"We were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when a man entered the Masjid and prayed. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) watched him without him realizing, then he finished, came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and greeted him with salam. He returned the salam and said: "Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.'" He (the narrator) said: "I do not know if it was the second or third time,- "(the man) said: 'By the One Who revealed the Book to you, I have tried my best. Teach me and show me.' He said: 'When you want to pray, perform wudu' and do it well, then stand up and face the qiblah. Then say the takbir, then recite, then bow until you are at ease in bowing. Then stand up until you are standing up straight. Then prostrate until you are at ease in prostration, then raise your head until you are at ease in sitting, then prostrate until you are at ease in prostration. If you do that then you will have done your prayer properly, and whatever you failed to do properly is going to detract from your prayer."
The Book of The At-Tatbiq (Clasping One's Hands Together)
Sunan an-Nasa'i - Hadith Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i 1053
Commentary on the Hadith of the Deficient Prayer
This profound narration from Sunan an-Nasa'i demonstrates the Prophet's ﷺ meticulous attention to proper prayer performance. The man's prayer, though outwardly performed, was deemed invalid due to deficiencies in its fundamental components.
The Prophet's ﷺ instruction "Go back and pray, for you have not prayed" indicates that prayers lacking essential elements of tranquility (tuma'ninah) and proper form are not merely deficient but invalid. This establishes the principle that prayer requires both correct intention and proper physical execution.
The man's response "By the One Who revealed the Book to you" shows his sincere desire to learn and his recognition of Muhammad's ﷺ prophethood. His humility in admitting "I have tried my best" teaches us that sincere effort must be coupled with proper knowledge.
Essential Elements of Valid Prayer
The Prophet's ﷺ detailed instruction outlines the pillars (arkan) of prayer: purification through proper wudu', facing the qiblah, takbiratul-ihram, recitation of Quran, proper bowing (ruku') with tranquility, standing straight after bowing, proper prostration (sujud) with tranquility, and sitting between prostrations with tranquility.
The emphasis on "until you are at ease" (tuma'ninah) in each position indicates that rushing through prayer invalidates it. Tuma'ninah means pausing briefly in each position to achieve stillness and proper form.
The concluding statement "whatever you failed to do properly is going to detract from your prayer" serves as a warning that deficiencies in prayer reduce its spiritual reward and perfection, even if the prayer remains technically valid after correcting major errors.
Scholarly Insights
Classical scholars like Imam Nawawi and Ibn Qudamah emphasize that this hadith establishes the fundamental principle that prayer must combine correct intention, proper physical form, and spiritual presence. The tranquility (tuma'ninah) in each position is obligatory according to the majority of scholars.
The repetition of the command to repeat prayer indicates the seriousness of omitting essential elements. Scholars differentiate between pillars (arkan) that invalidate prayer if omitted and recommended acts (sunan) whose omission only reduces reward.
This teaching moment exemplifies the Prophet's ﷺ method of gentle correction and comprehensive instruction, providing a model for Islamic education that combines practical demonstration with verbal explanation.