Mishkat al-Masabih
Prayer
كتاب الصلاة
Chapter 57
بَابُ مَا لَا يَجُوزُ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ وَمَا يُبَاحُ مِنْهُ - الفصل الأول
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud said: We used to greet the Prophet (peace be upon him) while he was praying, and he would return our greeting. When we returned from the Negus, we greeted him but he did not return our greeting. We said: ‘O Messenger of God, we used to greet you during prayer and you would return our greeting.’ He replied: ‘Prayer is an occupation that keeps one busy.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَيَرُدُّ عَلَيْنَا فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِ النَّجَاشِيِّ سَلَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْنَا فَقُلْنَا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْكَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَتَرُدُّ عَلَيْنَا فَقَالَ: إِنَّ فِي الصَّلَاةِ لَشُغْلًا "
The English witness adds a footnote identifying the return from the Negus with Muslims’ return from Abyssinia; that explanation is absent from the Arabic source text.
Should this witness-only historical gloss be retained separately?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Mu‘ayqib reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about a man leveling the ground where he prostrates. He said: ‘If you must do it, then once.’
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Hurayrah reported: ‘The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) forbade placing the hands on the waist during prayer.’
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
‘A’ishah (may God be pleased with her) reported: I asked the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) about looking sideways during prayer. He said: ‘It is something Satan snatches from a servant’s prayer.’
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Hurayrah (may God be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said: ‘People must stop raising their eyes toward the sky while supplicating in prayer, or their sight will surely be snatched away.’ Muslim transmitted it.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Qatadah reported: I saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) leading the people in prayer with Umamah, daughter of Abu al-‘As, on his shoulder. When he bowed, he set her down; when he rose from prostration, he picked her up again.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
وَعَن أبي قَتَادَة قَالَتْ: رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَؤُمُّ النَّاسَ وَأُمَامَةُ بِنْتُ أَبِي الْعَاصِ عَلَى عَاتِقِهِ فَإِذَا رَكَعَ وَضَعَهَا وَإِذَا رَفَعَ مِنَ السُّجُودِ أَعَادَهَا "
The source has the feminine verb قالت (‘she said’) immediately after Abu Qatadah, though the narrator is named in the masculine and the report is first-person.
Is the feminine verb a transcription error in this Arabic source?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said: ‘When one of you yawns, let him restrain it as much as he can, for Satan enters.’ Muslim transmitted it. In a version narrated by Abu Hurayrah in al-Bukhari, he said: ‘When one of you yawns during prayer, let him restrain it as much as he can and not say “Ha,” for that is from Satan, who laughs at him.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا تَثَاءَبَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَكْظِمْ مَا اسْتَطَاعَ فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَدْخُلُ» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم وَفِي رِوَايَةِ الْبُخَارِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: " إِذَا تَثَاءَبَ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَلْيَكْظِمْ مَا اسْتَطَاعَ وَلَا يَقُلْ: هَا فَإِنَّمَا ذَلِكُمْ مِنَ الشَّيْطَان يضْحك مِنْهُ "
The English witness appends ‘or at it, i.e. at this action’ after ‘laughing at him’; this alternative gloss is absent from Arabic.
Should witness-only glosses be included separately?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Hurayrah (may God be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said: ‘Last night an ifrit among the jinn broke free to interrupt my prayer. God gave me power over him, and I seized him. I intended to tie him to one of the mosque’s pillars so that all of you could see him, but I remembered the supplication of my brother Solomon: “My Lord, grant me a kingdom that will not belong to anyone after me.” So I sent him away in disgrace.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " إِنَّ عِفْرِيتًا مِنَ الْجِنِّ تَفَلَّتَ الْبَارِحَةَ لِيَقْطَعَ عَلَيَّ صَلَاتِي فَأَمْكَنَنِي اللَّهُ مِنْهُ فَأَخَذْتُهُ فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَرْبِطَهُ عَلَى سَارِيَةٍ مِنْ سَوَارِي الْمَسْجِدِ حَتَّى تَنْظُرُوا إِلَيْهِ كُلُّكُمْ فَذَكَرْتُ دَعْوَةَ أَخِي سُلَيْمَانَ: (رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لَا يَنْبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ بَعْدِي) فَرَدَدْتُهُ خَاسِئًا "
The English witness adds a Qur’an reference after Solomon’s supplication; the Arabic source quotes the supplication but supplies no citation.
Should witness-only scriptural cross-references be retained separately?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Sahl ibn Sa‘d reported that the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said: ‘If something happens to someone during prayer, let him glorify God, for clapping is for women.’ In another version he said: ‘Glorification is for men, and clapping is for women.’
Chapter 58
بَابُ مَا لَا يَجُوزُ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ وَمَا يُبَاحُ مِنْهُ - الفصل الثاني
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud reported: Before we went to the land of Abyssinia, we used to greet the Prophet (peace be upon him) while he was praying, and he would return our greeting. When we returned from Abyssinia, I came to him and found him praying. I greeted him, but he did not reply until he had finished his prayer. Then he said: ‘God brings about whatever commands He wills, and among the things He has newly ordained is that you are not to speak during prayer.’ He returned my greeting and said: ‘Prayer is for reciting the Qur’an and remembering God. When you are engaged in it, let that occupy you.’ Abu Dawud transmitted it.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ قَبْلَ أَنْ نَأْتِيَ أَرْضَ الْحَبَشَةِ فَيَرُدُّ عَلَيْنَا فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا مِنْ أَرْضِ الْحَبَشَةِ أَتَيْتُهُ فَوَجَدْتُهُ يُصَلِّي فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيَّ حَتَّى إِذَا قَضَى صَلَاتَهُ قَالَ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحْدِثُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ مَا يَشَاءُ ن وَإِن مِمَّا أحدث أَن لَا تتكلموا فِي الصَّلَاة» . فَرد عَليّ السَّلَام وَقَالَ: «إِنَّمَا الصَّلَاةُ لِقِرَاءَةِ الْقُرْآنِ وَذِكْرِ اللَّهِ فَإِذا كنت فِيهَا ليكن ذَلِك شَأْنك» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد
The source contains an isolated ن between يشاء and وإن, likely a stray character, but the phrase’s intended reading is otherwise apparent.
