The Book of the Commencement of the Prayer

كتاب الافتتاح

Chapter 62: Reciting the short Mufassal surahs in Maghrib

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said

"I have never prayed behind anyone whose prayer more closely resembled that of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) than so-and-so. We prayed behind that person and he used to make the first two rak'ahs of Zuhr lengthy and the last two shorter, and he would make 'Asr shorter; in Maghrib he would recite the short Mufassal surahs. In Isha' he recited: 'By the sun and its brightness and similar surahs, and in subh he recited two lengthy surahs."

Chapter 64: Reciting Al-Mursalat (77) in Maghrib

It was narrated from Anas that Umm Al-Fadl bint Al-Harith said

" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led us in praying maghrib in his house and he recited Al-Mursalat, then after that, he never offered any prayer until he died."

It was narrated from Ibn Abbas from his mother that

She heard the Prophet (ﷺ) recite Al-Mursalat in Maghrib.

Chapter 69: The virtue of reciting "Say: He is Allah, (the) One"

It was narrated from Aishah that

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent a man on a campaign, and he used to recite to his companions when leading them in prayer, and would conclude with 'Say: He is Allah, (the) One.' When they returned, they told the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about that. He said: "Ask them why he did that." So they asked him and he said: "Because it is a description of the Most Merciful, the Mighty and Sublime, and I love to recite it." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Tell him that Allah (SWT), the Mighty and Sublime, loves him."

It was narrated from Abu Sa'eed Al Khudri that

A man heard another man reciting "Say: He is Allah, (the) One" and repeating it. When morning came he went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and told him about that. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, it is equal to one-third of the Quran."

Chapter 72: Reciting "By the fig and the olive" in Isha'

It was narrated that Al-Bara' bin Azib said

"I prayed Al-'Atamah (Isha') with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he recited 'By the gif and the olive' in it.

Chapter 73: Recitation in the first rak'ah of Isha'

It was narrated that Al-Bara' bin Azib said

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was on a journey and he recited: 'By the fig and the olive' in the first rak'ah of isha'. "

Chapter 80: The saying of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime: "And offer your salah (prayer) neither alou

It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbas said

Concerning the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime: "And offer your salah (prayer) neither aloud nor in a low voice"- It was revealed when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was still (preaching) in secret in Makkah. When he led his companions in prayer, he would raise his voice" -(One of the narrators) Ibn Mani' said: He would recite the Quran out loud"- "And when the idolators heard his voice they would insult the Quran, and the One Who revealed it, and the one who brought it. So Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said to His Prophet (ﷺ): And offer your salah (prayer) neither aloud that is, such that the idolators can hear your recitation and insult the Quran; nor in a low voice, so that your companions cannot hear; but follow a way between."

Chapter 83: Making one's voice beautiful when reciting Quran

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that

He heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: "Allah never listens to anything as He listens to a Prophet with a beautiful voice chanting the Quran aloud."

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, never listens to anything as He listens to a Prophet chanting the Quran."

It was narrated that 'Aishah said

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard the recitation of Abu Musa and said: 'This man has been given a Mizmar among the Mazamir of the family of Dawud, peace be upon him.'"

Chapter 85: Raising the hands before bowing until they are parallel to the highest part of the ears

It was narrated that Malik bin Al-Huwairith said

"I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raise his hands until they reached the highest part of his ears, when he said the takbir, when he bowed and when he raised his head from bowing."

Chapter 86: Raising the hands parallel to the shoulders before bowing

It was narrated from Salim that

His father said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he started to pray, raise his hands until they were parallel to his shoulders, (and he did that) when he bowed and when he raised his head from bowing."

Chapter 89: Being moderate in bowing

It was narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said

"Be moderate in bowing and prostration, and do not rest your forearms along the ground like a dog."