4. Prayer

وَعَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقْرَأُ فِي الْفَجْرِ ب (ق وَالْقُرْآن الْمجِيد) وَنَحْوِهَا وَكَانَتْ صَلَاتُهُ بَعْدُ تَخْفِيفًا. رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ

Jabir b. Samura said that the. Prophet used to recite at the dawn prayer, "Qaf. By the glorious Qur'an"* and a passage of similar length, and his prayer afterwards was shortened. *Al-Qur’an; 50. Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَن عَمْرو بن حُرَيْث: أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يقْرَأ فِي الْفجْر (وَاللَّيْل إِذا عسعس) رَوَاهُ مُسلم

‘Amr b. Huraith said that he heard the Prophet reciting at the dawn prayer, “By the night when it dissipates."* *Al-Qur’an; 81:17 Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ قَالَ: صَلَّى لَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الصُّبْحَ بِمَكَّةَ فَاسْتَفْتَحَ سُورَةَ (الْمُؤْمِنِينَ) حَتَّى جَاءَ ذِكْرُ مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ أَوْ ذِكْرُ عِيسَى أَخَذَتِ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَعْلَةٌ فَرَكَعَ. رَوَاهُ مُسلم

God’s Messenger led us in the Morning Prayer in Mecca and began the Sura al-Mu’minun1, but when he came to the reference to Moses and Aaron2, or to the reference to Jesus3, a cough got the better of him and he bowed. 1. Al-Qur’an; 23. 2. Verse 45 3. Verse 50. Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يقْرَأ فِي الْفجْر يَوْم الْجُمُعَة ب (الم تَنْزِيلُ) فِي الرَّكْعَةِ الْأُولَى وَفِي الثَّانِيَةِ (هَل أَتَى على الْإِنْسَان)

Abu Huraira said that the Prophet used to recite at the dawn prayer on Friday A.L.M. Tanzil1 in the first rak'a, and in the second, “Has there come upon man?"2 1. Al-Qur’an; 32. 2. Al-Qur’an; 76. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَن عبيد الله بن أبي رَافع قَالَ: اسْتَخْلَفَ مَرْوَانُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ عَلَى الْمَدِينَةِ وَخَرَجَ إِلَى مَكَّةَ فَصَلَّى لَنَا أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ الْجُمُعَةَ فَقَرَأَ سُورَةَ (الْجُمُعَةِ) فِي السَّجْدَةِ الْأُولَى وَفِي الْآخِرَة: (إِذا جَاءَك المُنَافِقُونَ) فَقَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يقْرَأ بهما يَوْم الْجُمُعَة. رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Marwan appointed Abu Huraira as governor of Medina and went to Mecca. Abu Huraira led us in the Friday prayer and recited sura al-Jumu'a1 in the first sajda and “When the hypocrites come to you"2 in the last, and said, “I heard God's Messenger reciting them on Friday." 1. Al-Qur'an, 62, recited in the first rak'a, which is what is meant by sajda in the text. 2. Al-Qur'an, 63. Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقْرَأُ فِي الْعِيدَيْنِ وَفِي الْجُمُعَةِ بِ (سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى) و (هَل أَتَاك حَدِيث الغاشية) قَالَ: وَإِذَا اجْتَمَعَ الْعِيدُ وَالْجُمُعَةُ فِي يَوْمٍ وَاحِدٍ قَرَأَ بِهِمَا فِي الصَّلَاتَيْنِ. رَوَاهُ مُسلم

An-Nu‘man b. Bashir said that God’s Messenger used to recite at the two festivals1 and on Friday, “Glorify the name of your most high Lord", 2 and “Has the story of the overwhelming event reached you?"3 He said that when a festival and a Friday coincided he recited them both at the two prayers. 1. Id al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan, and Id al-Adha on the 10th of Dhul Hijja, when sacrifices are made. The former is called the lesser and latter the greater. 2. Al-Qur’an; 87. 3. Al-Qur'an, 88. Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ: أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ سَأَلَ أَبَا وَاقِدٍ اللَّيْثِيَّ: (مَا كَانَ يَقْرَأُ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي الْأَضْحَى وَالْفِطْرِ؟ فَقَالَ: كَانَ يَقْرَأُ فِيهِمَا: ب (ق وَالْقُرْآن الْمجِيد) و (اقْتَرَبت السَّاعَة) رَوَاهُ مُسلم

‘Ubaidallah said that ‘Umar b. al-Khattab asked Abu Waqid al- Laithi what God’s Messenger recited at the ‘Id al-Adha and 'Id al-Fitr, and he replied that he recited at both of them, “Qaf. By the glorious Qur’an’’1-and “The Hour is nigh.’’2 1. Al-Qur’an; 50. 2. Al-Qur’an, 54. Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَرَأَ فِي رَكْعَتَيِ الْفَجْرِ: (قُلْ يَا أَيهَا الْكَافِرُونَ) و (قل هُوَ الله أحد) رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Abu Huraira said that God’s Messenger recited in both rak'as of the dawn prayer, “Say, O unbelievers”1 and “Say, He is God, one God.2 1. Al-Qur’an; 109. 2. Al-Qur’an; 112. Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم يقْرَأ فِي رَكْعَتي الْفَجْرِ: (قُولُوا آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْنَا) وَالَّتِي فِي آلِ عِمْرَانَ (قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ) رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Ibd ‘Abbas said that God’s Messenger used to recite in both rak'as of the dawn prayer, “Say, We believe in God and in the revelation given to us,”1 and the verse in Al 'Imran, “Say, O people of the Book, come to common terms between us and you.”2 1. Al-Qur’an; 2:136 2. Al-Qur’an; 3:64 Muslim transmitted it.

