Call to Prayers (Adhaan)

كتاب الأذان

Chapter 51: The Imam is appointed to be followed

Narrated Anas bin Malik

Once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) rode a horse and fell down and the right side (of his body) was injured. He offered one of the prayers while sitting and we also prayed behind him sitting. When he completed the prayer, he said, "The Imam is to be followed. Pray standing if he prays standing and bow when he bows; rise when he rises; and if he says, 'Sami`a l-lahu-liman hamidah, say then, 'Rabbana wa laka lhamd' and pray standing if he prays standing and pray sitting (all of you) if he prays sitting." Humaid said: The saying of the Prophet (ﷺ) "Pray sitting, if he (Imam) prays sitting" was said in his former illness (during his early life) but the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed sitting afterwards (in the last illness) and the people were praying standing behind him and the Prophet (ﷺ) did not order them to sit. We should follow the latest actions of the Prophet.

Chapter 52: When should those who are behind the Imam prostrate?

Anas said, "If he prostrates, prostrate yourselves."
Narrated Abu 'Is-haq

As above.

Chapter 53: The sin of the one who raises his head before the Imam (raises his head)

Narrated Abu Huraira

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Isn't he who raises his head before the Imam afraid that Allah may transform his head into that of a donkey or his figure (face) into that of a donkey?"

Chapter 63: Complaining against one's Imam if he prolongs the prayer.

Abu Usayd said, "You have lengthened us, my son."
Narrated Abu Mas`ud

A man came and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I keep away from the morning prayer because so-and-so (Imam) prolongs it too much." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) became furious and I had never seen him more furious than he was on that day. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O people! Some of you make others dislike the prayer, so whoever becomes an Imam he should shorten the prayer, as behind him are the weak, the old and the needy.''

Chapter 64: The shortening and perfection of the prayer (by the Imam)

Narrated Anas

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray a short prayer (in congregation) but used to offer it in a perfect manner.

Chapter 65: Whoever cuts short As-Salat (the prayer) on hearing the cries of a child.

Narrated `Abdullah bin 'Abi Qatada

My father said, "The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'When I stand for prayer, I intend to prolong it but on hearing the cries of a child, I cut it short, as I dislike to trouble the child's mother.' "

Narrated Anas bin Malik

The Prophet, said, "Whenever I start the prayer I intend to prolong it, but on hearing the cries of a child, I cut short the prayer because I know that the cries of the child will incite its mother's passions."

Chapter 79: The right side of the mosque and the place to the right of the Imam

Narrated Ibn `Abbas

One night I stood to the left of the Prophet (ﷺ) in the prayer but he caught hold of me by the hand or by the shoulder (arm) till he made me stand on his right and beckoned with his hand (for me) to go from behind (him). (Al-Kashmaihani [??] , Fath-ul-Bari).

Chapter 80: If there is a wall or a Sutra between the Imam and followers

Al-Hasan said, "It is okay to pray and between you and him is a river." Abu Mujallaz said, "He will bring the imam even if there is a road or a wall between them if he hears the imam's takbeer."
Narrated `Aisha

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to pray in his room at night. As the wall of the room was LOW, the people saw him and some of them stood up to follow him in the prayer. In the morning they spread the news. The following night the Prophet (ﷺ) stood for the prayer and the people followed him. This went on for two or three nights. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) did not stand for the prayer the following night, and did not come out. In the morning, the people asked him about it. He replied, that he way afraid that the night prayer might become compulsory.

Chapter 82: The necessity of saying the Takbir, i.e., Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Most Great) and the commencement of As-Salat (the prayer)

Narrated Anas bin Malik Al-Ansari

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) rode a horse and fell down and the right side of his body was injured. On that day he prayed one of the prayers sitting and we also prayed behind him sitting. When the Prophet (ﷺ) finished the prayer with Taslim, he said, "The Imam is to be followed and if he prays standing then pray standing, and bow when he bows, and raise your heads when he raises his head; prostrate when he prostrates; and if he says "Sami`a l-lahu liman hamidah", you should say, "Rabbana wa laka l-hamd.:

Chapter 83: To raise both hands on saying the first Takbir simultaneously with opening the Salat (prayer)

Narrated Salim bin `Abdullah

My father said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to raise both his hands up to the level of his shoulders when opening the prayer; and on saying the Takbir for bowing. And on raising his head from bowing he used to do the same and then say "Sami`a l-lahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa laka l-hamd." And he did not do that (i.e. raising his hands) in prostrations.

