Mas’ud. He then narrated the rest of the tradition. This version is more correct than one.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to Bilal: Do not call adhan until the dawn appears clearly to you in this way, stretching his hand in latitude.
Abu Dawud said: Shaddad did not see Bilal.
we were sitting with Abu Hurairah in the mosque. A man went out of the mosque after the ADHAN for the afternoon prayer had been called. Abu Hurairah said: As regards this (man), he disobeyed Abu al-Qasim, the prophet (ﷺ).
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا شَبَابَةُ، عَنْ إِسْرَائِيلَ، عَنْ سِمَاكٍ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ، قَالَ كَانَ بِلاَلٌ يُؤَذِّنُ ثُمَّ يُمْهِلُ فَإِذَا رَأَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَدْ خَرَجَ أَقَامَ الصَّلاَةَ .
Bilal would call the Adhan, then he used come to wait. When he would see that the prophet (ﷺ) had come out (of his house), he would pronounce the iqama.
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).
the prophet (ﷺ) said; When the Iqamah for prayer is pronounced, do not stand until you see me.
Abu Dawud said: this has been narrated by Ayyub and Hajjaj al-Sawwaf from Yahya and Hisham al-Duatawa’i in a similar way, saying : Yahya wrote to me (in this way). And this has been narrated by Mu’awiyah b. Sallam and ‘Ali b. al-Mubarak from Yahya: “Until you see me and show tranquility”.
“Until you see me that I have come out”.
Abu dawud said: No one except Ma’mar has narrated the words “that I have come out”. And the version transmitted by Ibn ‘Uyainah from Ma’mar does not mention the words “that I have come out”.
حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ، قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَمْرٍو ح وَحَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ بْنُ رُشَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ، - وَهَذَا لَفْظُهُ - عَنِ الأَوْزَاعِيِّ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ الصَّلاَةَ، كَانَتْ تُقَامُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيَأْخُذُ النَّاسُ مَقَامَهُمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
when the Iqamah was pronounced for prayer during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), the people would take their seats before the prophet (ﷺ) came to his seat.
I asked Thabit al-Bunani whether it was permissible for a man to talk after the qamah had been pronounced. He narrated a tradition on the authority of Anas: (once) the Iqamah was pronounced, and a person came to the apostle of Allah (ﷺ) and detained him after the Iqamah had been pronounced.
we stood for praying at Mina when the Imam had not come out. Some of us sat down (and I too). An old man from Kufah said to me: Why did you down? I said : Ibn Buraidah, this is Sumud (i.e., waiting for the Imam in the standing condition). The old man then narrated a tradition from ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Awaajah on the authority of al-Bara’ b. ‘Azib: We would stand in rows during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for a long time before he pronounced Takbir. He further said; Allah, the Exalted and Mighty, sends blessings and the angles invoke blessings for those who are nearer to the front rows. No step is more liking to Allah than a step which one takes to join the row (of the prayer).
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ صُهَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلاَةُ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَجِيٌّ فِي جَانِبِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَمَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ حَتَّى نَامَ الْقَوْمُ .
the Iqamah was pronounced (for the night prayer) and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remained engaged in talking (to a person) in the corner of the mosque. He did not begin prayer until the people slept.
when the Iqamah was pronounced and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw that they (the people) were small in number, he would sit down, nd would not pray; but when he saw them (the people) large in number, he would pray.
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.
Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying; I thought to give orders for arranging prayer in congregation, and then to have the Iqamah called for it, then to order a man to lead the people in prayer, then to go off in company of the people who have bundles of firewood to those people who are not present at the prayer and then to burn down their houses with fire.
I thought about giving orders to some youths for gathering a bundle of firewood, then going off to some people who their prayers in their homes without any excuse, and burning down their houses over them.
I (Yazid b. Yazid) said: I asked Yazid b. al-Asamm: Abu ‘Awf did he mean Friday (prayer) or any other? He replied: may my ears become deaf if I have not heard Abu Hurairah narrating it from the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him); He did not mention Friday (prayer) or any other.
حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبَّادٍ الأَزْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنِ الْمَسْعُودِيِّ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الأَقْمَرِ، عَنْ أَبِي الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ حَافِظُوا عَلَى هَؤُلاَءِ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسِ حَيْثُ يُنَادَى بِهِنَّ فَإِنَّهُنَّ مِنْ سُنَنِ الْهُدَى وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَرَعَ لِنَبِيِّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سُنَنَ الْهُدَى وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُنَا وَمَا يَتَخَلَّفُ عَنْهَا إِلاَّ مُنَافِقٌ بَيِّنُ النِّفَاقِ وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُنَا وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيُهَادَى بَيْنَ الرَّجُلَيْنِ حَتَّى يُقَامَ فِي الصَّفِّ وَمَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلاَّ وَلَهُ مَسْجِدٌ فِي بَيْتِهِ وَلَوْ صَلَّيْتُمْ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ وَتَرَكْتُمْ مَسَاجِدَكُمْ تَرَكْتُمْ سُنَّةَ نَبِيِّكُمْ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلَوْ تَرَكْتُمْ سُنَّةَ نَبِيِّكُمْ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَكَفَرْتُمْ .
Persevere in observing these five times of prayer where the announcement for them is made, because they are from the paths of right guidance. And Allah, the Might, the Majestic, has laid down for his prophet (ﷺ) the paths of right guidance. I have seen the time when no one stayed away from prayer except a hypocrite whose hypocrite was well known. I witnessed the time when a man would be brought swaying between two men till he was set up in the row (of the prayer). Every one of us has a mosque of his in his house. If you were to pray in your houses and stay from your mosques. You would abandon the Sunnah (practice) of your prophet, and if you were Abandon the Sunnah (Practice) of your Prophet, you would become an unbeliever.
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 (ﷺ) saying: Messenger 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.
Messenger 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 (ﷺ) said: Do you hear the call, "Come to prayer," "Come to salvation"? (He said: Yes.) Then you must come.
Abu Dawud said: Al-Qasim al-Jarmi has narrated this tradition from Sufyan in a similar manner. But his version does not contain the words "Then you must come."
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.
‘Uthman b. ‘Affan reported the Messenger of Allah (may peace be him) as saying; if anyone says the night prayer in congregation, he is like one who keeps vigil (in prayer) till midnight; and he who says both the night and dawn prayer in congregation is like one who keeps vigil (in prayer) the whole night.
There was a certain person, out of all people of Medina, who used to pray in the mosque. I do not know that any one of them lived at a farther distance than that man. Still he never missed the prayer in congregation in the mosque. I said: it would be better if you buy a donkey and ride it in heat and darkness. He said: I do not like that my house be by the side of the mosque. The discourse reached the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said him about it. He said: I did it so that my walking to the mosque and return to my home when I return be recorded. He said: Allah has granted all this to you; Allah has granted all that you reckoned.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 said by a man in congregation is twenty five degrees more excellent than prayer said by him alone in his house or in the market. This is because when any of you performs ablution and does it perfectly, and goes out to the mosque having no intention except praying, and nothing moves him except prayer, then at every step which he takes his rank is elevated by one degree on account of this (walking), and one sin is remitted from him for this (walking), till he enters the mosque. When he enters the mosque, he will be reckoned as praying as long as he will be detained by the prayer. The angels keep on invoking blessing on any of you so long as he remains seated in the place he prayer, saying: O Allah, forgive him; O Allah, have mercy on him; O Allah, accept his repentance so long as he does not harm anyone, or breaks his ablution.
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).
Abu Dawud said: 'Abd al-Walid b. Ziyad narrated in his version of this tradition: "Prayer said by a single person in a jungle is more excellent by multiplied degrees than prayer said in congregation."
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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) 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.
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
" لاَ تَمْنَعُوا إِمَاءَ اللَّهِ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ " .
Ibn ‘Umar reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying; Do not prevent the female servant your women from visiting the mosques of Allah.
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، أَخْبَرَنَا الْعَوَّامُ بْنُ حَوْشَبٍ، حَدَّثَنِي حَبِيبُ بْنُ أَبِي ثَابِتٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
" لاَ تَمْنَعُوا نِسَاءَكُمُ الْمَسَاجِدَ وَبُيُوتُهُنَّ خَيْرٌ لَهُنَّ " .
Ibn ‘Umar reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying; Do not prevent your women from visiting the mosque; but their houses are better for them (for praying).
‘Abd Allah b. ‘Umar reported the prophet (ﷺ) as saying; Allow women to visit the mosque at night. A son of his (Bilal) said; I swear by Allah, we shall certainly not allow them because they will defraud. I swear by Allah, we shall not allow them. He (Ibn ‘Umar) abused him and became angry at him and said :
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، وَأَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، قَالَ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " ائْذَنُوا لِلنِّسَاءِ إِلَى الْمَسَاجِدِ بِاللَّيْلِ " . فَقَالَ ابْنٌ لَهُ وَاللَّهِ لاَ نَأْذَنُ لَهُنَّ فَيَتَّخِذْنَهُ دَغَلاً وَاللَّهِ لاَ نَأْذَنُ لَهُنَّ . قَالَ فَسَبَّهُ وَغَضِبَ وَقَالَ أَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " ائْذَنُوا لَهُنَّ " . وَتَقُولُ لاَ نَأْذَنُ لَهُنَّ
I tell you that the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) said: Allow them; yet you say; we shall not allow them.
