The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer

كتاب الْمَسَاجِدِ وَمَوَاضِعِ الصَّلاَةِ

Chapter 52: The virtue of sitting in one’s prayer place after Subh, and the virtue of the masajid

Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said

The parts of land dearest to Allah are its mosques, and the parts most hateful to Allah are markets.

Chapter 53: Who is more entitled to lead the prayer

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

When there are three persons, one of them should lead them. The one among them most worthy to act as Imam is one who is best versed in the Qur'an.

A hadith like this has been narrated by Qatida with the same chain of transmitters.

This hadith has been narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri by another chain of transmitters.

Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

The one who is most versed in Allah's Book should act as Imam for the people, but If they are equally versed in reciting it, then the one who has most knowledge regarding Sunnah if they are equal regarding the Sunnah, then the earliest one to emigrate; it they emigrated at the same time, then the earliest one to embrace Islam. No man must lead another in prayer where (the latter) has authority, or sit in his place of honour in his house, without his permission. Ashajj in his narration used the word," age" in place of" Islam".

A hadith like this has been narrated by A'mash by the same chain of transmitters

Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to us: The one who is well grounded in Allah's Book and is distinguished among them in recitation should act as; Imam for the people. and if they are equally versed in reciting it, then the one who has most knowledge regarding Sunnah; if they are equal regarding the Sunnah, then the earliest one to emigrate; If they emigrated at the same time, then the oldest one in age. No man must lead another in prayer in latter's house or where (the latter) has authority, or sit in his place of honour in his house, except that he gives you permission or with his permission.

Malik b. Huwairith reported

We came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and we were all young men of nearly equal age. We stayed with him (the Holy Prophet) for twenty nights, and as the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was extremely kind and tender of heart, he therefore, thought that we were eager (to see) our family (we felt homesick). So he asked us about the members of the family that we had left behind and when we informed him, he said: Go back to your family, stay with them, and teach them (beliefs and practices of Islam) and exhort them to good, and when the time for prayer comes, one amongst you should announce Adhan and then the oldest among you should lead the prayer.

This hadith has been transmitted by Ayyub with the same chain of narrator.

Malik b. Huwairith Abu Sulaiman reported

I came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) along with other persons and we were young men of nearly equal age, and the rest of the hadith was transmitted like the hadith narrated before.

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.

This hadith has been narrated with the same chain of transmitters, but al-Hadra' made this addition

" They both were equal in recitation."

Chapter 54: It is recommended to say qunut in all prayers if a calamity befalls the Muslims – and refuge is sought from Allah (regarding that). It is recommended to say qunut in Subh at all times. And the clarification that it is to be said after raising the head from bowing in the final rak`ah, and it is recommended to say it out loud

Abu Salama b. Abd al-Rahman b. 'Auf heard Abu Huraira say

(When) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (wished to invoke curse or blessing on someone, he would do so at the end) of the recitation in the dawn prayer, when he had pronounced Allah-o-Akbar (for bending) and then lifted his head (saying):" Allah listened to him who praised Him; our Lord! to Thee is all praise" ; he would then stand up and say:" Rescue al-Walid b. Walid, Salama b. Hisham, and 'Ayyash b. Abd Rabi'a, and the helpless among the Muslims. O Allah! trample severely Mudar and cause them a famine (which broke out at the time) of Joseph. O Allah! curse Lihyan, Ri'l, Dhakwan, 'Usayya, for they disobeyed Allah and His Messenger." (The narrator then adds): The news reached us that he abandoned (this) when this verse was revealed:" Thou but no concern in the matter whether He turns to them (mercifully) or chastises them; surely they are wrongdoers" (ill. 127)

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira by another chain of transmitters up to the words

" And cause them a famine like that (which broke out at the time) of Joseph," but the subsequent portion was not mentioned.

Abu Salama reported it on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited Qunut after ruku' in prayer for one mouth at the time of reciting (these words)

" Allah listened to him who praised Him," and he said in Qunut:" 0 Allah! rescue al-Walid b. al-Walid; O Allah! rescue Salama b. Hisham; O Allah! rescue 'Ayyash b. Abu Rabi'a; O Allah! rescue the helpless amongst the Muslims; O Allah! trample Mudar severely; O Allah! cause them a famine like that (which was caused at the time) of Joseph." Abu Huraira (further) said: I saw that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) afterwards abandoned this supplication. I, therefore said: I see the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) abandoning this blessing upon them. It was raid to him (Abu Huraira): Don't you see that (those for whom was blessing invoked by the Holy Prophet) have come (i. e. they have been rescued)?

Abu Salama narrated that Abu Huraira told him that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pronounced

" Allah listened to him who praised Him." and before prostration, he would recite this in the 'Isya' prayer: O Allah! rescue 'Ayyash b. Abu Rabi'a, and the rest of the hadith is the same as narrated by Auza'i to the words:" Like the famine (at the time) if Joseph." but he made no mention of that which follows afterwards.

Abu Salama b. 'Abd al-Rahman is reported to have said that he had heard Abu Huraira saying

I would say prayer along with you which is near to the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). and Abu Huraira recited Qunut in the noon and in the 'Isya' and in the morning prayer, and invoked blessing (of Allah) upon Muslims-and curse upon the unbelievers.

Anas b. Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) invoked curse in the morning (prayer) for thirty days upon those who killed the Companions (of the Holy Prophet) at Bi'r Ma'una. He cursed (the tribes) of Ri'l, Dhakwan, Lihyan, and Usayya, who had disobeyed Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ). Anas said

Allah the Exalted and Great revealed (a verse) regarding those who were killed at Bi'r Ma'una, and we recited it, till it was abrogated later on (and the verse was like this):, convey to it our people the tidings that we have met our Lord, and He was pleased with us and we were pleased with Him".

Muhammad reported

I asked Anas whether the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed Qunut in the dawn prayer. He said: Yes, (he did so) after the ruku', for a short while.

Anas b. Malik reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed Qunut for a month in the dawn prayer after ruku' and invoked curse upon Ri'l, Dhakwan, and said that 'Usayya had disobeyed Allah and His Apostle (ﷺ).