Hadith Text & Status

"The Prophet was delivering a Khutbah on Friday when a man came. The Prophet said: 'Have you prayed?' He said no. So he said: 'Then stand and pray.'" Abu Eisa said: This Hadith is Hasan Sahih [It is the most correct thing about this topic.]

Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 510 | Book: The Book on the Day of Friday | Author: Jami' at-Tirmidhi

Contextual Explanation

This incident occurred during the Friday sermon (Khutbah), which is a sacred time when listening attentively is obligatory. The man's entrance during the Khutbah created a situation requiring Prophetic guidance.

The Prophet's immediate question about prayer indicates he assumed the man might have already prayed the two rak'ahs of greeting the mosque (Tahiyyat al-Masjid), which is recommended before sitting.

Legal Ruling Derived

This hadith establishes that the two rak'ahs of mosque greeting should be performed even if one enters during the Friday Khutbah. The obligation to pray them supersedes the obligation to listen to the Khutbah at that moment.

Scholars conclude that these two rak'ahs should be performed quickly and lightly, without prolonging them, to minimize disruption and quickly return to listening to the sermon.

Scholarly Commentary

Imam al-Nawawi explains that this hadith demonstrates the importance of Tahiyyat al-Masjid, making it so emphasized that it takes precedence over listening to the Khutbah, which itself is obligatory.

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani notes that the Prophet's instruction "stand and pray" indicates the prayer should be performed where one is standing, without moving to another location, to avoid further disturbance.

The Hasan Sahih grading by Imam al-Tirmidhi indicates this is an authentic narration with a strong chain, making it the primary evidence for this ruling.

Practical Application

When entering a mosque during Friday Khutbah, one should immediately perform two brief rak'ahs before sitting down. This applies even if the Khutbah has begun.

The prayer should be shortened by reciting shorter surahs after al-Fatihah to minimize the time spent not listening to the Khutbah. After completion, one should quietly take a seat and attentively listen to the remainder of the sermon.