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَفْتَتِحُ صَلَاتَهُ بِ (بِسم الله الرَّحْمَن الرَّحِيم) رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ لَيْسَ إِسْنَادُهُ بِذَاكَ

Ibn ‘Abbas said that God’s Messenger used to begin his prayer with, “In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.” Tirmidhi transmitted it and said that the isnad of this tradition is not approved.

وَعَن وَائِل بن حجر قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم يقْرَأ: (غير المغضوب عَلَيْهِم وَلَا الضَّالّين) فَقَالَ: آمِينَ مَدَّ بِهَا صَوْتَهُ. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُد والدارمي وَابْن مَاجَه

Wa’il b. Hujr said that he heard God’s Messenger recite, “Not of those with whom Thou art angry, nor of those who go astray” (Al-Qur’an 1:7) and say “Amen”, prolonging the word. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Darimi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَن أبي زُهَيْر النميري قَالَ: خَرَجْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتِ يَوْمٍ فَأَتَيْنَا عَلَى رَجُلٍ قَدْ أَلَحَّ فِي الْمَسْأَلَةِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَوْجَبَ إِنْ خَتَمَ ". فَقَالَ: رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ: بِأَيِّ شَيْءٍ يَخْتِمُ؟ قَالَ: «بآمين» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

We went out with God’s Messenger one night and came upon a man who made supplication with persistence. The Prophet said, “He will have done something which guarantees if he puts a seal to it.” One of the people asked what he should use for a seal, and he replied, “Amen”. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صَلَّى الْمَغْرِبَ بِسُورَةِ (الْأَعْرَافِ) فَرَّقَهَا فِي رَكْعَتَيْنِ. رَوَاهُ النَّسَائِيّ

‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger prayed the sunset prayer using sura al-A'raf (Al-Qur’an; 7) dividing it between the two rak'as. Nasa’i transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ قَالَ: كُنْتُ أَقُودُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَاقَتَهُ فِي السَّفَرِ فَقَالَ لِي: «يَا عُقْبَةُ أَلَا أُعَلِّمُكَ خَيْرَ سُورَتَيْنِ قُرِئَتَا؟» فَعَلَّمَنِي (قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبّ الفلق) و (قل أَعُود بِرَبّ النَّاس) قَالَ: فَلَمْ يَرَنِي سَرَرْتُ بِهِمَا جَدًّا فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ لِصَلَاةِ الصُّبْحِ صَلَّى بِهِمَا صَلَاةَ الصُّبْحِ لِلنَّاسِ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ الْتَفَتَ إِلَيَّ فَقَالَ: «يَا عُقْبَةَ كَيْفَ رَأَيْتَ؟» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَأَبُو دَاوُد وَالنَّسَائِيّ

When I was leading God’s Messenger’s she-camel for him on a journey he said to me, “Shall I not teach you, ‘Uqba, the best two suras to recite?” Then he taught me “Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn” and “Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of men” (Al-Qur’an; 113-114). He saw that I was not greatly pleased with them, so when he alighted for the Morning Prayer he used them in leading the people in the Morning Prayer, and when he had finished he turned to me and said, “How do you find them now, ‘Uqba?” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

وَعَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقْرَأُ فِي صَلَاةِ الْمَغْرِبِ لَيْلَةَ الْجُمُعَةِ: (قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ) و (قل هُوَ الله أحد) رَوَاهُ فِي شرح السّنة وَرَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَهْ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ إِلَّا أَنه لم يذكر «لَيْلَة الْجُمُعَة»

Jabir b. Samura said that the Prophet used to recite in the sunset prayer on Thursday evening, “Say, O unbelievers,”1 and “Say, He is God one God.”2 1. Al-Qur’an; 109 2. Al-Qur’an; 112 transmitted it in Sharh as-sunna; and Ibn Majah transmitted it from Ibn ‘Umar, but did not mention Thursday evening.

وَعَنْ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: مَا أحصي مَا سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقْرَأُ فِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ الْمَغْرِبِ وَفِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ صَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ: بِ (قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ) و (قل هوا لله أحد) رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ وَرَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَهْ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ إِلَّا أَنه لم يذكر: «بعد الْمغرب»

I cannot count how often I heard God’s Messenger reciting in the two rak'as after the sunset prayer and in the two rak'as before the dawn prayer, “Say, O unbelievers,” and “Say, He is God, one God.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted it on Abu Huraira’s authority, but he did not mention “after the sunset prayer.”

وَعَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: مَا صَلَّيْتُ وَرَاءَ أَحَدٍ أَشْبَهَ صَلَاةً بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ فلَان. قَالَ سُلَيْمَان: صَلَّيْتُ خَلْفَهُ فَكَانَ يُطِيلُ الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ الْأُولَيَيْنِ مِنَ الظّهْر ويخفف الْأُخْرَيَيْنِ ويخفف الْعَصْر وَيَقْرَأُ فِي الْمَغْرِبِ بِقِصَارِ الْمُفَصَّلِ وَيَقْرَأُ فِي الْعِشَاءِ بِوَسَطِ الْمُفَصَّلِ وَيَقْرَأُ فِي الصُّبْحِ بِطِوَالِ الْمُفَصَّلِ. رَوَاهُ النَّسَائِيُّ وَرَوَى ابْنُ مَاجَهْ إِلَى ويخفف الْعَصْر

Sulaiman b. Yasar quoted Abu Huraira as saying, “I never prayed behind anyone whose prayer more closely resembled that of God’s Messenger than so and so’s.” Sulaiman said that he prayed behind him, and he was prolonging the first two rak'as of the noon prayer, shortening the last two, shortening the afternoon prayer, reciting short suras from al-Mufassal* at the sunset prayer, medium suras from al-Mufassal at the evening prayer, and long ones from al-Mufassal at the morning prayer. * A name applied to the latter part of the Qur’an because there are many divisions, but opinions differ about where it begins. Lane mentions the different views in his Lexicon, pp 2407 f., saying the most correct opinion is that it begins with sura 49. Nasa’i transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted up to “shortening the afternoon prayer.”

وَعَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ قَالَ: كُنَّا خَلْفَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي صَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ فَقَرَأَ فَثَقُلَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْقِرَاءَةُ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ قَالَ: «لَعَلَّكُمْ تقرؤون خَلْفَ إِمَامِكُمْ؟» قُلْنَا: نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. قَالَ: «لَا تَفْعَلُوا إِلَّا بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا صَلَاةَ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَقْرَأْ بِهَا» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَلِلنِّسَائِيِّ مَعْنَاهُ وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ لأبي دَاوُد قَالَ: «وَأَنا أَقُول مَالِي يُنَازعنِي الْقُرْآن؟ فَلَا تقرؤوا بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ إِذَا جَهَرْتُ إِلَّا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآن»

We were behind the Prophet at the dawn prayer, and he recited a passage, but the recitation became difficult for him. Then when he finished he said, “Perhaps you recite behind your imam?” We replied, “Yes, Messenger of God.” He said, “Do it only when it is Fatihat al-Kitab, for he who does not include it in his recitation is not credited with having prayed.” Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Nasa’i has something to the same effect. In a version by Abu Dawud he said, “I am wondering what is the matter with me that the Qur’an should be at variance with me. So do not recite any of the Qur’an when I recite aloud, except Umm al-Qur'an."

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ انْصَرَفَ مِنْ صَلَاةٍ جَهَرَ فِيهَا بِالْقِرَاءَةِ فَقَالَ: «هَلْ قَرَأَ مَعِي أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ آنِفًا؟» فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ: نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ: " إِنِّي أَقُولُ: مَا لِي أُنَازَعُ الْقُرْآنَ؟ «. قَالَ فَانْتَهَى النَّاسُ عَنِ الْقِرَاءَةِ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِيمَا جَهَرَ فِيهِ بِالْقِرَاءَةِ مِنَ الصَّلَوَاتِ حِينَ سَمِعُوا ذَلِكَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ» . رَوَاهُ مَالِكٌ وَأَحْمَدُ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَالنَّسَائِيُّ وَرَوَى ابْنُ مَاجَهْ نَحْوَهُ

Abu Huraira said that when God’s Messenger had finished a prayer in which he had recited aloud, he asked, “Did any of you recite along with me just now?” When a man replied that he had, he said, “I am wondering what is the matter with me that I should be contended with regarding the Qur’an.” He said that when the people heard that from God’s Messenger they ceased reciting along with him the passages which he recited aloud in the prayers. Malik, Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, and Nasa'i transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted something similar.

وَعَن ابْن عمر والبياضي قَالَا: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ الْمُصَلِّيَ يُنَاجِي رَبَّهُ فَلْيَنْظُرْ مَا يُنَاجِيهِ بِهِ وَلَا يَجْهَرْ بَعْضُكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ بِالْقُرْآنِ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمد

Ibn ‘Umar and al-Bayadi reported God’s Messenger as saying, “He who prays holds intimate converse with his Lord, so he must consider how he does so, and none of you must recite the Qur’an more loudly than others. Ahmad transmitted it.