Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat)

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Be moderate in prostration, and let none of you spread his forearms on the ground like a dog."

‘Abdullāh ibn Ash-Shikhkhīr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) praying and making a sound like the rumbling of a mill because of weeping.

Humrān, the freed slave of 'Uthmān ibn' Affān, reported that he saw 'Uthmān ibn' Affān asking (for water) to perform ablution, and he poured water from his vessel over his hands and washed them thrice and then put his right hand in the water and rinsed his mouth and washed his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out. Then, he washed his face thrice and his forearms up to the elbows thrice. Then, he passed his wet hands over his head and washed each foot thrice. After that, he said: "I saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) perform ablution like this ablution of mine, and he said: 'If anyone performs ablution like this ablution of mine and offers two Rak'ahs during which he does not think of anything else, Allah will forgive his past sins.'"

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: I asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about looking around during prayer. He replied: "It is a way of stealing by which the devil steals a portion of a slave's prayer."

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "What is the matter with some people who raise their eyes towards the sky during their prayer?" He went on, using strict words, until he said, "They must stop that, or their eyesight will be snatched away."

Abu Qatādah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray while carrying Umāmah the daughter of Zaynab, daughter of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Another narration reported by Abu al-‘Ās ibn Ar-Rabī‘ ibn ‘Abd Shams (may Allah be pleased with him) reads: “When he prostrated himself, he would put her on the ground, and when he stood up, he would carry her.”

Abu Qatādah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray while carrying Umāmah the daughter of Zaynab, daughter of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Another narration reported by Abu al-‘Ās ibn Ar-Rabī‘ ibn ‘Abd Shams (may Allah be pleased with him) reads: “When he prostrated himself, he would put her on the ground, and when he stood up, he would carry her.”

Abu Qatādah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) leading people in prayer and carrying Umāmah bint Abu al-‘Ās, the daughter of the Prophet's daughter Zaynab, on his shoulder. He put her down when he wanted to bow, and he picked her up again when he got up after prostration.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Kill the two blacks during prayer: the snake and the scorpion."

‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out to Qubā' Mosque to pray in it. He added: "Some of the Ansār came to him and greeted him while he was praying." He then added: "I asked Bilāl: "How did you see the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) return their greeting when they greeted him while he was praying?" Bilāl said: "He made this gesture," and he stretched out his hand with the palm facing down and the back facing up.

Mu‘āwiyah ibn al-Hakam As-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: While I was praying with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) a man sneezed, so I said: "May Allah have mercy upon you." People looked at me disapprovingly, so I said: "May my mother lose me, why do you stare at me?" They began to strike their thighs with their hands, and when I saw them urging me to be silent I said nothing. When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer – and may my father and mother be sacrificed for him! I have never seen a mentor before him nor after him who gave better instruction than him. By Allah, he neither scolded me, nor beat me, nor insulted me, rather he said: ‘In prayer, nothing of people's ordinary speech is allowed. Only Tasbīh, Takbīr, and recitation of the Qur'an are allowed." Or he said something similar to that. Then I said: "O Messenger of Allah, I have recently abandoned the beliefs of the pre-Islamic era, and Allah has brought Islam to us, and there are men among us who go to diviners." He said: "Do not go to them." I said: "There are men who believe in omens." He said: "That is something which they find in their hearts, but let it not prevent them (from doing whatever they intend to do) (Ibn As-Sabbāh said: let it not prevent you)." I said: "Among us are men who draw lines." He said: "There was a prophet who used to draw lines, so if their lines are as his, then that will be good." He (Mu‘āwiyah) added: "I had a bondmaid who tended sheep for me by the side of Uhud and Al-Jawwāniyyah. One day, I happened to pass that way and found that a wolf had snatched a ewe from her flock. As a normal human being, I got angry and gave her a slap. Then I came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who considered my act of slapping her grievous, so I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, should I emancipate her?' He said: 'Bring her to me.' So I brought her to him, and he said to her: 'Where is Allah?' She said: 'He is in the heaven.' He said: 'Who am I?' She said: 'You are the Messenger of Allah.' He said: 'Set her free, for she is a believing woman.'"

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When the Imām says amen, you too say amen, for whoever says amen at the same time the angels say amen will have his previous sins forgiven."

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Tasbīh is for the men, and clapping is for the women."

