Shortening the Prayer

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Abdullahibn Umar used to disapprove of passing in front of women while theywere praying.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umarwould neither pass in front of anyone, nor let anyone pass in front ofhim.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Ubaydullahibn Abdullah ibn Utba ibn Masud that Abdullah ibn Abbas said, "Iapproached, riding on a donkey, while the Messenger of Allah, mayAllah bless him and grant him peace, was leading the people in prayerat Mina, and I was, at that time, nearing puberty. I passed in frontof part of the row, dismounted, sent the donkey off to graze, and thenjoined the row, and no one rebuked me for doing so."

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Said ibnAbi Waqqas used to pass in front of some of the rows while the prayerwas in progress.

Malik said, "I consider that it ispermissible to do that if the iqama for the prayer has been said andthe imam has said the initial takbir and a man cannot find any wayinto the mosque except by going between the rows."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Salim ibn Abdullah that Abdullah ibn Umar used to say, "Things that pass in front of a man praying do not break his prayer."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa that his father used to pray in the desert without a sutra.

Yahya related to me from Malik that Abu Jafar al-Qari said, "Isaw Abdullah ibn Umar quickly brush away the small stones from theplace where he was going to put his forehead as he was going down intosajda."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that he hadheard that Abu Dharr used to say, "Brush away the small stones withone sweep, but if you leave them it is better than a red camel."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Umar ibn al-Khattabused to order the rows to be straightened, and when they had come tohim and told him that the rows were straight he would say the takbir.

Yahya related to me from Malik from his paternal uncle, AbuSuhayl ibn Malik, that his father said, "I was with Uthman ibn Affanwhen the iqama was said for the prayer and I was talking to him aboutbeing assigned a definite allowance by him. I continued talking to himwhile he was levelling some small stones with his sandals, and thensome men that he had entrusted to straighten the rows came and toldhim that the rows were straight. He said to me, 'Line up in the row,'and then he said the takbir."

'As long as you donot feel ashamed, do whatever you wish', the placing of one hand onthe other in prayer (one places the right hand on the left), beingquick to break the fast, and delaying the meal before dawn."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu Hazim ibn Dinar that Sahlibn Sad said, "People used to be ordered to place their right hands ontheir left forearms in the prayer."

Abu Hazim added, "I knowfor sure that Sahl traces that back to the Prophet, may Allah blesshim and grant him peace."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umardid not say qunut in any of the prayers.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa from hisfather that Abdullah ibn al-Arqam used to lead his companions inprayer. The time for prayer came one day and he went to relievehimself. When he returned, he said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah,may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'If you wish todefecate, you should do so before the prayer.' "

Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam that Umar ibnal-Khattab said, "You should not pray while you are holding yourbowels."

Malik said, "I do not consider that his words, 'has not discharged anything' refer to anything other than the discharges that break wudu."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'z Zinad from al-Araj fromAbu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and granthim peace, said, "You are in prayer as long as the prayer detains youand there is nothing that prevents you from returning to your familyexcept the prayer."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Sumayy, the mawla of AbuBakr, that Abu Bakr ibn Abd ar-Rahman used to say, "Someone who goesto the mosque in the morning or the afternoon with no intention ofgoing anywhere else, either to learn good or teach it, is like someonewho does jihad in the way of Allah and returns with booty."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nuaym ibn Abdullah al-Mujmirthat he heard Abu Hurayra say, "If any one of you prays and then sitsdown in the spot where he has prayed, the angels ask blessings on himsaying, 'Allah, forgive him. Allah, have mercy on him.' And if hemoves from the spot where he has prayed and sits elsewhere in themosque waiting for the prayer, he remains in prayer until he prays."

the complete and correct performance of wudu in adverseconditions, a great number of steps towards the mosque,and waitingafter one prayer for the next prayer. That is the firm hold, that isthe firm hold, that is the firm hold."