The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer

كتاب الْمَسَاجِدِ وَمَوَاضِعِ الصَّلاَةِ

Chapter 28: It is recommended to come to prayers in a tranquil and dignified manner, and it is forbidden to come in a hasty manner

Abu Huraira reported

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: When the Iqama has been pronounced for prayer, do not go running to it, but go walking in tranquillity and pray what you are in time for, and complete what you have missed.

This hadith has been narrated by Shaiban with the same chain of transmitters

Chapter 29: When should the people stand up to pray?

Abu Qatada reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: When the Iqama is pronounced do not get up till you see me Ibn Hatim was in doubt whether it was said:" When the Iqama is pronounced" or" When call is made".

Chapter 30: The one who catches up with a rak`ah of the prayer, he has caught up with that prayer

Abu Huraira reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying

He who finds one rak'ah of the prayer with the Imam, he in fact finds the prayer.

Chapter 31: The times of the five prayers

Ibn Shibab reported

'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz deferred the afternoon prayer somewhat and 'Urwa said to him: Gabriel came down and he led the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in prayer. 'Umar said to him: O 'Urwa, are you aware of what you are saying? Upon this he ('Urwa) said: I heard Bashir b. Abu Mas'ud say that he heard Abu Mas'ud say that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: Gabriel came down and acted as my Imam, then I prayed with him, then I prayed with him, then I prayed with him. then I prayed with him. then I prayed with him. reckoning with his fingers five times of prayer.

'Abdullah b. 'Amr reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The time of the noon prayer is when the sun passes the meridian and a man's shadow is the same (length) as his height, (and it lasts) as long as the time for the afternoon prayer has not come; the time for the afternoon prayer is as long as the sun has not become pale; the time of the evening prayer is as long as the twilight has not ended; the time of the night prayer is up to the middle of the average night and the time of the morning prayer is from the appearance of dawn, as long as the sun has not risen; but when the sun rises, refrain from prayer for it rises between the horns of the devil.

'Abdullah narrated it on the authority of his father Yahya

Knowledge cannot be acquired with sloth.

Abu Musa reported on the authority of his father that an Inquirer came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked him about the times of prayers, and the rest of the hadith is the same (as narrated above) but for these words

" On the second day he (the Holy Prophet) observed the evening prayer before the disappearance of the twilight."

Chapter 32: The recommendation to delay Zuhr (until it has cooled down) in severe heat for one who finds it too hot in route to join the congregation

Abu Huraira reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: When it is hot, make delay (in the noon prayer) till it cools down, for the intensity of beat is from the Exhalation of Hell; and he also mentioned that Hellfire complained to the Lord (about the congested atmosphere) and so it was permitted to take two exhalations during the whole year, one exhalation during the winter and one exhalation during the summer.

Chapter 34: It is recommended to pray `Asr early

Anas b. Malik reported

We used to offer the afternoon prayer (at such a time) that a person would go to Bani 'Amr b. Auf and he would find them busy offering the afternoon prayer.

Rafi' b. Khadij reported

We used to say the afternoon prayer with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and then the camel was slaughtered and ten parts of it were distributed; then it was cooked and then we ate this cooked meat before the sinking of the sun.

Chapter 35: Stern warning against missing the `Asr prayer

This hadith has been narrated as Marfu by another chain of transmitters.

Chapter 36: The evidence for those who say that “the middle prayer” is the `Asr prayer

This hadith has heed narrated by Qatada with the same chain of transmitters. And he said

Their houses and their graves (be filled with fire), and did not express doubt over the words," houses" and" graves".

Yahya heard 'Ali saying that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said on the day (of the Battle) of Ahzab, while sitting in one of the openings of the ditch

They (the enemies) have diverted us from the middle prayer till the sun set. May Allah fill their graves and their houses with fire, or their graves and stomachs with fire.

'Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) reported that the polytheists detained the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) from observing the afternoon prayer till the sun became red or it became yellow. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said

They have diverted us from (offering) the middle prayer. i. e. the 'Asr prayer. May Allah fill their bellies and their graves with fire, or he said: May Allah stuff their bellies and their graves with fire.

Al-Bara' b. 'Azib reported

Imam Muslim said: Ashja'i narrated it from Sufyan al-Thauri, who narrated it from al-Aswad b. Qais, who narrated it from 'Uqba, who narrated it from al-Bara' b. 'Azib who said: We recited with the Prophet (ﷺ) (the above-mentioned verse like this, i. e. instead of Salat al- Wusta, Salat al-'Asr) for a certain period. as It has been mentioned (in the above-quoted hadith).

This hadith has been reported by Yahya b. Abd Kathir with the same chain of transmitters.

Chapter 37: The virtue of the Subh and the `Asr prayers, and of maintaining them

Jarir b. Abdullah is reported to have said

We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that he looked at the full moon and observed: You shall see your Lord as you are seeing this moon, and you will not be harmed by seeing Him. So if you can, do not let -yourselves be overpowered in case of prayer observed before the rising of the sun and its setting, i. e. the 'Asr prayer and the morning prayer. Jarir then recited it:" Celebrate the praise of thy Lord before the rising of the sun and before Its setting" (xx. 130).

'Umara b. Ruwaiba is reported to have said on the authority of his father

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: He who observes prayer before the rising of the sun and its setting, i.e. the dawn prayer and the afternoon prayer, would not enter the (Hell) fire. A person belonging to Basra said to him: Did you yourself hear it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)? He said: Yes. The person (from Basra) said: I bear witness that I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ); my ears heard it and my heart retained it.

Chapter 38: The beginning of the time for Maghrib when the sun sets

Salama b. al-Akwa' reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray the evening prayer when the sun had set and disappeared (behind the horizon).