The Book of Prayers

كتاب الصلاة

Chapter 9: It Is Recommended To Raise The Hands Level With The Shoulders When Saying The Opening Takbir, When Bowing And When Rising From Bowing. But That Is Not To Be Done When Rising From The Prostration

This hadith has been transmitted with the same chain of transmitters by al. Zuhri as narrated by Ibn Juraij (who) said. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up for prayer, he raised hands (to the height) apposite the shoulders and then recited takbir.

This hadith has been transmitted by Qatada with the same chain of transmitters that he saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) doing this (i.e. raising his hands) till they were opposite the lobes of ears.

Chapter 10: Affirming The Takbir For Every Movement Up Or Down In The Prayer, Except When Rising From Ruku' When One Should Say: Sami'aAllahu Liman Hamidah (Allah Hears Those Who Praise Him)

Mutarrif reported

I and 'Imran b. Husain said prayer behind 'Ali b. Abu, Talib. He recited takbir when he prostrated, and he recited takbir when he raised his head and he recited takbir while rising up (from the sitting position at the end of two rak'ahs). When we had finished our prayer, 'Imran caught hold of my hand and said: He (Hadrat Ali) has led prayer like Muhammad (ﷺ) or he said: He in fact recalled to my mind the prayer of Muhammad (may peace be upon him.)

Chapter 11: It Is Obligatory To Recite Al-Fatihah In Every Rak'ah; If A Person Cannot Recite Al-Fatihah Or Cannot Learn It, Then He Should Recite Whatever Else He Can Manage

Ubada b. as-Samit reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He who does not recite Umm al-Qur'an is not credited with having observed the prayer.

Abu Huraira reported

The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) said: If anyone observes prayer in which he does not recite Umm al-Qur'an, It is deficient [he said this three times] and not complete. It was said to Abu Huraira: At times we are behind the Imam. He said: Recite it inwardly, for he had heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) declare that Allah the Exalted had said: I have divided the prayer into two halves between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks. When the servant says: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe, Allah the Most High says: My servant has praised Me. And when he (the servant) says: The Most Compassionate, the Merciful, Allah the Most High says: My servant has lauded Me. And when he (the servant) says: Master of the Day of judg- ment, He remarks: My servant has glorified Me. and sometimes He would say: My servant entrusted (his affairs) to Me. And when he (the worshipper) says: Thee do we worship and of Thee do we ask help, He (Allah) says: This is between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for. Then, when he (the worshipper) says: Guide us to the straight path, the path of those to whom Thou hast been Gracious not of those who have incurred Thy displeasure, nor of those who have gone astray, He (Allah) says: This is for My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for. Sufyan said: 'Ala b. 'Abd al-Rahman b. Ya'qub narrated it to me when I went to him and he was confined to his home on account of illness, and I asked him about it.

Abu Huraira reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: One is not credited with having observed the prayer without the recitation (of al-Fatiha). So said Abu Huraira: (The prayer in which) the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited in a loud voice, we also recited that loudly for you (and the prayer in which) he recited inwardly we also recited inwardly for you (to give you a practical example of the prayer of the Holy Prophet).

'Ata' narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira who said that one should recite (al-Fatiha) in every (rak'ah of) prayer. What we heard (i. e. recitation) from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), we made you listen to that. And that which he (recited) inwardly, we (recited) inwardly for you. A person said to him

If I add nothing to the (recitation) of the Umm al Qur'an (Surat al-Fatiha), would it make the prayer incomplete? He (AbuHuraira) said: If you add to that (if you recite some of verses of the Qur'an along with Surat at-Fatiha) that is better for you. But if you are contented with it (Surat al-Fatiha) only, it is sufficient for you.

Abu Huraira reported

A person entered the mosque and said prayer while the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was sitting in a nook (of the mosque), and the rest of the hadith is the same as mentioned above, but with this addition:" When you get up to pray, perform the ablution completely, and then turn towards the Qibla and recite takbir (Allah o Akbar =Allah is the Most Great)."

Chapter 12: Prohibiting The Follower From Reciting Aloud Behind An Imam

This hadith has been narrated by Qatada with the same chain of transmitters that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed Zuhr prayer and said

I felt that someone amongst you was disputing with me (in what I was reciting).

Chapter 13: The Proof Of Those Who Say That The Basmalah Should Not Be Recited Aloud

Anas reported

I observed prayer along with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and with Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman (may Allah be pleased with all of them), but I never heard any one of them reciting Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim loudly.

