4. Prayer

وَعَن أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِمَكَّةَ وَهُوَ بِالْأَبْطَحِ فِي قُبَّهٍ حَمْرَاءَ مِنْ أَدَمٍ وَرَأَيْتُ بِلَالًا أَخَذَ وَضُوءَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَرَأَيْتُ النَّاسَ يبتدرون ذَاك الْوَضُوءَ فَمَنْ أَصَابَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا تَمَسَّحَ بِهِ وَمن لم يصب مِنْهُ شَيْئا أَخَذَ مِنْ بَلَلِ يَدِ صَاحِبِهِ ثُمَّ رَأَيْتُ بِلَالًا أَخَذَ عَنَزَةً فَرَكَزَهَا وَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي حُلَّةٍ حَمْرَاءَ مُشَمِّرًا صَلَّى إِلَى الْعَنَزَةِ بِالنَّاسِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَرَأَيْت النَّاس وَالدَّوَاب يَمرونَ من بَين يَدي العنزة

Abu Juhaifa said, “I saw God's Messenger in Mecca at al-Abtah in a red leather tent, I saw Bilal take the ablution water left by God’s Messenger, and I saw the people racing one another to get to that ablution water. If anyone got any of it he rubbed himself with it, and anyone who did not get any got some of the moisture from his companion’s hand. I then saw Bilal take a staff and fix it in the ground, after which God’s Messenger came out quickly in a red mantle and led the people in two rak'as facing the staff. And I saw people and animals passing in front of the staff.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يُعَرِّضُ رَاحِلَتَهُ فَيصَلي إِلَيْهَا. وَزَادَ الْبُخَارِيُّ قُلْتُ: أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِذَا هَبَّتِ الرِّكَابُ. قَالَ: كَانَ يَأْخُذُ الرَّحْلَ فَيُعَدِّلُهُ فَيُصَلِّي إِلَى آخرته

Nafi’ said on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet used to make his riding-beast kneel between him and the qibla and pray facing it. (Bukhari and Muslim.) Bukhari added that Nafi' asked Ibn ‘Umar, saying, “Tell me what happened when the camels moved away,” to which he replied, “He used to take the saddle, put it straight, and pray facing the back of it.”

وَعَنْ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: «إِذا وَضَعَ أَحَدُكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِثْلَ مُؤْخِرَةِ الرَّحْلِ فَليصل وَلَا يبال من مر وَرَاء ذَلِك» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Talha b. ‘Ubaidallah reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you places in front of him something such as the back of a saddle, he should pray without caring who passes on the other side of it.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَن أبي جهيم قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: «لَوْ يَعْلَمُ الْمَارُّ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ الْمُصَلِّي مَاذَا عَلَيْهِ لَكَانَ أَنْ يَقِفَ أَرْبَعِينَ خَيْرًا لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَمُرَّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ» . قَالَ أَبُو النَّضر: لَا أَدْرِي قَالَ: «أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا أَوْ شَهْرًا أَو سنة»

Abu Juhaim reported God’s Messenger as saying, ‘‘If one who passes in front of a man who is praying knew the responsibility he incurs, to stand still for forty would be better for him than to pass in front of him.” Abun Nadr said, “I do not know whether he said forty days, or months, or years.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَى شَيْءٍ يَسْتُرُهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَأَرَادَ أَحَدٌ أَنْ يَجْتَازَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَلْيَدْفَعْهُ فَإِنْ أَبَى فَلْيُقَاتِلْهُ فَإِنَّمَا هُوَ شَيْطَانٌ» . هَذَا لَفْظُ الْبُخَارِيِّ وَلمُسلم مَعْنَاهُ

Abu Sa'id reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you prays facing something which conceals him from people and someone wishes to pass in front of him, he should turn away; but if he refuses to go, he should turn him away forcibly, for he is only a devil.” This is Bukhari’s wording, and Muslim has something to the same effect.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «تَقْطَعُ الصَّلَاةَ الْمَرْأَةُ وَالْحِمَارُ وَالْكَلْبُ. وَيَقِي ذَلِك مثل مؤخرة الرحل» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “A woman, an ass and a dog cut off the prayer, but something like the back of a saddle guards against that.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي مِنَ اللَّيْلِ وَأَنَا مُعْتَرِضَةٌ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْقِبْلَةِ كَاعْتِرَاضِ الْجَنَازَةِ

