Jami` at-Tirmidhi 389

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Madan ibn Talhah said: I met Abu al-Darda and asked him what I had asked Thawban. He said: Hold fast to prostration, for I heard the Messenger of Allah say: "No servant prostrates to Allah once without Allah raising him a degree by it and removing a sin from him." Madan ibn Talhah al-Yamari is also said to be Ibn Abi Talhah. Reports on this topic are also narrated from Abu Hurayrah, Abu Umamah, and Abu Fatimah. Abu Isa said: The hadith of Thawban and Abu al-Darda about frequent bowing and prostration is hasan sahih. Scholars differed on this topic. Some said that lengthening the standing in prayer is better than frequent bowing and prostration; others said that frequent bowing and prostration is better than lengthening the standing. Ahmad ibn Hanbal said that two hadiths have been reported from the Prophet on this matter, and he did not decide between them. Ishaq said: During the day, frequent bowing and prostration is better; at night, lengthening the standing is better, unless a person has a regular portion of night prayer that he might miss. In that case, frequent bowing and prostration is preferable to me, since it completes his regular portion while gaining the merit of frequent bowing and prostration. Abu Isa said: Ishaq said this because the Prophetic night prayer has been described as including long standing, whereas daytime prayer has not been described as having standing as long as that at night.