Sahl ibn Sa‘d As-Sā‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: News about the dispute among the people of Banu ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf reached the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and so he went to them, along with some of his Companions, to effect reconciliation between them. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not come back, and the time of the prayer was due. Bilāl went to Abu Bakr and said to him: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has not come yet and the time of prayer is due. Could you lead the people in prayer?" Abu Bakr said: "Yes, if you wish." Bilāl pronounced the Iqāmah and Abu Bakr went forward and said Takbīr and the people said it after him. In the meantime, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came in crossing the rows (of the praying people) and stood in the (first) row and the people started clapping. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) would never glance side-ways in his prayer, but when the people clapped much he looked back and saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) beckoned to him to carry on with the prayer. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) raised his hands and praised Allah, and retreated till he reached the (first) row. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went forward and led the people in the prayer. When he completed the prayer, he faced the people and said: "O people, why did you start clapping when something unusual happened to you in the prayer? Clapping is only for women. So whoever among you comes across something in the prayer should say 'Subhān Allah' for there is none who will not turn around on hearing 'Subhān Allah'. O Abu Bakr, what prevented you from leading the people in the prayer when I beckoned to you to do so?" Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: "How dare the son of Abu Quhāfah lead the prayer in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)?"

Sahl ibn Sa‘d As-Sā‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: News about the dispute among the people of Banu ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf reached the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and so he went to them, along with some of his Companions, to effect reconciliation between them. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not come back, and the time of the prayer was due. Bilāl went to Abu Bakr and said to him: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has not come yet and the time of prayer is due. Could you lead the people in prayer?" Abu Bakr said: "Yes, if you wish." Bilāl pronounced the Iqāmah and Abu Bakr went forward and said Takbīr and the people said it after him. In the meantime, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came in crossing the rows (of the praying people) and stood in the (first) row and the people started clapping. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) would never glance side-ways in his prayer, but when the people clapped much he looked back and saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) beckoned to him to carry on with the prayer. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) raised his hands and praised Allah, and retreated till he reached the (first) row. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went forward and led the people in the prayer. When he completed the prayer, he faced the people and said: "O people, why did you start clapping when something unusual happened to you in the prayer? Clapping is only for women. So whoever among you comes across something in the prayer should say 'Subhān Allah' for there is none who will not turn around on hearing 'Subhān Allah'. O Abu Bakr, what prevented you from leading the people in the prayer when I beckoned to you to do so?" Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: "How dare the son of Abu Quhāfah lead the prayer in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)?"

Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We used to speak during the prayer; a man would talk with his companion at his side in the prayer until [this verse] was revealed: {...And stand before Allah in devout obedience} [Sūrat al-Baqarah: 238]. So we were commanded to keep silent, such that we were forbidden to talk [to each other during prayer].

‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I was suffering from hemorrhoids (piles); so I asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about the prayer and he said: "Pray while standing; if you cannot, then while sitting; and if you cannot, then while lying on your side."

Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught me the Tashahhud, with my hand between his two hands, as he would teach me a Surah from the Qur’an: "At-tahiyyātu lillāhi was-salawātu wat-tayyibātu as-Salāmu ‘alayka ayyuha an-nabiyyu wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh, as-salāmu ‘alayna wa ‘ala ‘ibādillāhi as-sālihīn, ash-hadu alla ilāha illallāh wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasūluh (Greetings, prayers, and good things are due to Allah. May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you, O Prophet. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger)." Another wording reads: "Verily, Allah is the Giver of Peace, so when any of you sits in prayer, let him say: 'At-tahiyyātu lillāhi was-salawātu wat-tayyibātu as-salāmu ‘alayka ayyuha an-nabiyyu wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh, as-salāmu ‘alayna wa ‘ala ‘ibādillāhi as-sālihīn (Greetings, prayers, and good things are due to Allah. May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you, O Prophet. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah).' If you say this, it will benefit every righteous slave of Allah in heaven and on earth. (Then, say:) 'Ash-hadu alla ilāha illallāh wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasūluh (I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).' Then, let him choose whatever supplication he would like."

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach us the Tashahhud just as he used to teach us a Sūrah from the Qur’an. He used to say: "All blessed greetings and good prayers are due to Allah; peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings; peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger)." In another narration by Ibn Rumh: “As he used to teach us the Qur’an.”

