Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat)

Kurayb the freed slave of Ibn Abbas reported: Abdullah ibn Abbas saw Abdullah ibn al-Harith praying having the back knot of the hair. He stood behind him and began to untie it. He remained standing unmoved (stationary). When he finished his prayer he came to Ibn Abbas and said to him: What were you doing with my head? He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: A man who prays with the black knot of hair tied is the one praying pinioned.

the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray while. I was by his side in the state of menstruation. Sometime his cloth would touch me when he prostrated. He would pray on a small mat.

Anas b. Malik said; the prophet (ﷺ) used to visit Umm Sulaim. Sometimes the time for prayer would come and he would pray on out carpet that was really a mat. She (Umm Sulaim) used to wash it with water.

the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) paid attention to the people and said three times; straighten your rows (in prayer); by Allah, you must straighten your rows, or Allah will certainly put your faces in contrary directions. I then saw that every person stood in prayer keeping his shoulder close to that of the other, and his knee close to that of the other, and his ankle close to that of the other.

Straighten your rows for the straightening of the rows is part of perfecting the prayer.

when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood for prayer, he took it (the stick) in his right hand and turning (to the right side) said; keep straight and straighten your rows. He then took it in his left hand and said; keep straight and straighten your rows.

the best of the men’s row is the first and the worst of them is the last, but the best of the women’s rows is the last and the worst of them is the first.

‘A’ishah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying the people will continue to keep themselves away from the front row until Allah will keep them away (from the front) in the Hell-fire.

Abu Bakrah came when the apostle of Allah (ﷺ) was bowing. So he bowed without the row (before joining it). He then went to the row. When the prophet (ﷺ) finished his prayer, he said: which of your bowed without the row, and then went to the row? Abu Bakrah said; it was i. the prophet (ﷺ) said: May Allah increase your eagerness ! but do not do it again.

The back of the saddle is (about) one cubit (in height) or more than that.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: When one of you prays, he should put something in front of his face, and if he can find nothing , he should set up his staff; but if he has no staff, he should draw a line; then what passes in front of him will not harm him.

Sufyan said: We did not find anything by which we could reinforce this tradition, and this has been narrated only through this chain.

He ('Ali b. al-Madini, a narrator) said: I said to Sufyan: There is a difference of opinion of the name (Abu Muhammad b. 'Amr). He pondered for a moment and then said: I do not remember except Abu Muhammad b. 'Amr Sufyan said: A man had come to Kufah after the death of Isma'il b. Umayyah ; he was seeking Abu Muhammad until he found him. He asked him (about this tradition) but he became confused. Abu Dawud said: I heard Ahmad b. Hanbal who was questioned many times how the line should be drawn. He replied: In this way. horizontally like crescent.

Abu Dawud said: I heard Musaddad say: Ibn Dawud said: The line should be drawn perpendicularly.

Abu Dawud said: I heard Ahmad b. Hanbal describing many times how the line should be drawn. He said: In this way horizontally in the round semi-circular form like the crescent, that is (the line should be) a curve.

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray facing his camel.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Do not pray behind a sleeping or a talking person.

Abu Dawud said: Sufyan Ath-Thawri said: "A person arrogantly walks in front of me while I am praying, so I stop him, and a weak person passes, so I dont stop him."

Qatadah said: I heard Jabir ibn Zayd who reported on the authority of Ibn Abbas; and Shu'bah reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: A menstruating woman and a dog cut off the prayer.

Abu Dawud said: Sa'id, Hisham and Hammam narrated this tradition from Qatadah on the authority of Jabir b. Zaid as a statement of Ibn 'Abbas.

I relate to you a tradition, but do not narrate it to anyone so long as I am alive: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) encamped at Tabuk near a date-palm and he said: This is our qiblah (direction for praying). He then offered prayer facing it. I came running, when I was a boy, until I passed the place between him and the tree. He said (cursing): He cut off our prayer, may Allah cut off his walking. I could not, therefore, stand upon them(feet) till today.

I was sleeping in front of the Prophet (ﷺ) with my legs between him and the qiblah. Shu'bah said: I think she said: I was menstruating.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by al-Zuhri, 'Ata, Abu Bakr b. Hafs, Hisham b. 'Urwah, 'Irak b. Malik, Abu al-Aswad and Tamim b. Salamah; all transmitted from 'Urwah on the authority of 'Aishah. Ibrahim narrated from al-Aswad on the authority of 'Aishah. Abu al-Duha narrated from Masruq on the authority of 'Aishah. Al-Qasim b. Muhammad and Abu Salamah narrated it from 'Aisha. All these narrators did not mention the words "And I was menstruating."

I witnessed the Prophet (ﷺ) raise his hands in front of his ears when he began to pray. I then came back and saw them (the people) raising their hands up to their chest when they began to pray. They wore long caps and blankets.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Ibn al-Mubarak from Fulaih who heard ‘Abbas . Sahl narrating it; but I do not remember it. I think he made the mention of ‘Isa b. ‘Abd Allah who heard ‘Abbas b. Sahl saying: I accompanied Abu Humaid al-Sa’idi.