Chapter 85: To what level should one raise one's hand.

Abu Hamid said in his companions that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah Allaah be upon him) followed the example of his shoulders.
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar

I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) opening the prayer with the Takbir and raising his hands to the level of his shoulders at the time of saying the Takbir, and on saying the Takbir for bowing he did the same; and when he said, "Sami`a l-lahu liman hamidah ", he did the same and then said, "Rabbana wa laka lhamd." But he did not do the same on prostrating and on lifting the head from it."

Chapter 89: What to say after the Takbir

Narrated Anas bin Malik

The Prophet, Abu Bakr and `Umar used to start the prayer with "Al hamdu li l-lahi Rabbi l-`alamin (All praise is but to Allah, Lord of the Worlds).

Chapter 93: To look hither and thither in As-Salat (the prayer)

Narrated `Aisha

Once the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed on a Khamisa with marks on it and said, "The marks on it diverted my attention, take this Khamisa to Abu Jahm and bring an Inbijaniya (from him.)"

Chapter 95: Recitation of the Qur'an (Surat Al-Fatiha) is compulsory for the Imam and the followers, at the home and on journey, in all As-Salat (the prayers) whether the recitation is done silently or aloud.

Narrated Abu Huraira

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) entered the mosque and a person followed him. The man prayed and went to the Prophet and greeted him. The Prophet (ﷺ) returned the greeting and said to him, "Go back and pray, for you have not prayed." The man went back prayed in the same way as before, returned and greeted the Prophet who said, "Go back and pray, for you have not prayed." This happened thrice. The man said, "By Him Who sent you with the Truth, I cannot offer the prayer in a better way than this. Please, teach me how to pray." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When you stand for Prayer say Takbir and then recite from the Holy Qur'an (of what you know by heart) and then bow till you feel at ease. Then raise your head and stand up straight, then prostrate till you feel at ease during your prostration, then sit with calmness till you feel at ease (do not hurry) and do the same in all your prayers.

Narrated Jabir bin Samura

Sa`d said, "I used to pray with them a prayer similar to that of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (the prayer of Zuhr and `Asr) reducing nothing from them. I used to prolong the first two rak`at and shorten the last two rak`at." `Umar said to Sa`d "This was what we thought about you."

Chapter 96: The recitation of the Qur'an in a Zuhr prayer

Narrated Abu Ma`mar

I asked Khabbab whether the Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite the Qur'an in the Zuhr and the `Asr prayers. He replied in the affirmative. We said, "How did you come to know that?" He said, "From the movement of his beard."

Chapter 104: The recitation of the Qur'an in the Fajr prayer

The mother of peace, the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, said.
Narrated Abu Huraira

The Qur'an is recited in every prayer and in those prayers in which Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) recited aloud for us, we recite aloud in the same prayers for you; and the prayers in which the Prophet (ﷺ) recited quietly, we recite quietly. If you recite "Al-Fatiha" only it is sufficient but if you recite something else in addition, it is better.

Chapter 105: To recite aloud in the Fajr (early morning) prayer.

And the mother of peace, and behind the people and the prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, prayed and read the pharaoh.
Narrated Ibn `Abbas

The Prophet (ﷺ) set out with the intention of going to Suq `Ukaz (market of `Ukaz) along with some of his companions. At the same time, a barrier was put between the devils and the news of heaven. Fire commenced to be thrown at them. The Devils went to their people, who asked them, "What is wrong with you?" They said, "A barrier has been placed between us and the news of heaven. And fire has been thrown at us." They said, "The thing which has put a barrier between you and the news of heaven must be something which has happened recently. Go eastward and westward and see what has put a barrier between you and the news of heaven." Those who went towards Tuhama came across the Prophet at a place called Nakhla and it was on the way to Suq `Ukaz and the Prophet (ﷺ) was offering the Fajr prayer with his companions. When they heard the Qur'an they listened to it and said, "By Allah, this is the thing which has put a barrier between us and the news of heaven." They went to their people and said, "O our people; verily we have heard a wonderful recital (Qur'an) which shows the true path; we believed in it and would not ascribe partners to our Lord." Allah revealed the following verses to his Prophet (Sura 'Jinn') (72): "Say: It has been revealed to me." And what was revealed to him was the conversation of the Jinns.

Narrated Ibn `Abbas

The Prophet (ﷺ) recited aloud in the prayers in which he was ordered to do so and quietly in the prayers in which he was ordered to do so. "And your Lord is not forgetful." "Verily there was a good example for you in the ways of the Prophet."