Sunan Abi Dawud

Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat)

كتاب الصلاة

Chapter 218: On Someone Having Prayed And Then Leading Others For That Prayer

إِمَامَةِ مَنْ يُصَلِّي بِقَوْمٍ وَقَدْ صَلَّى تِلْكَ الصَّلاَةَ

Sunan Abi Dawud 600
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Translation
Jabir b. ‘Abd Allah said

Mu’adh b. Jabal would pray along the prophet (ﷺ), then go and lead his people in prayer.

Chapter 219: About The Imam Praying While Sitting Down

الإِمَامِ يُصَلِّي مِنْ قُعُودٍ

Sunan Abi Dawud 601
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Translation
Anas b. Malik said; The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) rode a horse and was thrown off it and his right was grazed. He then prayed one of the prayers sitting and we prayed one of the prayers sitting, and when he finished he said

the Imam is appointed only to be followed ; so when he prays standing, pray standing, and when he bows, bow; when he raises himself, raise yourselves; when he says “Allah listen to him who praises Him”, “Our Lord ! to Thee be the praise”: and when he prays sitting all of you pray sitting.

Sunan Abi Dawud 602
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Translation
Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) rode a horse in Medina. It threw him off at the root of a date-palm. His foot was injured. We visited him to inquire about his illness. We found him praying sitting in the apartment of Aisha. We, therefore, stood, (praying) behind him. He kept silent.

We again visited him to inquire about his illness. He offered the obligatory prayer sitting. We, therefore, stood (praying) behind him; he made a sign to us and we sat down. When he finished the prayer, he said: When the imam prays sitting, pray sitting; and when the imam prays standing, pray standing, and do not act as the people of Persia used to act with their chiefs (i.e. the people stood and they were sitting).

Sunan Abi Dawud 603
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Translation
Narrated AbuHurayrah

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The imam is appointed only to be followed; when he says "Allah is most great," say "Allah is most great" and do not say "Allah is most great" until he says "Allah is most great." When he bows; bow; and do not bow until he bows. And when he says "Allah listens to him who praise Him," say "O Allah, our Lord, to Thee be the praise."

The version recorded by Muslim goes: "And to Thee be the praise: And when he prostrate; and do not prostrate until he prostrates. When he prays standing, pray standing, and when he prays sitting, all of you pray sitting.

Abu Dawud said: The words "O Allah, our Lord, to You be the praise" reported by Sulaiman were explained to me by some of our companions.

Sunan Abi Dawud 604
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Translation
Narrated AbuHurayrah

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The imam is appointed only to be followed. This version adds: When he recites (the Qur'an), keep silent."

Abu Dawud said: The addition of the words "When he recites, keep silent" in this version are not guarded. The misunderstanding, according to us, is on the part of Abu Khalid (a narrator).

Sunan Abi Dawud 605
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Translation
‘A’ishah said; The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed in his house sitting and the people prayed behind him standing. He made a sign to them (asking them) to sit down. When he finished the prayer, he said

The IMAM is appointed only to be followed; so when he prays standing. Pray standing ; and when he raises himself, raise yourself: and when he prays sitting. Pray sitting.

Sunan Abi Dawud 606
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Translation
Jabir said

when the prophet (ﷺ) became seriously ill, we prayed behind him while he was sitting and Abu Bakr was calling “Allah is most great “ to cause the people to hear the TAKBIR. Then he (the narrators) narrated the rest of the tradition.

Sunan Abi Dawud 607
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Translation
Husain reported on the authority of the children of Sa’d b. Mu’adh that Usaid b. Hudair used to act as their Imam. (when he fell ill) the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to him inquiring about his illness. They said

Abu Dawud said : The chain of this tradition is not continuous (muttasil)

Chapter 220: If Two People Are Praying, One Of Whom Is The Imam, How Should They Stand ?

الرَّجُلَيْنِ يَؤُمُّ أَحَدُهُمَا صَاحِبَهُ كَيْفَ يَقُومَانِ

Sunan Abi Dawud 608
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Translation
Anas said

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered upon Umm Haram. The people (in her house) brought some cooking oil dates to him. He said; Put it (dates) back in its container and return it (cooking oil) to its bag, because I am keeping fast. He then stood and led us in prayer two Rak’ahs of supererogatory prayer. Then Umm Sulaim and Umm Haram stood behind us (i.e., the men). Thabit (the narrator) said: I understand that Anas said; he (the prophet) made me stand on his right side.