‘A’ishah (Allah be pleased with her), wife of the prophet (ﷺ), said ; if the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had seen what the women have invented, he would have prevented them from visiting the mosque (for praying), as the women of the children of the Israel were prevented. Yahya (the narrator) said; I asked ‘Umrah ; were the women of Israel prevented? She said:
حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عَمْرَةَ بِنْتِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّهَا أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَتْ لَوْ أَدْرَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَا أَحْدَثَ النِّسَاءُ لَمَنَعَهُنَّ الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا مُنِعَهُ نِسَاءُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ . قَالَ يَحْيَى فَقُلْتُ لِعَمْرَةَ أَمُنِعَهُ نِسَاءُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ .
‘Abd Allah (b. Mas’ud) reported the prophet (ﷺ) as saying; it is more excellent for a woman to pray in her house than in her courtyard, and more excellent for her to pray in her private chamber than in her house.
if we reserve this door for women (it would be better). Nafi' said: Ibn ‘Umar did not enter through it( the door) till he died.
Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated though a different chain of transmitters by 'Umar. And this is more correct.
I heard the Messenger of Allah( may peace be upon him) say: When the iqamah is pronounced for prayer, do not come to it running, but come walking(slowly). You should observe tranquility. The part of the prayer you get(along with the imam) offer it, and the part you miss complete it(afterwards).
Abu Dawud said: The version narrated by al-Zubaidi, Ibn Abi Dhi’b, Ibrahim b. Sa’d, Ma’mar, Shu’aib b. Abi Hamzah on the authority of al-Zuhri has the words: “the part you miss then complete it”. Ibn ‘Uyainah alone narrated from al-Zuhri the words “then offer it afterwards”. And Muhammad b. ‘Amr narrated from Abu Salamah on the authority of Abu Hurairah, and Ja’far b. Rabi’ah narrated from al-A’raj on the authority of Abu Hurairah the words “then complete it”. And Ibn Mas’ud narrated from the Prophet(ﷺ) and Abu Qatadah and Anas reported from the Prophet( may peace be upon him) the words” then complete it”.
Come to prayer with calmness and tranquility. Then pray the part you get (long with the imam) and complete afterwards the part you miss.
Abu Dawud said: Ibn Sirin narrated from Abu Hurairah the words: "he should complete it afterwards." Similarly, Abu Rafi' narrated from Abu Hurairah and Abu Dharr narrated from him the words "then complete it, and complete it afterwards." There is a variation of words in the narration from him.
Yazid prayed along with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) was saying the prayer. I sat down and did not pray along with them. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) turned towards us and saw that Yazid was sitting there. He said: Did you not embrace Islam, Yazid? He replied: Why not, Messenger 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.
if one of us prays in his house, then comes to the mosque and finds that the iqamah is being called, and if I pray along with them ( in congregation), I feel something inside about it. Abu Ayyub replied: We asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about it. He said: That is a share from the spoils received by the warriors (i.e. he will receive double the reward of the prayer).
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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: Do not say a prayer twice in a day.
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.
The one of you who is most versed in the Books of Allah should act as imam for the people; and the one who is the earliest of them in reciting (the Qur’an); if they are equally versed in reciting it, then the earliest of them to emigrate (to Medina); if they emigrated at the same time, then the oldest of them. No man must lead another in prayer in his house (i.e. in the house of a latter) or where the latter has authority, or sit in his place of honor without his permission. Shu’bah said: I asked Isma’il: what is the meaning of his place of honor? He replied: his throne.
“A man should not lead the another man in prayer.
Abu Dawud said: Yahya al-Qattan narrated from Shu’bah in a similar way, i.e. the earliest of them in recitation.
This tradition has been transmitted through a different chain by Abu Mas’ud This version has words ; “If they are equally versed in recitation, then the one who has most knowledge of the Sunnah ; if they are equal with regard to (the knowledge of) the Sunnah, then the earliest of them to emigrate (to medina)”. He did not narrate the words; “ The earliest of them in recitation”.
