The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer

كتاب الْمَسَاجِدِ وَمَوَاضِعِ الصَّلاَةِ

Chapter 53: Who is more entitled to lead the prayer

Malik b Huwairith reported

I came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) along with a companion of mine, and when we intended to return from him, he said: When there is time for prayer, announce prayer, pronounce Iqama, and the oldest amongst you should lead the prayer.

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

Hammam b. Munabbih reported

This is what Abu Huraira narrated to us from the Prophet and he transmitted some ahadith-one of them was that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Let the heat become less severe before prayer, for the intensity of heat is from the exhalation of Hell.

Abu Huraira reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The Fire made a complaint before the Lord saying." O Lord, some parts of mine have consumed the others." So it was allowed to take two exhalations, one exhalation in winter and the other exhalation in summer. That is why you find extreme heat (in summer) and extreme cold (in winter).

Chapter 33: It is recommended to pray Zuhr at the beginning of its time when there is no intense heat

Khabbab reported

We complained to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) (the difficulty of) saying prayer on the intensely heated (ground or sand), but he paid no heed to our complaint.

Khabbab reported

We came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and we complained to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about (saying prayer) on the extremely heated ground (or sand), but he paid no heed to us. Zuhair said: I asked Abu Ishaq whether it was about the noon prayer. He said: Yes. I again said whether it concerned the (offering) of the noon (prayer) in earlier hours. He said: Yes. I said: Did it concern expediting it? He said: Yes.

Anas b. Malik reported

We used to say (the noonprayer) with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in the intense heat, but when someone amongst us found it hard to place his forehead on the ground, he spread his cloth and prostrated on it.

Chapter 34: It is recommended to pray `Asr early

Anas b. Malik reported

We used to offer the 'Asr prayer, then one would go to Quba' and reach there and the sun would be still high.

This hadith has been reported by 'Auza'i with the same chain of transmitters

We used to slaughter the camel during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) after the 'Asr prayer, but he made no mention of:" We used to pray along with him."

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

'Ali reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: On the day (of the Battle) of Ahzab we were diverted from the middle prayer, till the sun set. May Allah fill their graves or their houses, or their stomachs with fire. The narrator is in doubt about" houses" and" stomachs".

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that Umar b. al-Khattab had been cursing the pagans of the Quraish an the day (of the Battle) of Khandaq (Ditch). (He came to the Holy Prophet) and said

Messenger of Allah, by God, I could not say. the 'Asr prayer till the sun set. Upon this the Messenger (ﷺ) said: By Allah I, too, have not observed it. So we went to a valley. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) performed ablution and we too performed ablution, and then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said the 'Asr prayer after the sun had set. and then said the evening prayer after it.

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

Umara b. Ruwaiba reported on the authority of his father that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said

He who said prayer before the rising of the sun and its setting would not enter the fire (of Hell), and there was a man from Basra (sitting) beside him who said: Did you hear it from the Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him)? He said: Yes, I bear witness to it. The man from Basra said: I bear witness that I did hear from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying it from the place that you heard from him.

Abu Bakr reported on the authority of his father that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said

He who observed two prayers at two cool (hours) would enter Paradise.

This hadith has been narrated by the same chain of transmitters by Hammam, and said about Abu Bakr that he was Ibn Abu Musa.

Chapter 39: The time of `Isha and delaying it

'A'isha. the wife of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) deferred one night the 'Isya' prayer. And this is called 'Atama. And the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not come out till Umar b. Khattab told (him) that the women and children had gone to sleep. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came out towards them and said to the people of the mosque: None except you from the people of the earth waits for it (for the night prayer at this late hour), and it was before Islam had spread amongst people. And in the narration transmitted by Ibn Shihab the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) is reported to have said: It is not meant that you should compel the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for prayer. And (this he said) when 'Umar b. Khattab called (the Holy Prophet) in a loud voice.

'A'isha reported

The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) one night delayed (observing the 'Isya' prayer) till a great part of the night was over and the people in the mosque had gone to sleep. He (the Holy Prophet) then came out and observed prayer and said: This is the proper time for it; were it not that I would impose a burden on my people (I would normally pray at this time). In the hadith transmitters by 'Abd al-Razzaq (the words are):" Were it not that it would impose burden on my people."

Thabit reported

They (the believers) asked Anas about the ring of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he said: One night the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) delayed (observing) the 'Isya' prayer up to the midnight or midnight was about to be over. He then came and said: (Other) people have offered prayers and slept, but you are constantly in prayer as long as you wait for prayer. Anas said: I perceive as if I am seeing the lustre of his silver ring, and lifted his, small left finger (in order to show how the Prophet had lifted it).

Ibn Juraij reported

I said to Ata': Which time do you deem fit for me to say the 'Isya' prayer, -as an Imam or alone, -that time which is called by people 'Atama? He said: I heard Ibn 'Abbas saying: The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) one night delayed the 'Isya' prayer till the people went to sleep. They woke up and again went to sleep and again woke up. Then 'Umar b. Khattab stood up and said (loudly)" Prayer." Ata' further reported that Ibn 'Abbas said: The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) came out, and as if I am still seeing him with water trickling from his head, and with his hand placed on one side of the head, and he said: Were it not hard for my Ummah, I would have ordered them to observe this prayer like this (i. e. at late hours). I inquired from 'Ata' how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) placed his hand upon his head as Ibn Abbas had informed. So Ata' spread his fingers a little and then placed the ends of his fingers on the side of his head. He then moved them like this over his head till the thumb touched that part of the ear which is near the face and then it (went) to the earlock and the part of the heard. It (the bind) neither held nor caught anything but this is how (it moved oil). I said to Ata': Was it mentioned to you (by Ibn Abbas) how long did the Apostle (ﷺ) delay it (the prayer) during that eight? He said: I do not know (I cannot give you the exact time). Ali' said: I love that I should say prayer, whether as an Imam or alone at delayed hours as the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said that night, but if It is hard upon you in your individual capacity or upon people in the congregation and you are their Imam, then say prayer ('Isha') at the middle hours neither too early nor too late.

Chapter 40: It is recommended to pray Subh early, at the beginning of its time, when it is still dark; and the length of recitation therein

'A'isha reported

The believing women used to pray the morning prayer with the Messenger of Allah and then return wrapped in their mantles. No one could recognise them.

Muhammad b. 'Amr b. al-Hasan b. 'All reported

When Hajjaj came to Medina we asked Jabir b. Abdullah (about the timings of prayer as observed by the Holy Prophet). He said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray afternoon prayer in the midday heat; the afternoon prayer when the sun was bright; the evening prayer when the sun had completely set; and as for the night prayer, he sometimes delayed and sometimes (observed it) at earlier hours. When he found them (his Companions) assembled (at earlier hours) he (prayed) early. and when he saw them coming late, he delayed the (prayer). and the morning prayer the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed in the darkness before dawn.

Chapter 41: It is disliked to delay the prayers beyond their proper times, and what a person should do if the Imam delays the prayer

Abu Dharr reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: O Abu Dharr, you would soon find after me rulers who would make their prayers dead. You should say prayer at its prescribed time. If you say prayer at its prescribed time that would be a supererogatory prayer for you, otherwise you saved your prayer.