Prayer

Anas said that when God’s Messenger was on a journey and wished to say voluntary prayers he made his she-camel face the qibla and said, “God is most great,” then prayed in whatever direction his mount made him face. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘A’isha said that the prayer was prescribed as consisting of two rak'as, and after God's Messenger emigrated it was prescribed as four, but prayer while travelling was left according to the original prescription. Zuhri said he asked ‘Urwa why ‘A’isha said prayers in the complete form and he replied that she interpreted the matter herself as ‘Uthman did. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Al-Bara’ said, "I accompanied God’s Messenger on eighteen journeys and I never saw him fail to pray two rak'as when the sun had passed the meridian before praying the noon prayer.” Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying that this is a gharib tradition.

Nafi' said that ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar used to see his son ‘Ubaidallah saying supererogatory prayers while on a journey, and did not express disapproval. Malik transmitted it.

I went out to at-Tur and met Ka'b al-Ahbar with whom I sat, he telling me about the Torah and I telling him about God's Messenger. One of the things I told him was that God's Messenger had said, “The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it Adam was created, on it he was cast down [from paradise], on it his repentance was accepted, on it he died, on it the last hour will come, on Friday every beast is on the outlook from dawn to sunrise from fear of the last hour, but not jinn and men, and it contains a time at which no Muslim will pray and ask anything from God without His giving him it." Ka'b said that was one day every year, but when I insisted that it was on every Friday Ka'b read the Torah and said that God's Messenger had spoken the truth. Abu Huraira said: I met ‘Abdallah b. Salam and told him of my meeting with Ka'b al-Ahbar and of what I had told him about Friday, telling him that Ka'b had said that was one day every year. ‘Abdallah b. Salam said that Ka'b had lied, but when I told him that Ka'b afterwards read the Torah and said that it was every Friday he said that Ka'b had spoken the truth. ‘Abdallah b. Salam then said that he knew what time it was, and when I asked him to tell me about it and not keep it to himself he replied that it was at the very end of Friday. I asked how that could be when God's Messenger had said, “No Muslim will pray in it . . . and he asked me if God’s Messenger had not said, “If anyone is seated waiting for the prayer he is engaged in the prayer until he observes it." When I replied that that was so he said that that was how it came about. Malik, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it, and Ahmad transmitted it up to the statement that Ka'b had spoken the truth.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, "The promised day is the day of resurrection, the day which is witnessed is the day of ‘Arafa, and the witness* is Friday on no more excellent day than which has the sun risen or set. It contains a time at which no believing worshipper will supplicate God for what is good without God answering him, or seek refuge from something without His giving him refuge from it.” * Al-Qur’an; 85:2 f.Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, the latter saying that this is a gharib tradition known only among the traditions of Musa b. ‘Ubaida who is declared to be weak.

Abud Darda’ reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Invoke many blessings on me on Friday for it is witnessed. The angels are present on it, and no one will invoke a blessing on me without his blessing being submitted to me till he stops." He said that he asked whether that applied also after his death, and he replied, “God has prohibited the earth from consuming the bodies of the prophets;" so God’s prophet is alive and given provision. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Anas said that when Rajab came God’s Messenger said, “O God, bless us in Rajab and Sha'ban and bring us to Ramadan.” He also quoted him as saying, “Thursday night is a very bright night and Friday is a shining day.” Baihaqi transmitted it in [Kitab] ad-Da'awat al-kabir.

Abul Ja‘d ad-Dumairi reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone fails to observe the prayers on three Fridays through holding it in small esteem,'God will seal up his heart.” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it. Malik transmitted it from Safwan b. Sulaim, and Ahmad from Abu Qatada.

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, “The Friday prayer is obligatory on him who can get home to his family by night.” Tirmidhi transmitted it and said this is a tradition whose isnad is weak.

Ibn Mas'ud reported the Prophet as saying to people who stayed away from the Friday prayer, “I have thought about commanding a man to lead the people in prayer, then burning their houses over men who stayed away from the Friday prayer." Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone performs ablution, doing it well, then comes to the Friday prayer, listens and keeps silent, his sins between that time and the next Friday will be forgiven him, with three days extra; but he who touches pebbles has caused an interruption (lagha).”* * This refers to little stones which one removes while engaged in salat. While Bukhari, al-'amal fis salat, 8, gives a tradition which allows smoothing the ground once only, this tradition treats the matter as unsuitable. Regarding this tradition Lisan al-'Arab, 22:118, says that lagha means ‘he has spoken', or ‘deviated from what is right,‘ or ‘has been frustrated', adding that the first is the basic meaning. The idea is evidently that the one who makes a sound by removing small stones during the prayer has hindered someone from hearing. Cf. Qur'an, 41:26.Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir reported God’s Messenger as saying, “None of you must make his brother get up on Friday, then move to his place and sit in it, but should ask those present to make room." Muslim transmitted it.

Sahl b. Mu'adh b. Anas al-Juhani told that his father reported God’s Messenger as saying, "If anyone steps over people on Friday he will be made a bridge to jahannam." Tirmidhi transmitted it and said this is a gharib tradition.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When any of you dozes on Friday he should change his place.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Jabir b. Samura said the Prophet gave two sermons between which he sat, recited the Qur’an and gave the people an exhortation and both his prayer and his sermon were of moderate length. Muslim transmitted it.

‘Amr b. Huraith said the Prophet preached on Friday wearing a black turban the ends of which he let hang between his shoulders. Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that the Prophet used to deliver two sermons. He would sit down when he ascended the pulpit till he (I think he meant the mu’adhdhin) was finished. He would then stand up and preach, then sit down and say nothing, then stand up and preach. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone is in time for a rak'a of the Friday prayer he should pray another as well, but if one misses the two rak'as he should pray four.” Or he said, “The noon prayer.” Daraqutni transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that God’s Messenger, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar used to say the festival prayers before the sermon. (Bukhari and Muslim.)