Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat)

Musaddad narrated to us: Sufyan narrated to us, from ʿAmr ibn Dinar, who heard Jabir ibn ʿAbd Allah say: Muʿadh used to pray with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then return and lead his own people in prayer.

Al-Qaʿnabi narrated to us, from Malik, from Ibn Shihab, from Anas ibn Malik, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) rode a horse, fell from it, and scraped his right side. He prayed one of the prayers seated, and we prayed behind him seated. When he finished, he said: ‘The imam is appointed to be followed. When he prays standing, pray standing; when he bows, bow; when he rises, rise. When he says, “Allah hears those who praise Him,” say, “Our Lord, to You is the praise.” When he prays seated, all of you pray seated.’

ʿUthman ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us: Jarir and Wakiʿ narrated to us, from al-Aʿmash, from Abu Sufyan, from Jabir, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) rode a horse in Medina, which threw him against the stump of a date palm, dislocating his foot. We came to visit him and found him in ʿAʾishah’s upper room, praying voluntary prayers while seated. We stood behind him, and he remained silent toward us. We came to visit him again, and he performed the obligatory prayer seated. We stood behind him, but he gestured to us, so we sat down. When he finished, he said: ‘When the imam prays seated, pray seated; when the imam prays standing, pray standing. Do not act as the people of Persia act toward their dignitaries.’

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘The imam is appointed to be followed. When he says “Allahu akbar,” say “Allahu akbar,” but do not say it until he has said it. When he bows, bow, but do not bow until he has bowed. When he says, “Allah hears whoever praises Him,” say, “O Allah, our Lord, to You is all praise.”’ Muslim’s version adds: ‘And to You is all praise.’ It continues: ‘When he prostrates, prostrate, but do not prostrate until he has prostrated. When he prays standing, pray standing; and when he prays seated, all of you pray seated.’

Abu Dawud said: ‘O Allah, our Lord, to You is all praise’ was explained to me by some of our companions on the authority of Sulayman.

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘The imam is appointed to be followed.’ This report adds: ‘When he recites, listen in silence.’ Abu Dawud said: ‘This addition, “When he recites, listen in silence,” is not preserved; in our view, the error is from Abu Khalid.’

ʿA’ishah, the Prophet’s wife, said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed in his house while seated, and some people prayed behind him standing. He gestured to them to sit. When he finished, he said: ‘The imam is appointed to be followed. When he bows, bow; when he rises, rise; and when he prays seated, pray seated.’

Jabir said: The Prophet (ﷺ) fell ill, and we prayed behind him while he was seated. Abu Bakr said the takbir so that the people could hear it. Then the narrator related the rest of the hadith.

Usayd ibn Hudayr used to lead them in prayer. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to visit him when he was ill, and they said: ‘Messenger of Allah, our imam is ill.’ He replied: ‘When he prays seated, pray seated.’ Abu Dawud said: ‘This hadith’s chain is not connected.’

Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) visited Umm Haram. They brought him ghee and dates, and he said: ‘Put this back in its container and this in its waterskin, for I am fasting.’ Then he stood and led us in two voluntary rakʿahs. Umm Sulaym and Umm Haram stood behind us. Thabit said: ‘I believe he said that [the Prophet] made me stand to his right on a mat.’

Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led him and a woman from among them in prayer. He placed Anas on his right and the woman behind him.

Ibn ʿAbbas said: I spent the night in the home of my maternal aunt Maymunah. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got up during the night, opened the waterskin, performed ablution, then closed the waterskin and stood to pray. I got up and performed ablution as he had, then came and stood to his left. He took me by my right hand, turned me around behind him, and placed me on his right. I prayed with him.

In this account, Ibn ʿAbbas said: ‘He took me by the head—or by my forelock—and placed me on his right.’

Anas ibn Malik reported that his grandmother, Mulaykah, invited the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to a meal she had prepared. He ate some of it, then said: ‘Get up, and I will lead you in prayer.’ Anas said: I went to our mat, which had darkened from long use, and sprinkled water on it. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood on it. The orphan and I stood in a row behind him, and the old woman stood behind us. He led us in two rakʿahs, then departed.

Al-Aswad said: ʿAlqamah and al-Aswad asked permission to enter upon ʿAbdullah. We had sat for a long time at his door. A servant girl came out, sought permission for them, and permission was granted. Then he stood and prayed between me and him, and said: ‘This is how I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) do.’

Yazid ibn al-Aswad reported from his father: I prayed behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and when he finished, he would turn.

Al-Bara’ ibn ʿAzib said: When we prayed behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), we liked to be on his right, and he would turn his face toward us.

Al-Mughirah ibn Shuʿbah reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘The imam should not pray in the place where he prayed until he moves away.’ Abu Dawud said: ‘ʿAta’ al-Khurasani did not meet al-Mughirah ibn Shuʿbah.’

ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAmr reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘When the imam has completed the prayer and sat, then something that invalidates ablution happens to him before he speaks, his prayer is complete, as is the prayer of those behind him who had completed the prayer.’

ʿAli reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘The key to prayer is purification; its opening is the takbir, and its ending is the taslim.’

Muʿawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Do not precede me in bowing or prostration. Whenever I get ahead of you in a movement, you will catch up with me when I rise. I have become heavy-bodied.’