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

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

‘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.

Samura said, “God’s Messenger commanded us to respond to the imam, to love one another, and to salute one another.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Uqba b. ‘Amir said that God’s Messenger ordered him to recite al-Mu'awwidhat* after every prayer. * Suras 113 and 114 are commonly called al-Mu'awwidhatan, this being the dual. Although al-Masabih has the dual, the Mishkat has the plural. In the notes to the Damascus edition it is suggested that suras 109 and 112 may be added, but it is more probable that the Mishkat has used the plural in error.Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Baihaqi, in [Kitab] ad-da‘awat al-kabir, transmitted it.

I heard God’s Messenger say on the timbers of this pulpit, “If anyone recites the Throne verse (Al-Qur’an; 2:255) at the end of every prayer, nothing but death will prevent him from entering paradise; and if he recites it when he goes to bed, God will grant security to his house, his neighbour’s house, and the inhabitants of the little dwellings around him.”Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman, but said that its isnad is weak.

‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Ghanm reported the Prophet as saying, “If anyone says ten times before he departs and turns away his feet after the senset and the morning prayers, ‘There is no god but God alone who has no partner, to whom belongs the kingdom, to whom praise is due, in whose hand is good, who gives life, causes death, and is omnipotent,’ ten blessings will be recorded for him for every time he says it, ten evil deeds will be obliterated, he will be raised ten degrees, it will act as a charm for him from every unpleasantness and from the accursed devil, he will not be taken to account for any sin but polytheism, and he will be among those whose deeds are most excellent, except for one who may excel him by saying something more excellent than he did.” Ahmad transmitted it, and Tirmidhi transmitted something to the same effect from Abu Dharr up to “but polytheism”. He did not mention the sunset prayer, or “In whose hand is good", and he said this is a hasan sahih gharib tradition.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “People must stop raising their eyes to heaven while making supplication in prayer, otherwise their sight will be taken away.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you yawns during prayer he must restrain it as much as possible, for the devil gets in.” Muslim transmitted it. In a version by Bukhari from Abu Huraira he said, “When one of you yawns during prayer he must restrain it as much as possible and not say ‘Ha’, for that comes from the devil who is laughing at him.”(Or “at it”, i.e. at this action).

Sahl b. Sa‘d reported God's Messenger as saying, “If anything happens to someone during prayer he should say, ‘Glory be to God,’ for clapping applies only to women.” In a version he said, “Saying 'Glory be to God’ applies to men and clapping to women.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I prayed behind God's Messenger, and on sneezing I said, “Praise be to God, great, good, blessed and abounding in good, as our Lord wishes and is pleased with.” When God's Messenger finished his prayer he moved away and asked, “Who was it who spoke during the prayer?” but no one replied. He asked a second time, but no one replied. He asked a third time, and Rifa'a said, “I did, Messenger of God.” Thereupon the Prophet said, “By Him in whose hand my soul is, over thirty angels raced to it to see which of them would ascend with it.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abu Dharr reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God most high continues to turn favourably towards a servant while he is engaged in prayer as long as he does not look to the side, but if he does so He departs from him.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Darimi transmitted it.

The Prophet saw a servant of ours called Aflah blowing when he prostrated himself, and said, “Throw dust on your face, Aflah.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

The Prophet came out for prayer, but when he had said “God is most great” he went off, giving them a sign to stay where they were. He went away, and when he had bathed he came with his head dripping and led them in prayer. Then when he finished he said, “I was defiled by a seminal emission and forgot to bathe.” Ahmad transmitted it, and Malik transmitted it from ‘Ata’ b. Yasar in mursal form.

Al-Mughira b. Shu'ba reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When an imam stands up at the end of two rak'as, if he remembers before standing straight up he should sit down, but if he stands straight up he must not sit down, but perform the two prostrations of forgetfulness.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that the Prophet prostrated himself when an-Najm (Al-Qur'an; 53) was revealed, and the Muslims, the ploytheists, jinn and men prostrated themselves along with him. Bukhari transmitted it.

He said that in the year of the Conquest* God's Messenger recited a verse at which a prostration should be made and all the people prostrated themselves. Some were mounted, some were prostrating themselves on the ground, and those who were mounted prostrated themselves on their hands. * i.e. the Conquest of Mecca in 8 A.H.Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘A’isha said that when God’s Messenger prostrated himself at night when reciting the Qur’an he said, “My face prostrates itself to Him who created it and brought forth its hearing and seeing by His might and power.” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said this is a hasan sahih tradition.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that the Prophet prostrated himself when reciting Sad (Al-Qur’an; 38) and said, "David made this prostration in repentance, but we do it out of gratitude.” Nasa’i transmitted it.