‘A’isha said, “The Prophet used to pray at night while I was interposed between him and the qibla like a corpse on a bier.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: أَقْبَلْتُ رَاكِبًا عَلَى أَتَانٍ وَأَنَا يَوْمَئِذٍ قَدْ نَاهَزْتُ الِاحْتِلَامَ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ بِمِنًى إِلَى غَيْرِ جِدَارٍ فَمَرَرْتُ بَين يَدي الصَّفّ فَنزلت فَأرْسلت الْأَتَانَ تَرْتَعُ وَدَخَلْتُ فِي الصَّفِّ فَلَمْ يُنْكِرْ ذَلِك عَليّ أحد

Ibn ‘Abbas said, “When I was near the age of puberty I came riding on a she-ass and found God’s Messenger leading the people in prayer at Mina with no wall in front of him. I passed in front of part of the row of worshippers, and dismounting, let my she-ass go to pasture and joined the row, and no one objected to that.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَجْعَلْ تِلْقَاءَ وَجْهِهِ شَيْئًا فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَلْيَنْصِبْ عَصَاهُ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ مَعَهُ عَصَى فَلْيَخْطُطْ خَطًّا ثُمَّ لَا يَضُرُّهُ مَا مَرَّ أَمَامه» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَابْن مَاجَه

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of your prays he should put something in front of his face, and if he can find nothing he should set up his stick; but if he has no stick with him he should draw a line, then what passes in front of him will not harm him.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَن سهل بن أبي حثْمَة قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَى سُتْرَةٍ فَلْيَدْنُ مِنْهَا لَا يَقْطَعِ الشَّيْطَانُ عَلَيْهِ صَلَاتَهُ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Sahl b. Abu Hathma reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you prays facing a sutra* he should keep close to it and not let the devil interrupt his prayer.” * Sutra (covering, screen) is used of an object a worshipper places in front of him in the direction of the qibla when engaging in prayer. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنِ الْمِقْدَادِ بْنِ الْأَسْوَدِ قَالَ: مَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي إِلَى عُودٍ وَلَا عَمُودٍ وَلَا شَجَرَةٍ إِلَّا جَعَلَهُ عَلَى حَاجِبِهِ الْأَيْمَنِ أَوِ الْأَيْسَرِ وَلَا يصمد لَهُ صمدا. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Al-Miqdad b. al-Aswad said, “I never saw God’s Messenger praying in front of a stick, a pillar, or a tree, without having it opposite his right or left eyebrow (i.e. side), and not facing it directly.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: أَتَانَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَنَحْنُ فِي بَادِيَةٍ لَنَا وَمَعَهُ عَبَّاسٌ فَصَلَّى فِي صَحْرَاءَ لَيْسَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ سُتْرَةٌ وَحِمَارَةٌ لَنَا وَكَلْبَةٌ تعبثان بَين يَدَيْهِ فَمَا بالى ذَلِك. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وللنسائي نَحوه

Al-Fadl b. ‘Abbas said, “God’s Messenger came to us accompanied by ‘Abbas when we were in open country belonging to us. He prayed in a desert with no sutra in front of him, and a she-ass and a bitch of ours were playing in front of him, but he paid no attention to that.” Abu Dawud transmitted it and Nasa’i has something similar.

وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا يَقْطَعُ الصَّلَاةَ شَيْء وادرؤوا مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ فَإِنَّمَا هُوَ شَيْطَانٌ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Abu Sa'id reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Nothing interrupts prayer, but repulse, as much as you can anyone who passes in front of you, for he is just a devil.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

عَن عَائِشَة قَالَتْ: كُنْتُ أَنَامُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَرِجْلَايَ فِي قِبْلَتِهِ فَإِذَا سَجَدَ غَمَزَنِي فَقَبَضْتُ رِجْلِيَ وَإِذَا قَامَ بَسَطْتُهُمَا قَالَتْ: وَالْبُيُوتُ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَيْسَ فِيهَا مَصَابِيحُ

‘A’isha said, “I was sleeping in front of God’s Messenger with my legs between him and the qibla. When he prostrated himself he pinched me and I drew up my legs, and when he stood up I stretched them out.” She added, “At that time there were no lamps in the houses.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَوْ يَعْلَمُ أَحَدُكُمْ مَا لَهُ فِي أَنْ يَمُرَّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ أَخِيهِ مُعْتَرِضًا فِي الصَّلَاةِ كَانَ لَأَنْ يُقِيمَ مِائَةَ عَامٍ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنَ الْخُطْوَةِ الَّتِي خَطَا» . رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَهْ

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If one of you knew what he incurred by passing in front of his brother and interfering with his prayer, it would be better for him to stop a hundred years than to take a single step.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ كَعْبِ الْأَحْبَارِ قَالَ: لَوْ يَعْلَمُ الْمَارُّ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ الْمُصَلِّي مَاذَا عَلَيْهِ لَكَانَ أَنْ يُخْسَفَ بِهِ خَيْرًا مِنْ أَنْ يَمُرَّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ. وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: أَهْوَنَ عَلَيْهِ. رَوَاهُ مَالِكٌ

Ka‘b al-Ahbar said, “If one who passes in front of a man who is praying knew what was laid to his charge, it would be better for him to be swallowed up by the earth than to pass in front of him.” A version has “less serious for him.” Malik transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَى غَيْرِ السُّتْرَةِ فَإِنَّهُ يَقْطَعُ صَلَاتَهُ الْحِمَارُ وَالْخِنْزِيرُ وَالْيَهُودِيُّ وَالْمَجُوسِيُّ وَالْمَرْأَةُ وَتُجْزِئُ عَنْهُ إِذَا مَرُّوا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى قَذْفَةٍ بِحَجَرٍ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you prays without a sutra, an ass, a pig, a Jew, a Magian, and a woman cut off his prayer, but it will suffice if they pass in front of him at a distance of over a stone’s throw.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: أَنَّ رَجُلًا دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ جَالِسٌ فِي نَاحِيَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَصَلَّى ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: «وَعَلَيْك السَّلَام ارْجِعْ فَصَلِّ فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ تُصَلِّ» . فَرَجَعَ فَصَلَّى ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: «وَعَلَيْكَ السَّلَامُ ارْجِعْ فَصَلِّ فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ تُصَلِّ» فَقَالَ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ أَوْ فِي الَّتِي بَعْدَهَا عَلِّمْنِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ: «إِذَا قُمْتَ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَأَسْبِغِ الْوُضُوءَ ثُمَّ اسْتَقْبِلِ الْقِبْلَةَ فَكَبِّرْ ثُمَّ اقْرَأْ بِمَا تَيَسَّرَ مَعَكَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ثُمَّ ارْكَعْ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ رَاكِعًا ثُمَّ ارْفَعْ حَتَّى تَسْتَوِّيَ قَائِمًا ثُمَّ اسْجُدْ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ سَاجِدًا ثُمَّ ارْفَعْ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ جَالِسًا ثُمَّ اسْجُدْ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ سَاجِدًا ثُمَّ ارْفَعْ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ جَالِسًا» . وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: «ثُمَّ ارْفَعْ حَتَّى تَسْتَوِيَ قَائِمًا ثمَّ افْعَل ذَلِك فِي صَلَاتك كلهَا»