Abu Dawud said:
‘Amr b. Salamah said ; we lived at a place where the people would pass by us when they came to the prophet (ﷺ). When they returned they would again pass by us. And they used to inform us that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said so –and-so. I was a boy with a good memory. From the( process) I memorized a large portion of the Qur’an. Then my father went to the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) along with a group of his clan. He (the Prophet) taught them prayer. And he said:
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَيُّوبُ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَلِمَةَ، قَالَ كُنَّا بِحَاضِرٍ يَمُرُّ بِنَا النَّاسُ إِذَا أَتَوُا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَكَانُوا إِذَا رَجَعُوا مَرُّوا بِنَا فَأَخْبَرُونَا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَكُنْتُ غُلاَمًا حَافِظًا فَحَفِظْتُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قُرْآنًا كَثِيرًا فَانْطَلَقَ أَبِي وَافِدًا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ فَعَلَّمَهُمُ الصَّلاَةَ فَقَالَ
" يَؤُمُّكُمْ أَقْرَؤُكُمْ " . وَكُنْتُ أَقْرَأَهُمْ لِمَا كُنْتُ أَحْفَظُ فَقَدَّمُونِي فَكُنْتُ أَؤُمُّهُمْ وَعَلَىَّ بُرْدَةٌ لِي صَغِيرَةٌ صَفْرَاءُ فَكُنْتُ إِذَا سَجَدْتُ تَكَشَّفَتْ عَنِّي فَقَالَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ وَارُوا عَنَّا عَوْرَةَ قَارِئِكُمْ . فَاشْتَرَوْا لِي قَمِيصًا عُمَانِيًّا فَمَا فَرِحْتُ بِشَىْءٍ بَعْدَ الإِسْلاَمِ فَرَحِي بِهِ فَكُنْتُ أَؤُمُّهُمْ وَأَنَا ابْنُ سَبْعِ سِنِينَ أَوْ ثَمَانِ سِنِينَ .
The one of you who knows most of the Qur’an should act as your imam. I knew the Qur’an better than most of them because I had memorized it. They, therefore, put me in front of them, and I would lead them in prayer. I wore a small yellow mantle which, when I prostrated myself, went up on me, and a woman of the clan said: Cover the back side of your leader from us. So they bought an ‘Ammani shirt for me, and I have never been so pleased about anything after embracing Islam as I was about that (shirt). I used to lead them in prayer and I was only seven or eight year old.
Messenger of Allah, who will lead us in prayer? He said: The one of you who knows most of the Qur’an, or memorizes most of the Qur’an, (should act as your imam). There was none in the clan who knew more of the Qur’an than I did. They, therefore, put me in front of them and I was only a boy. And I wore a mantle, Whenever I was present in the gathering of Jarm (name of his clan), I would act as their Imam, and lead them in their funeral prayer until today.
Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by ‘Amr b. Salamah through a different chain of transmitter. This version has: “When my clan visited the Prophet( may peace be upon him) ....” He did not report it on the authority of his father.
when the first emigrants came (to Madina), they stayed at al-‘Asbah (a place near Madina) before the advent of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Salim, the client of Abu Hudhaifah, acted as their imam, as he knew the Qur’an better than all of them, al-Haitham(the narrator) added: and ‘Umar b. al-Khattab and Abu Salamah b. ‘Abd al-Asad were among them.
When the time of prayer comes, call the Adhan, then call the iqamah, then the one who is oldest of you should act as your imam.
The version narrated by Maslamah goes : He said: On that day we were almost equal in knowledge.
The version narrated by Isma’il says: Khalid said: I said to Abu Qilabah: where is the Qur’an(i.e. why did the Prophet(ﷺ) not say: The one who knows the Qur’an most should act as imam)? He replied: Both of them were equal in the knowledge of the Qur’an.
When the Prophet (ﷺ) proceeded for the Battle of Badr, I said to him: Messenger 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 (ﷺ) 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.
This tradition has also been narrated through a different chain of transmitters by Umm Waraqah daughter of ‘Abd Allah b. al-Harith. The first version is complete. This version goes:
The Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) used to visit her at her house. He appointed a mu’adhdhin to call adhan for her; and he commanded her to lead the inmates of her house in prayer. ‘Abd al-Rahman said: I saw her mu’adhdhin who was an old man.
The Prophet (ﷺ) 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.
Malik b. al-Huwairith 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 Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) say: If anyone visits people, he should not lead them in prayer, but some person of them should lead the prayer.
Hudhaifah led the people in prayer in al-Mada’in standing on the shop(or a bench). Abu Mas’ud took him by his shirt, and brought him down. When he( Abu Mas’ud) finished his prayer, he said: Do you not know that they(the people) were prohibited to do so. He said: Yes, I remembered when you pulled me down.
‘Adi b. Thabit al-Ansari said; A man related to me that (once) he was in the company of ‘Ammar b. yasir in al-Mada’in (a city near Ku’fah). The IQAMAH was called for prayer:
‘Ammar came forward and stood on a shop (or a beach) and prayed while the people stood on a lower place than he. Hudaifah came forward and took him by the hands and Ammar followed him till Hudaifah brought him down. When ‘Ammar finished his prayer. Hudaifah said to him: Did you not hear the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) say: When a man leads the people in prayer, he must not stand in a position higher than theirs, or words to that effect? ‘Ammar replied : that is why I followed you when you took me by the hand.