'Abda reported

'Umar b. al-Khattab used to recite loudly these words: Subhanak Allahumma wa bi hamdika wa tabarakasmuka wa ta'ala jadduka wa la ilaha ghairuka [Glory to Thee,0 Allah, and Thine is the Praise, and Blessed is Thy Name. and Exalted is Thy Majesty. and there is no other object of worship beside Thee]. Qatada informed in writing that Anas b. Malik had narrated to him: I observed prayer behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and Abu Bakr and Umar and 'Uthman. They started (loud recitation) with: AI-hamdu lillahi Rabb al-'Alamin [All Praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds] and did not recite Bismillah ir- Rahman-ir-Rahim (loudly) at the beginning of the recitation or at the end of it.

It is reported on the authority of Abu Talha that he had heard Anas b. Malik narrating this.

Chapter 14: The Proof Of Those Who Say That The Bismillah Is A Verse At The Beginning Of Every Surah, Except Bara'ah (At-Tawbah)

Anas reported

One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was sitting amongst us that he dozed off. He then raised his head smilingly. We said: What makes you smile. Messenger of Allah? He said: A Sura has just been revealed to me, and then recited: In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Verily We have given thee Kauthar (fount of abundance). Therefore turn to thy Lord for prayer and offer sacrifice, and surely thy enemy is cut off (from the good). Then he (the Holy Prophet) said: Do you know what Kauthar is? We said: Allah and His Messenger know best. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: It (Kauthar) is a canal which my Lord, the Exalted and Glorious has promised me, and there is an abundance of good in it. It is a cistern and my people would come to it on the Day of Resurrection, and tumblers there would be equal to the number of stars. A servant would be turned away from (among the people gathered there). Upon this I would say: My Lord, he is one of my people, and He (the Lord) would say: You do not know that he innovated new things (in Islam) after you. Ibn Hujr made this addition in the hadith:" He (the Holy Prophet) was sitting amongst us in the mosque, and He (Allah) said: (You don't know) what he innovated after you"

Mukhtar b. Fulful reported that he had heard Anas b. Malik say that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) dozed off, and the rest of the hadith is the same as transmitted by Mus-hir except for the words that he (the Holy Prophet) said

It (Kauthar) is a canal which my Lord the Exalted and the Glorious has promised me in Paradise. There is a tank over it, but he made no mention of the tumblers like the number of the stars.

Chapter 17: Sending Salat Upon The Prophet (saws) After The Tashah-hud

Abu Humaid as-Sa'idi reported

They (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) said: Apostle of Allah, how should we bless you? He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Say:" O Allah! bless Muhammad, his wives and his offspring as Thou didst bless Ibrahim, and grant favours to Muhammad, and his wives and his offspring as Thou didst grant favours to the family of Ibrahim; Thou art Praiseworthy and Glorious."

Chapter 19: Following The Imam

Anas b. Malik reported

The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) fell down from a horse and his right side was grazed. We went to him to inquire after his health when the time of prayer came. He led us in prayer in a sitting posture and we said prayer behind him sitting, and when he finished the prayer hesaid: The Imam is appointed only to be followed; so when he recites takbir, you should also recite that; when he prostrates, you should also prostrate; when he rises up, you should also rise up, and when he said" God listens to him who praises Him," you should say:" Our Lord, to Thee be the praise," and when he prays sitting, all of you should pray sitting.

Anas b. Malik reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) fell down from a horse and his right side was grazed, and the rest of the hadith is the same with the addition of these words:" When he (the Imam) says prayer standing, you should also do so."

Anas reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) rode a horse and fell down from it and his right side was grazed, and the rest of the hadith is the same, and (these words) are found in it:" When he (the Imam) says prayer in an erect posture, you should also say it in an erect posture."

'A'isha reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) fell ill and some of his Companions came to inquire after his health. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said prayer sitting, while (his Companions) said it (behind him) standing. He (the Holy Prophet) directed them by his gesture to sit down, and they sat down (in prayer). After finishing the (prayer) he (the Holy Prophet) said: The Imam is appointed so that he should be followed, so bow down when he bows down, and rise upp when he rises up and say (prayer) sitting when he (the Imam) says (it) sitting.

Chapter 11: It Is Obligatory To Recite Al-Fatihah In Every Rak'ah; If A Person Cannot Recite Al-Fatihah Or Cannot Learn It, Then He Should Recite Whatever Else He Can Manage

Abu Huraira reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the mosque and a person also entered therein and offered prayer, and then came and paid salutation to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The Mes- senger of Allah (ﷺ) returned his salutation and said: Go back and pray, for you have not offered the prayer. He again prayed as he had prayed before, and came to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon. him) and saluted him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) returned the salutation and said: Go back and say prayer, for you have not offered the prayer. This (act of repeating the prayer) was done three times. Upon this the person said: By Him Who hast sent you with Truth, whatever better I can do than this, please teach me. He (the Holy Prophet) said: When you get up to pray, recite takbir, and then recite whatever you conveniently can from the Qur'an, then bow down and remain quietly in that position, then raise your- self and stand erect; then prostrate yourself and remain quietly in that attitude; then raise yourself and sit quietly; and do that throughout all your prayers.