Fear Prayer

Salim reported from Abdullah ibn Umar that he had gone on an expedition with the Messenger of Allah toward Najd. They faced the enemy and formed ranks. The Messenger of Allah stood to lead them in prayer. One group prayed with him while another faced the enemy. He bowed and prostrated twice with those praying with him, then they withdrew and the group that had not prayed came forward. He bowed with them for one unit and prostrated twice, then gave the salutation. Each person then stood and completed one unit and two prostrations on his own.

Ibn Umar reported a similar account to that of Mujahid: when the two groups engaged, they prayed standing. Ibn Umar added that the Prophet said, “If they are more numerous than that, let them pray standing or riding.”

Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet stood, and the people stood with him. He said the takbir, and they said it with him. He bowed, and some of them bowed. Then he prostrated, and they prostrated with him. When he stood for the second unit, those who had prostrated stood and guarded their companions. The other group came and bowed and prostrated with him. All the people were praying, while some guarded the others.

Jabir ibn Abdullah reported that on the day of the Trench, Umar came cursing the Quraysh disbelievers and said, “Messenger of Allah, I have not prayed the afternoon prayer, and the sun is almost setting.” The Prophet said, “By Allah, I have not prayed it either.” He went down to Buthan, performed ablution, and prayed the afternoon prayer after sunset, then prayed the sunset prayer.

Ibn Umar reported that when the Prophet returned from the Confederates, he said to us, “None of you should pray the afternoon prayer except at Banu Qurayza.” Some people caught the afternoon prayer time while on the way. Some said, “We will not pray until we reach there,” while others said, “Rather, we will pray; that was not what he meant by us.” This was mentioned to the Prophet, and he did not rebuke any of them.

Anas ibn Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah prayed the dawn prayer in the darkness before daybreak, then rode out and said, “Allah is greatest! Khaybar is destroyed. When we descend upon the territory of a people, it is a dreadful morning for those who have been warned.” The people came running through the streets, saying, “Muhammad and the army!” The Messenger of Allah overcame them, killed their fighters, and took their children captive. Safiyya was first allotted to Dihya al-Kalbi, then to the Messenger of Allah. He married her and made her emancipation her dowry. Abd al-Aziz asked Thabit, “Abu Muhammad, did you ask Anas what he gave her as a dowry?” He replied, “He gave her herself,” and smiled.