Hittān ibn' Abdullāh ar-Raqāshi reported: I observed prayer with Abu Mūsa al-Ash'ari, and when he was in the tashahhud, someone among the people said: "The prayer has been made obligatory along with benevolence and Zakah." When Abu Mūsa finished the prayer and made taslīm, he turned to the people and said: "Who amongst you said such and such thing?" A hush fell on the people. He again said: "Who amongst you has said such and such thing?" A hush fell on the people. He said, "O Hittān, perhaps you have uttered it." Hittān said: "No, I have not uttered it. I feared you might be annoyed with me because of this." A person amongst the people said: "It was I who said it, and I intended nothing but good with it." Abu Mūsa said: "Do you not know what you have to say in your prayers? Verily, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) addressed us, explaining to us our Sunnah and teaching us our prayer, and said: 'When you pray, straighten your rows and let one of you lead in prayer, and when he says takbīr, say takbīr; when he recites {Not of those who incurred Your Wrath, or of those who went astray} [Surat al-Fātihah: 7], say 'amen'; and Allah will respond to you. And when he says takbīr, you also say takbīr, for the Imām bows and rises before you.' Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'This is equivalent to that. And when he says, 'Sami'a Allāhu liman hamidah' (Allah hears he who praises Him), you should say: 'Allahumma rabbanā laka al-hamd' (O Allah, our Lord, praise be to You), and Allah will hear you, for Allah Almighty said through the tongue of His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): Allah hears he who praises Him. And when he says takbīr and prostrates, you should also say takbīr and prostrate, for the Imām prostrates before you and rises before you.' Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'This is equivalent to that. And when he sits for tashahhud, the first words of everyone amongst you should be: 'Attaḥiyyāt at-ṭayyibāt aṣ-ṣalawātu lillāhi, assalāmu 'alayka 'ayyuh an-nabiyyu wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh, assalāmu' alayna wa 'alā 'ibadillāhi aṣ-ṣāliḥīn. Ash'hadu an lā 'ilāha illā Allah wa ash'hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasūluh.' (All greetings, good things, and prayers are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and the righteous servants of Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger)."

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach us the Tashahhud just as he used to teach us a Sūrah from the Qur’an. He used to say: "All blessed greetings and good prayers are due to Allah; peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings; peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger)." In another narration by Ibn Rumh: “As he used to teach us the Qur’an.”

‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi Layla reported: I came across Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah who said: Shall I offer you a present? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came out to us, and we said: O Messenger of Allah, we have learned how to greet you, but how should we invoke the blessings of Allah upon you? He said: "Say: Allāhumma salli ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala āli Muhammad kama sallayta ‘ala āli Ibrāhīm innaka hamīdun majīd. Allāhumma bārik' ala Muhammad wa' ala āli Muhammad kama bārakta' ala āli Ibrāhīm innaka hamīdun majīd (O Allah, bestow Your grace upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad just as You bestowed Your grace upon the family of Abraham. Verily, You are Praiseworthy, All-Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad just as You blessed the family of Abraham. Verily, You are Praiseworthy, All-Glorious)."

‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi Layla reported: I came across Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah who said: Shall I offer you a present? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came out to us, and we said: O Messenger of Allah, we have learned how to greet you, but how should we invoke the blessings of Allah upon you? He said: "Say: Allāhumma salli ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala āli Muhammad kama sallayta ‘ala āli Ibrāhīm innaka hamīdun majīd. Allāhumma bārik' ala Muhammad wa' ala āli Muhammad kama bārakta' ala āli Ibrāhīm innaka hamīdun majīd (O Allah, bestow Your grace upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad just as You bestowed Your grace upon the family of Abraham. Verily, You are Praiseworthy, All-Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad just as You blessed the family of Abraham. Verily, You are Praiseworthy, All-Glorious)."

‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi Layla reported: I came across Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah who said: Shall I offer you a present? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came out to us, and we said: O Messenger of Allah, we have learned how to greet you, but how should we invoke the blessings of Allah upon you? He said: "Say: Allāhumma salli ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala āli Muhammad kama sallayta ‘ala āli Ibrāhīm innaka hamīdun majīd. Allāhumma bārik' ala Muhammad wa' ala āli Muhammad kama bārakta' ala āli Ibrāhīm innaka hamīdun majīd (O Allah, bestow Your grace upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad just as You bestowed Your grace upon the family of Abraham. Verily, You are Praiseworthy, All-Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad just as You blessed the family of Abraham. Verily, You are Praiseworthy, All-Glorious)."

‘Ali reported: Indeed I am a man who, when hearing a Hadīth from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), Allah benefitted me thereby as much as He willed for me to benefit thereby. When a man from his Companions narrates some Hadīth to me, I ask him to swear upon it, when he swears, I believe him. And Abu Bakr narrated to me - and Abu Bakr told the truth; he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "There is no man who commits a sin, then gets up and performs Tahārah (ritual purification), then performs prayer, then seeks forgiveness from Allah, except that Allah forgives him." Then, he recited this verse: {And those who, when they commit a shameful act or wrong themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins.} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 135]