Can the stray character be verified as a transcription artifact in the source record?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ibn ‘Umar reported: I asked Bilal, ‘How did the Prophet (peace be upon him) respond to people when they greeted him while he was praying?’ He said: ‘He would gesture with his hand.’ Al-Tirmidhi transmitted it. Nasa’i’s version is similar, but names Suhayb instead of Bilal.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Rifa‘ah ibn Rafi‘ reported: I prayed behind the Messenger of God (peace be upon him), and when I sneezed I said: ‘All praise belongs to God, abundant, good, blessed praise—blessed in it and upon it—as our Lord loves and is pleased with.’ When the Messenger of God had finished praying and turned away, he asked: ‘Who spoke during the prayer?’ No one answered. He asked a second time, and no one answered; then a third time. Rifa‘ah said: ‘It was I, O Messenger of God.’ The Prophet said: ‘By the One in whose hand is my soul, more than thirty angels hastened to it, each seeking to be the one who would raise it up.’ Al-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, and Nasa’i transmitted it.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
وَعَن رِفَاعَة بن رَافع قَالَ: صليت خَلْفَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَعَطَسْتُ فَقلت الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ حَمْدًا كَثِيرًا طَيِّبًا مُبَارَكًا فِيهِ مُبَارَكًا عَلَيْهِ كَمَا يُحِبُّ رَبُّنَا وَيَرْضَى فَلَمَّا صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ انْصَرَفَ فَقَالَ: «مَنِ الْمُتَكَلِّمُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ؟» فَلَمْ يَتَكَلَّمْ أَحَدٌ ثُمَّ قَالَهَا الثَّانِيَةَ فَلَمْ يَتَكَلَّمْ أَحَدٌ ثُمَّ قَالَهَا الثَّالِثَةَ فَقَالَ رِفَاعَةُ: أَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَقَدِ ابْتَدَرَهَا بِضْعَةٌ وَثَلَاثُونَ مَلَكًا أَيُّهُمْ يَصْعَدُ بِهَا» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ وَأَبُو دَاوُد وَالنَّسَائِيّ
The Arabic uses repeated blessing language (مباركًا فيه مباركًا عليه), whose precise relation to the praise is somewhat unusual.
Should this formula be rendered more literally or according to another established recension?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said: ‘Yawning during prayer is from Satan. When one of you yawns, let him restrain it as much as he can.’ Al-Tirmidhi transmitted it. In another version transmitted by him and Ibn Majah, it says: ‘Let him place his hand over his mouth.’
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah reported that the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said: ‘When one of you performs ablution well, then deliberately sets out for the mosque, let him not interlace his fingers, for he is in prayer.’ Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, and al-Darimi transmitted it.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Dharr reported that the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said: ‘God, Mighty and Majestic, continues to attend favorably to a servant while he is praying, so long as he does not look aside. When he does, He turns away from him.’ Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, and al-Darimi transmitted it.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
وَعَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " لَا يَزَالُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مُقْبِلًا عَلَى الْعَبْدِ وَهُوَ فِي صَلَاتِهِ مَا لَمْ يَلْتَفِتْ فَإِذَا الْتَفَتَ انْصَرَفَ عَنْهُ. رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالنَّسَائِيُّ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ
The Arabic مُقْبِلًا عَلَى الْعَبْدِ literally describes God as turning toward or attending to the servant; renderings differ in how to express this theological idiom.
Would a reviewed edition prefer ‘turns toward’ or ‘attends favorably to’ here?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Anas reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Anas, keep your gaze where you prostrate.’ Al-Bayhaqi transmitted it in his al-Sunan al-Kabir through al-Hasan, from Anas, tracing it back to the Prophet.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
He reported that the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said: ‘My dear son, beware of turning sideways during prayer, for turning sideways during prayer is ruinous. If there is no alternative, do it during a voluntary prayer, not an obligatory one.’ Al-Tirmidhi transmitted it.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ibn ‘Abbas (may God be pleased with them both) said: ‘The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) used to glance to his right and left during prayer, without turning his neck to look behind him.’ Al-Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
‘Adi ibn Thabit reported from his father, from his grandfather, tracing it back to the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said: ‘Sneezing, drowsiness, and yawning during prayer, as well as menstruation, vomiting, and nosebleeding, are from Satan.’ Al-Tirmidhi transmitted it.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
وَعَنْ عَدِيِّ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ: «الْعُطَاسُ وَالنُّعَاسُ وَالتَّثَاؤُبُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ وَالْحَيْضُ وَالْقَيْءُ وَالرُّعَافُ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ
The source explicitly includes menstruation in a list associated with prayer, although the relation of that term to the other items is unusual and unclear.
Can this wording be checked against another reliable recension before any interpretation is added?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Mutarrif ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Shikhkhir reported from his father: I came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) while he was praying, and his chest made a sound like a boiling pot—that is, he was weeping. In another version he said: I saw the Prophet praying, and in his chest was a sound like a millstone, from weeping. Ahmad transmitted it. Nasa’i transmitted the first version and Abu Dawud the second.