Prayer

كتاب الصلاة

Chapter 67: Times when Prayer is Prohibited - Section 2

Muhammad b. Ibrahim on the authority of Qais b. ‘Amr told how when the prophet saw a man praying two rak'as after the Morning Prayer he said, “At the Morning Prayer pray two rak'as." The man replied I had not prayed the two rak'as which precede them, so I prayed themjust now,” and God’s Messenger said nothing. Abu Dawud transmitted it. Tirmidhi transmitted something similar, saying, “The isnad of this tradition is not connected, because Muhammad b. Ibrahim did not hear from Qais b. ‘Amr.” There is something similar in Sharh as-sunna and in some texts of al-Masabih from Qais b. Qahd.

Chapter 68: Times when Prayer is Prohibited - Section 3

‘Abdallah as-Sunabihi reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The sun rises accompanied by the horn of the devil, but when it is fully risen it leaves it; then when it is at the meridian it joins it, but when it passes the meridian it leaves it; then when it comes near to setting it joins it, but when it sets it leaves it.” God’s Messenger prohibited prayer at those hours. Malik, Ahmad and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Chapter 69: The Congregation and its Excellence - Section 1

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Prayer said in a congregation is twenty-seven degrees more excellent than prayer said by a single person.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He told of a blind man coming to the Prophet and saying, “Messenger of God, I have no one to guide me to the mosque.” He therefore asked God’s Messenger for licence to pray at home, and he granted it; then when the man turned away he called him and asked, “Can you hear the call to prayer?” On receiving the reply that he could, he said, “Well, respond to it.” Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you is served with his supper and the time for prayer comes, he should first have his supper and not hasten till he has finished it.” When Ibn ‘Umar’s food was served and the time for prayer came, he did not go to the prayer till he finished it; and he could hear the imam’s recitation. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When the time for prayer comes, only the prescribed prayer is to be said.” Muslim transmitted it.

Chapter 70: The Congregation and its Excellence - Section 2

Ibn Mas'ud reported the Prophet as saying, “It is more excellent for a woman to pray in her house than in her courtyard, and more excellent for her to pray in her private chamber than in her house.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu' Musa reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Every eye is adulterous, and when a woman perfumes herself and passes a company, she is such and such meaning adulterous. Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Abu Dawud and Nasa’i have something similar.

Ubayy b. Ka‘b said

God’s Messenger led us in the dawn prayer one day, and when he gave the salutation he asked, “Is so and so present?” and was told that he was not. He asked, “Is so and so present?” and was told that he was not. He then said, “These two prayers* are the ones which are most burdensome to hypocrites. If you knew the blessings they contain you would come to them, even though you had to crawl on your knees. The first row is like that of the angels, and if you knew the nature of its excellence you would race to join it. A man’s prayer said along with another is purer than his prayer said alone, and his prayer with two men is purer than his prayer with one, but if there are more it is more pleasing to God.” *i.e. the evening prayer and the dawn prayer.Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abud Darda’ reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If there are three men in a village or in the desert among whom prayer is not arranged, the devil has got the mastery over them. So observe prayer in company, for the wolf eats only the straggling animal.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If any one hears him who makes the call to prayer and is not prevented from joining the congregation by any excuse,” (he was asked what an excuse consisted of and replied that it was fear or illness), “the prayer he says will not be accepted from him.” Abu Dawud and Daraqutni transmitted it.

Chapter 71: The Congregation and its Excellence - Section 3

‘Uthman b. ‘Affan reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If the adhan is called when anyone is in the mosque and he goes out for any other reason than some necessary purpose, not intending to return, he is a hypocrite.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Bakr b. Sulaiman b. Abu Hathma said that ‘Umar b. al-Khattab missed Sulaiman b. Abu Hathma at the Morning Prayer. In the morning ‘Umar went to the market, and Sulaiman’s house being between the mosque and the market, he met ash-Shifa’, Sulaiman’s mother, and said to her, “I did not see Sulaiman at the morning prayer.” She replied, “He spent the night in prayer and was overpowered by sleep.” Thereupon ‘Umar said, “I would rather be present with a company at the Morning Prayer than spend a night in prayer.” Malik transmitted it.

Bilal b. ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar on his father’s authority reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Do not prevent the women from their shares in the mosques when they ask your permission.” Bilal said, “I swear by God I will certainly prevent them.” ‘Abdallah replied, “I tell you that God’s Messenger said it, yet you say you will certainly prevent them!” In a version by Salim,* his father is reported as saying

‘Abdallah confronted him, and reviling him in terms the like of which I have never heard at any other time, he said, “I give you information on the authority of God’s Messenger, yet you say, ‘I swear by God I will certainly prevent them’!” * He is Salim b. ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar b. al-Khattab.Muslim transmitted it.

Chapter 72: Straightening the Rows - Section 1

Anas said

The iqama* had been uttered and God’s Messenger faced us and said, “Make your rows straight and stand close together, for l can see you behind my back.” * A repetition of the words of the call to prayer after the worshippers have taken their places with the addition of a statement that the time of prayer has come.Bukhari transmitted it. In the version given by Bukhari and Muslim he said, “Make the rows perfect, for I can see you behind my back."

Chapter 74: Straightening the Rows - Section 3

Wabisa b. Ma'bad said that God’s Messenger saw a man praying alone behind the row and ordered him to repeat the prayer. Ahmad Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said this is a hasan tradition.

Chapter 76: Where to Stand - Section 2

Samura b. Jundub said

God’s Messenger commanded that when there were three of us one should stand in front. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Sahl b. Sa‘d as-Sa‘idi said he was asked what the pulpit was made of and replied, “It was from the tamarisks of al-Ghaba, made by so and so, client of such and such a woman, for God’s Messenger. When it was made and placed in position God’s Messenger mounted it, faced the qibla, and said ‘God is most great’, the people standing behind him. He recited some verses and bowed, and the people bowed behind him. He then raised his head, moved backwards and prostrated himself to the ground, then returned to the pulpit, then recited some verses, then bowed, then raised his head, then moved backwards and prostrated himself to the ground.” This is Bukhari’s wording. In a version given both by him and by Muslim there is something similar, at the end of which it is said

Then when he finished he faced the people and said, “O people, I have done this only that you should be guided by me and know how I conduct prayer.”

Chapter 79: The Office of Imam - Section 2

Anas said that God’s Messenger appointed Ibn Umm Maktum as substitute to lead the people in prayer, and he was blind. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Chapter 82: The Imam's duty - Section 3

Ibn ‘Umar said

God's Messenger used to command us to be brief, and he would recite as-Saffat (Al-Qur’an; 37) when he was our imam. Nasa’i transmitted it.