Prayer

God’s Messenger went out and entering among some palm trees prostrated himself so long that I was afraid God had taken his soul. I went and looked, and he raised his head and said, “What is the matter with you? I mentioned that to him, and he told me that Gabriel had come and given him the good news that God said, “If anyone invokes one blessing on you I will bless him, and if anyone greets you I will greet him.” Ahmad transmitted it.

‘Umar b. al-Khattab said, “The supplication is stopped between heaven and earth, none of it ascending till you invoke blessing on your Prophet.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger used to make supplication during the prayer saying, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee from the punishment in the grave, I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of the antichrist, I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of life and the trial of death. O God, I seek refuge in Thee from sin and debt.” Someone said to him, “How often you seek refuge from debt!” He replied, “When a man is in debt he talks and tells lies, makes promises and breaks them.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

the punishment in jahannam, the punishment in the grave, the trial of life and death, and the evil of the antichrist.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that the Prophet used to teach them this prayer just as he used to teach them a sura of the Qur’an, telling them te say, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee from the punishment in jahannam, I seek refuge in Thee from the punishment in the grave, I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of the antichrist, and I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of life and death.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq said that he asked God’s Messenger to teach him a supplication to use in his prayer, and he told him to say, “O God, I have greatly wronged myself, and Thou alone canst forgive sins, so grant me forgiveness from Thee and show mercy to me. Thou art the forgiving and the merciful One.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Amir b. Sa'd quoted his father as saying that he used to see God’s Messenger giving the salutation* to his right and his left, so that he could see the whiteness of his cheek. *1. I.e. pronouncing the taslim.Muslim transmitted it.

Samura b. Jundub said, “When God’s Messenger had prayed a prayer he turned and faced us.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas said that when the Prophet went away* he turned to his right. *i.e. at the end of the salat.Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said, “None of you must give the devil any place in his prayer, thinking it is his duty when he leaves to turn only to his right. I have often seen God’s Messenger turning to his left when he went away.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

When we prayed behind God’s Messenger we liked to be on his right side so that he would turn his face towards us. He said that he had heard him say, ‘My Lord, guard me from Thy punishment on the day Thou raisest (or, gatherest) Thy servants.” Muslim transmitted it.

Umm Salama said that in the time of God’s Messenger, when the women gave the salutation at the end of the prescribed prayer they got up and departed, but God’s Messenger and the men who prayed remained where they were as long as God wished. Then when God’s Messenger got up the men did so also. Bukhari transmitted it.

We shall mention the tradition of Jabir b. Samura in the chapter on laughing (Book 24; Ch. 7a) if God wills.

Mu'adh b. Jabal said that God’s Messenger took him by the hand and said, “I love you, Mu'adh,” to which he replied, “And I love you, Messenger of God.” He then told him not to omit to say at the end of every prayer, “My Lord, help me to remember Thee, thank Thee, and worship Thee acceptably.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it, but Abu Dawud did not mention that Mu‘adh said, “And I love you.”

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said that God’s Messenger used to turn to the right when giving the salutation, “Peace and God’s mercy be upon you,” so that the whiteness of his right cheek could be seen; also to the left when giving the salutation, “Peace and God’s mercy be upon you,” so that the whitness of his left cheek could be seen. Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it, but Tirmidhi did not mention, “So that the whiteness of his cheek could be seen.” Ibn Majah transmitted it from ‘Ammar b. Yasir.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said that the Prophet most commonly turned to his left after his prayer, going to his room. [Baghawi] transmitted it in Sharh as-sunna.

‘Ata’al-Khurasani quoted al-Mughira as stating that God’s Messenger said, “The imam should not pray in the same place as he occupied previously in prayer, but should change his position.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, but said that ‘Ata’ al-Khurasani was not alive in al-Mughira’s lifetime.

Anas said that the Prophet urged them to pray and forbade them to leave after prayer before he did. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Shaddad b. Aus said that God's Messenger used to say in his prayer, “O God, I ask Thee for steadfastness in carrying out what I am commanded and resolution in following right guidance. I ask Thee to make me grateful for Thy favour and to enable me to worship Thee acceptably. I ask Thee for a sound heart and a truthful tongue. I ask Thee for some of the good of what Thou knowest, I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of what Thou knowest, and I ask Thy forgiveness for what Thou knowest.” Nasa’i transmitted it, and Ahmad transmitted something similar.

Jabir said that God’s Messenger used to say in his prayer after the tashahhud, “The best speech is God’s speech, and the best guidance is Muhammad’s guidance.” Nasa’i transmitted it.