Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Do not prevent your women from coming to the mosques, but their houses are better for them.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

I have seen the time when no one stayed away from prayer except a hypocrite whose hypocrisy was well known, or a sick man, but if a sick man could walk with one on each side of him he would come to prayer. He also said: God’s Messenger taught us the paths of right guidance, among which is prayer in the mosque in which the adhan is called. In a version he said: If anyone would like to meet God tomorrow as a Muslim he should persevere in observing these five times of prayer where the announcement for them is made, for God has laid down for your Prophet the paths of right guidance, among which are the prayers. If you were to pray in your houses as this man who stays away prays in his house, you would abandon the practice of your Prophet, and if you were to abandon the practice of your Prophet you would go astray. No man purifies himself, doing it well, then makes for one of these mosques, without God recording a blessing for him for every step he takes, raising him a degree for it and removing a sin from him for it. I have seen the time when no one stayed away from it except a hypocrite who was well known as such, whereas a man would be brought swaying* between two men till he was set up in the row.” * Because he was too weak to walk alone.Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn'Abbas reported the Prophet as saying, “If anyone hears the summons and does not respond to it, he is not credited with having prayed unless he has some excuse.” Daraqutni transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Umm Maktum said, “Messenger of God, there are many venomous creatures and wild beasts in Medina, and I am blind, so are you able to grant me any licence?” He asked whether he could hear the call, “Come to prayer. Come to salvation,” and when he replied that he could, he said, “Then you must come,” and he gave him no indulgence. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Two and over constitute a congregation.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, "The best of the men’s rows is the first and the worst is the last, but the best of the women’s rows is the last and the worst is the first.” Muslim transmitted it.

Al-Bara’ b. ‘Azib told how God’s Messenger used to say, "God and His angels bless those who are near the first rows, and no step is more pleasing to God than one a worshipper takes to reach a row." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Umama reported God’s Messenger as saying, ‘‘God and His angels bless the first row." On being asked whether this applied to the second, he said, ‘‘God and His angels bless the first row." He was again asked if it applied to the second and said, ‘‘God and His angels bless the first row." When asked once again if it applied to the second he said, ‘‘And the second." And God’s Messenger said, ‘‘Straighten your rows, stand shoulder to shoulder, be pliant in the hands of your brethren,* and close up the gaps, for the devil enters through openings like the hadhaf i.e., small lambs. * Here, as in the last tradition of section II, warning is given against jostling one’s neighbours during prayer. At the same time instruction is given that no gaps should be left.Ahmad transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Have the imam in the centre and close up the gaps.’’ Abu Dawud transmitted it.

God’s Messenger stood up to pray and I came and stood at his left side, so he took my hand, turned me round, and set me at his right side. Then Jabbar b. Sakhr came and stood at God’s Messenger's left, so he took us both by the hand, pushed us back, and made us stand behind him. Muslim transmitted it.

An orphan and I prayed in our house behind the Prophet, and Umm Sulaim* was behind us. *She was the mother of Anas.Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Bakra said that he came to the Prophet when he was bowing, so he bowed before joining the row, after which he went to it. He mentioned that to the Prophet, and he said, “God increase your eagerness! But don’t do it again." Bukhari transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Let the best among you call the adhan for you, and the Qur’an readers act as your imams.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Malik b. al-Huwairith used to come to our place of prayer and tell us traditions, and one day when the time for prayer came we told him to go forward and lead the prayer, but he said to us: Put one of your own men forward to lead you in prayer, and I shall tell you why I am unwilling to do so. I heard God’s Messenger say, "If anyone visits people he must not act as their imam, but one of their men must do so.” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it, but Nasa’i gave only the Prophet's words.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Jihad is a necessary duty for you along with any commander, pious or impious, even if he commits heinous sins; prayer is a necessary duty for you behind any Muslim, pious or impious, even if he commits heinous sins; and prayer is a necessary duty for every Muslim, pious or impious, even if he commits heinous sins.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

I never prayed behind an imam, who was more brief or more perfect in his prayer than the Prophet. If he heard a boy crying he would shorten the prayer for fear his mother might be distressed. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “They lead you in prayer, and if they do it properly you will reap a reward, but if they make mistakes you will reap a reward and they will be held responsible. Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas said God’s Messenger was thrown off a horse he was riding and his right side was grazed. He then prayed one of the prayers sitting and we prayed behind him sitting, and when he finished he said, "The imam is appointed only to be followed; so when he prays standing pray standing, when he bows bow, when he raises himself raise yourselves, when he says ‘God listens to him who praises Him say, ‘Our Lord, to Thee be the praise’, and when he prays sitting all of you pray sitting." Al-Humaidi said that "when he prays sitting pray sitting" was said during his earlier illness.* After that the Prophet prayed sitting while the people behind him were standing, but he did not order them to sit, and it is only the last action of the Prophet that is to be acted upon. * The reference is to his illness at the time when he swore not to go near his wives for a month.This is Bukhari’s wording, and Muslim has the same up to “all of you”. In a version he added, “Do not act differently from him, and prostrate yourselves when he prostrates himself.”

‘Ali and Mu'adh b. Jabal reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When any of you comes to pray and the imam is at a certain point, he must do as the imam does.” Tirmidhi transmitted it and said this is a gharib tradition.

Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone prays to God for forty days in congregation being present in time for the first takbira, two immunities will be recorded for him, one from hell and one from hypocrisy,” Tirmidhi transmitted it.