Sunan Abi Dawud 609
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Translation
Anas said

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led him and one of their women in prayer. He (the prophet) put him on his right side and the woman behind him (Anas)

Sunan Abi Dawud 610
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Translation
‘Abd Allah b. ‘Abbas said

when I was spending a night in the house of my maternal aunt Maimunah, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got up at night, opened the mouth of the water skin and performed ablution. He then closed the mouth of the water-skin and stood for prayer. Then I got up and performed ablution as he did ; then I came and stood on his left side. He took my hand, turned me round behind his back and set me on his right side; and I prayed along with him.

Sunan Abi Dawud 611
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Translation
Another version of this tradition transmitted through a different chain of narrators by Ibn ‘Abbas says

“He took my head or the hair of my head and made me stand on his right side”.

Chapter 221: How Should Three People Stand (In Prayer)

إِذَا كَانُوا ثَلاَثَةً كَيْفَ يَقُومُونَ

Sunan Abi Dawud 612
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Translation
Anas b. Malik said that his grandmother Mulaikah the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to take meals which she prepared for him. He took some of it and prayed. He said

Get up, I shall lead you in prayer. Anas said: I got up and took a mat which had become black on account of long use. I then washed it with water. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood upon it. I and the orphan (Ibn Abi Dumairah, the freed slave of the prophet) stood in a row behind him. The old women stood behind us. He then led us in two raka'at of prayer and left.

Sunan Abi Dawud 613
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Translation
Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud

Alqamah and al-Aswad sought permission from Abdullah (ibn Mas'ud) for admission, and we remained sitting at his door for a long time. A slave-girl came out and gave them permission (to enter). He (Ibn Mas'ud) then got up and prayed (standing) between me (al-Aswad) and him (Alqamah). He then said: I witnessed the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) doing similarly.

Chapter 222: The Imam Should Turn Around After The Taslim

الإِمَامِ يَنْحَرِفُ بَعْدَ التَّسْلِيمِ

Sunan Abi Dawud 614
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Translation
Narrated Yazid ibn al-Aswad

Jabir ibn Yazid ibn al-Aswad reported on the authority of his father: I prayed behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). When he finished the prayer, he would turn (his face from the direction of the Ka'bah).

Sunan Abi Dawud 615
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Translation
Narrated Al-Bara' ibn Azib

When we would pray behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), we liked to be on his right side. He (the Prophet) would sit turning his face towards us (and back towards the Ka'bah) (ﷺ).

Chapter 223: On The Imam Praying Voluntary Prayers In His Place

الإِمَامِ يَتَطَوَّعُ فِي مَكَانِهِ

Sunan Abi Dawud 616
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Translation
Narrated Mughirah ibn Shu'bah

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The Imam should not pray at the place where he led the prayer until he removes (from there).

Abu Dawud said: 'Ata' al-Khurasani did not see Mughirah b. Shu'bah (This tradition is, therefore munqati', i.e. a link is missing in the chain).

Chapter 224: About The Imam Breaking His Wudu' After He Rises (From The Prostration) During The Last Rak'ah

الإِمَامِ يُحْدِثُ بَعْدَ مَا يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ مِنْ آخِرِ الرَّكْعَةِ

Sunan Abi Dawud 617
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Translation
Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: When the Imam completes the prayer and sits (for reciting tashahhud), and then becomes defiled (i.e. his ablution becomes void) before he speaks (to someone), his prayer becomes complete. And those who prayed behind him also complete the prayer.

Chapter 225: On Beginning And End Of The Prayer

فِي تَحْرِيمِ الصَّلاَةِ وَتَحْلِيلِهَا

Sunan Abi Dawud 618
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Translation
Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The key of prayer is purification; takbir (saying "Allah is most great") makes (all acts which break prayer) unlawful and taslim (uttering the salutation) makes (all such acts) lawful.

Chapter 226: The One Behind The Imam Has Been Commanded To Follow The Imam

مَا يُؤْمَرُ بِهِ الْمَأْمُومُ مِنَ اتِّبَاعِ الإِمَامِ

Sunan Abi Dawud 619
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Translation
Narrated Mu'awiyah ibn AbuSufyan

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Do not try to outstrip me in bowing and prostrating because however earlier I bow you will join me when I raise (my head from bowing); I have become bulky.