“When you get up to pray perform the ablution perfectly, then face the qibla and say, “God is most great.” Then recite a convenient portion of the Qur’an; then bow and remain quietly in that attitude; then raise yourself and stand erect; then prostrate yourself and remain quietly in that attitude; then raise yourself and sit quietly; then prostrate yourself and remain quietly in that attitude; then raise yourself and sit quietly.” A version has, “Then raise yourself and stand erect; then do that throughout all your prayer.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَسْتَفْتِحُ الصَّلَاةَ بِالتَّكْبِيرِ وَالْقِرَاءَةِ بِ (الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ) وَكَانَ إِذَا رَكَعَ لَمْ يُشْخِصْ رَأْسَهُ وَلَمْ يُصَوِّبْهُ وَلَكِنْ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ وَكَانَ إِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ لَمْ يَسْجُدْ حَتَّى يَسْتَوِيَ قَائِمًا وَكَانَ إِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ السَّجْدَةِ لَمْ يَسْجُدْ حَتَّى يَسْتَوِيَ جَالِسًا وَكَانَ يَقُولُ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ التَّحِيَّةَ وَكَانَ يَفْرِشُ رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى وَيَنْصِبُ رِجْلَهُ الْيُمْنَى وَكَانَ يَنْهَى عَنْ عُقْبَةِ الشَّيْطَانِ وَيَنْهَى أَنْ يَفْتَرِشَ الرَّجُلُ ذِرَاعَيْهِ افْتِرَاشَ السَّبُعِ وَكَانَ يخْتم الصَّلَاة بِالتَّسْلِيمِ. رَوَاهُ مُسلم

‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger used to begin prayer with the takbir1 and the recitation of “Praise be to God, the Lord of the universe.”2 When he bowed he neither kept his head up nor bent it down, but kept it between these extremes; when he raised his head after bowing he did not prostrate himself till he had stood erect; when he raised head after a prostration he did not prostrate himself again till he had sat up. At the end of every two rak'as he said the tahiya;3 and he used to bend his left foot and raise up the right; he prohibited the devil’s way of sitting on the heels, and he forbade people to spread out their arms like a wild beast. And he used to finish the prayer with the taslim4. Muslim transmitted it. 1. i.e. saying Allahu Akbar (God is most great). 2. Al-Qur’an; 1. 3. This is a part of the prayers which comes at the end of every two rak'as, beginning with at-tahiyat lillah and ending with the testimony that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. Tahiyat is the plural of tahiya and the phrase quoted above is variously explained as meaning that endless existence, or dominion, or kingship, or freedom from all evils, or freedom from all causes of cessation of existence belong to God. Alternatively it is taken in its usual meaning of salutations. 4. Saying, “The peace and mercy of God be upon you,” first with the head turned to the right and then with the head turned to the left. This is said at the end of the prayers.

وَعَن أبي حميد السَّاعِدِيّ قَالَ: فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَنَا أَحْفَظُكُمْ لِصَلَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَأَيْتُهُ إِذَا كَبَّرَ جَعَلَ يَدَيْهِ حِذَاءَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ وَإِذَا رَكَعَ أَمْكَنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنْ رُكْبَتَيْهِ ثُمَّ هَصَرَ ظَهْرَهُ فَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ اسْتَوَى حَتَّى يَعُودَ كُلُّ فَقَارٍ مَكَانَهُ فَإِذَا سَجَدَ وَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ غَيْرَ مُفْتَرِشٍ وَلَا قَابِضِهِمَا وَاسْتَقْبَلَ بِأَطْرَافِ أَصَابِعِ رِجْلَيْهِ الْقِبْلَةَ فَإِذَا جَلَسَ فِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ جَلَسَ على رجله الْيُسْرَى وَنصب الْيُمْنَى وَإِذا جَلَسَ فِي الرَّكْعَةِ الْآخِرَةِ قَدَّمَ رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى وَنَصَبَ الْأُخْرَى وَقَعَدَ عَلَى مَقْعَدَتِهِ. رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ

Abu Humaid as-Sa'idi said among a company of the companions of God’s Messenger, “I am the one among you who is best versed in the way God’s Messenger prayed. I saw that when he uttered the takbir he placed his hands opposite his shoulders; when he bowed he rested his hands on his knees, then bent his back; when he raised his head he stood erect with his spine straight; when he prostrated himself he placed his arms so that they were not spread out, and the fingers were not drawn in, and the points of his toes were facing the qibla; when he sat up at the end of two rak'as he sat on his left foot and raised the right; and when he sat up after the last rak'a he put forward the left foot, raised the other, and sat on his hips.” Bukhari transmitted it.