The Book of Forgetfulness (In Prayer)

Mutarrif ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: I prayed with ‘Imrān ibn Husayn behind ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib. When he prostrated, he made Takbīr, when he raised his head he made Takbīr, and when he stood up after two Rak‘ahs, he made Takbīr. After he had finished praying, ‘Imrān took my hand and said: "This reminded me of the prayer of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." Or he said: "He led us in prayer the same way Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did."

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)?"

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."

‘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."

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: "Tasbīh is for the men, and clapping is for the women."

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."

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."

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."

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.'"

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].

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) led us in one of the two afternoon prayers." Ibn Sirīn said: "Abu Hurayrah mentioned it by name but I forgot it." Abu Hurayrah added: "He (the Prophet) prayed two Rak‘ahs and then finished the prayer with Taslīm. Then, he went toward a piece of wood laying across the mosque and leaned upon it in such a way as if he was angry. He placed his right hand over the left and interlaced his fingers. The people who were in a haste left the mosque through its gates, saying: 'The prayer has been shortened.' Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, who were present at that time, did not dare to talk to the Prophet. Also among them was a long−handed man called Dhu al-Yadayn who asked the Prophet: 'O Messenger of Allah, have you forgotten or has the prayer been shortened?' He replied: 'I have not forgotten, nor has it been shortened," then he said: 'Is what Dhu al-Yadayn has said true?' They (the people) answered in the affirmative. So he moved forward and prayed what he missed, then finished the prayer. Then he made Takbīr and prostrated as he normally did or longer. Then he raised his head and made Takbīr. He made Takbīr again and prostrated as he normally did or longer. Then he raised his head and made Takbīr." When people asked Ibn Sirīn if the Prophet offered Taslīm, he said: "I was informed that ‘Imrān ibn Husayn said that he offered Taslīm."

Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When anyone of you is in doubt about his prayer, not knowing how much he prayed, three or four, let him dispel the doubt and build upon what he is certain about, then perform two prostrations before making Taslīm. If he has prayed five, they will make his prayer even-numbered, and if he has prayed exactly four, they will be humiliation for the devil."

Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When anyone of you is in doubt about his prayer, not knowing how much he prayed, three or four, let him dispel the doubt and build upon what he is certain about, then perform two prostrations before making Taslīm. If he has prayed five, they will make his prayer even-numbered, and if he has prayed exactly four, they will be humiliation for the devil."

‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the prayer. Ibrahīm, a sub-narrator, said: "I do not know whether he prayed more or less than usual." When he finished the prayer, he was asked: "O Messenger of Allah, has there been any change to the prayer?" He said: "What is it?" The people said: "You have prayed such-and-such." Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bent his legs, faced the Qiblah, performed two prostrations, and then made Taslīm. When he turned his face to us, he said: "If there was any change to the prayer, I would surely inform you; but I am a human being like you and liable to forget like you. So if I do forget, remind me, and if anyone of you is doubtful about his prayer, he should follow what he thinks to be correct and complete his prayer accordingly, make Taslīm, and then offer two prostrations."

‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the prayer. Ibrahīm, a sub-narrator, said: "I do not know whether he prayed more or less than usual." When he finished the prayer, he was asked: "O Messenger of Allah, has there been any change to the prayer?" He said: "What is it?" The people said: "You have prayed such-and-such." Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bent his legs, faced the Qiblah, performed two prostrations, and then made Taslīm. When he turned his face to us, he said: "If there was any change to the prayer, I would surely inform you; but I am a human being like you and liable to forget like you. So if I do forget, remind me, and if anyone of you is doubtful about his prayer, he should follow what he thinks to be correct and complete his prayer accordingly, make Taslīm, and then offer two prostrations."

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When the call to prayer is announced, the devil takes to his heels and breaks wind with noise so as not to hear the call. When the call to prayer is over, he returns. When the Iqāmah is announced, he takes to his heels, and after it is over, he returns again to distract the attention of the worshiper and make him remember things which were not on his mind before the prayer, saying: 'Remember such-and-such, and remember such-and-such,' until the worshiper forgets how many units of prayer he performed.”

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.”

Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) forbade that a man wears his shoes while standing.