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.

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.”

Ibn ‘Abbas said he used to know that God’s Messenger had finished his prayer when he heard the takbir. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Thauban said that when God’s Messenger finished his prayer he asked forgiveness three times and said, “O God, Thou art Peace, and peace comes from Thee. Blessed art Thou, O Possessor of glory and honour.”Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Umama said that God’s Messenger was asked which supplication is most readily listened to, and replied, “What is offered in the latter part of the depth of the night and after the prescribed prayers.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “To sit with people who make mention of God after the morning prayer till sunrise is more pleasing to me than setting free four of the descendants of Ishmael, and to sit with people who make mention of God after the afternoon prayer till the sun sets is more pleasing to me than setting four free.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone, prays the dawn prayer in a company, then sits making mention of God till the sun rises, then prays two rak'as, he will have a reward equivalent to that for a hajja* and an ‘umra.” He reported God’s Messenger as adding, “A perfect one, a perfect one, a perfect one.” * A pilgrimage to Mecca and neighbouring spots made at the proper season in Dhul Hijja.Tirmidhi transmitted it.

I prayed this prayer, or one like it, along with God’s Messenger. Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were standing in the front row on his right, and there was a man who had been present at the first takbira in the prayer. God’s Prophet prayed the prayer, then gave the salutation to his right and his left so that we saw the whiteness of his cheeks, then turned away as Abu Rimtha (meaning himself) has done. The man who had been present with him at the first takbira in the prayer then got up to pray another prayer, whereupon ‘Umar leaped up, and seizing him by the shoulders, shook him and said, “Sit down, for the People of the Book will perish for no other reason than that there was no interval between their prayers.” The Prophet raised his eyes and said, “God has made you say what is right, son of al-Khattab.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Umar b. al-Khattab said that the Prophet sent to Najd an expedition which took much booty and came back quickly. A man who had not gone out said, “We have never seen an expedition return more quickly or bring finer booty than this one," whereupon the Prophet said, “Shall I not indicate to you people who have most excellent booty and a most excellent return? They are people who have been present at the Morning Prayer, then sat making mention of God till the sun rose. Those have the quickest return and most excellent booty." Tirmidhi transmitted it and said this is a gharib tradition and Hammad b. Abu Humaid the transmitter is weak in tradition.

While I was praying along with God's Messenger a man in the campany sneezed, and I said, “God have mercy on you!” The people gave me disapproving looks, so I said, “Woe is me! What do you mean by looking at me?” They began to strike their hands on their thighs, and when I saw them urging me to be silent [I became angry],1 but I said nothing. When God’s Messenger finished his prayer (and I declare that neither before him nor after him have I seen a teacher who gave better instruction than he for whom I would give my father and mother as ransom), I swear by God that he did not scold, beat, or revile me, but said, “No talk to others is fitting during this prayer, for it consists only of glorifying God, declaring His greatness, and recitation of the Qur’an,” or words to that effect. I said, “Messenger of God, I have only recently been a pagan, but God has brought Islam to us, and among us there are men who have recourse to kahins.”2 He replied, “Do not have recourse to them.” I said, “Among us there are men who take omens.” He replied, “That is something which they find in their breasts, but let it not turn them away [from freedom of action]”. I said, “Among us there are men who draw lines.”3 He replied, “There was a prophet who drew lines, so if any do it as he did, that is allowable.” 1. Some such phrase as that in brackets is required to complete the sense. It can be seen from the remarks at the end of the tradition that the text has been considered difficult.2. Diviners, soothsayers.3. The reference is to geomancy. The diviner draws many lines and obliterates them in pairs. If two are left it is a good sign, but if only one remains it indicates disappointment. The reference to the prophet may be a recollection of the statement in John 8:6 that Jesus wrote on the ground with his finger when the people asked what should be done with the woman caught in adultery; but this has no connection with geomancy.Muslim transmitted it. I found the phrase “But I said nothing” given thus in Muslim’s Sahih and al-Humaidi’s book. In Jami' al-usul it is stated to be correct, the word “thus”* being written above “but I.”*This corresponds to the use of (sic) to indicate an accurate quotation.

We used to greet the Prophet while he was engaged in prayer and he would respond to our greeting, but when we returned from the Negus* we greeted him and he did not respond to us, so we said, “Messenger of God, we used to greet you when you were engaged in prayer and you would respond to us.” He replied, “Prayer demands one’s whole attention.” * The reference is to the return of those who had gone from Mecca to Abyssinia when Muslims were being persecuted.(Bukhari and Muslim.)

I asked God’s Messenger about looking to the side during prayer and he said, “It is something which the devil snatches from a servant’s prayer.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I saw the Prophet leading the people in prayer with Umama daughter of Abul ‘As on his shoulder. When he bowed he put her down, and when he got up after the prostration he put her back. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibu ‘Umar said he asked Bilal how the Prophet responded to them when they greeted him while he was engaged in prayer, and he replied, “He used to make a sign with his hand.” Tirmidhi transmitted it. In Nasa'i’s version there is something similar, but Suhaib occurs instead of Bilal.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Yawning during prayer comes from the devil, so when one of you yawns he must restrain it as much as possible.” Tirmidhi transmitted it. In another version by him and by Ibn Majah it says, “He should put his hand over his mouth.”

Ibn ‘Abbas said that God’s Messenger used to glance right and left during prayer but did not turn his neck to look behind him. Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Resting the hands on the waist in prayer is the comfort of those who go to hell.” [Baghawi] transmitted it in Sharh as-sunna.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Kill the two black things during prayer, the snake and the scorpion.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Nasa’i has something to the same effect.

‘Abdallah ibn Buhaina said that the Prophet led them in the noon prayer, and when he stood up at the end of the first two rak'as and did not sit, the people stood up along with him. When he finished the prayer and the people expected him to give the salutation, he said “God is most great" while sitting and made two prostrations before giving the salutation. Then he gave it. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

God’s Messenger was reciting as-Sajda (Al-Qur’an; 32) when we were with him. He was prostrating himself and we were doing so along with him, but we were so crowded that none of us could find a place for his forehead when prostrating himself. (Bukhari and Muslim.)