4. Prayer

وَعَن جُنْدُب الْقَسرِي قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ صَلَّى صَلَاةَ الصُّبْحِ فَهُوَ فِي ذِمَّةِ اللَّهِ فَلَا يَطْلُبَنَّكُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ ذِمَّتِهِ بِشَيْءٍ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ يَطْلُبْهُ مِنْ ذِمَّتِهِ بِشَيْءٍ يُدْرِكْهُ ثُمَّ يَكُبُّهُ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ» . رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ. وَفِي بَعْضِ نُسَخِ الْمَصَابِيحِ الْقشيرِي بدل الْقَسرِي

Jundub al-Qasri reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When anyone prays the morning prayer he is in God’s protection; so see that God does not call you to account for withdrawing in any respect from His protection, for if He does this to anyone for any cause He will catch him and turn him over on his face in the fire of Jahannam.” Muslim transmitted it. Some MSS. of al-Masabih have al-Qushair instead of al-Qasri.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَوْ يَعْلَمُ النَّاسُ مَا فِي النِّدَاءِ وَالصَّفِّ الْأَوَّلِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَجِدُوا إِلَّا أَنْ يَسْتَهِمُوا عَلَيْهِ لَاسْتَهَمُوا وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِي التَّهْجِيرِ لَاسْتَبَقُوا إِلَيْهِ وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِي الْعَتَمَةِ وَالصُّبْحِ لأتوهما وَلَو حبوا»

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If people knew what blessing lies in the call to prayer and in the first row, then could do nothing but cast lots for it, they would do so; if they know what blessing lies in going to prayer early, they would race to do it i and if they knew what blessing lies in the prayer after nightfall and the morning prayer, they would come to them even if they had to crawl to do so.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَيْسَ صَلَاةً أَثْقَلَ عَلَى الْمُنَافِق مِنَ الْفَجْرِ وَالْعِشَاءِ وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِيهِمَا لأتوهما وَلَو حبوا»

He also reported God’s Messenger as saying, "No prayer is more burdensome to the hypocrites than the dawn and the evening prayer; but if they know what blessing lies in them, they would come to them even if they had to crawl to do so.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عُثْمَانَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: «مَنْ صَلَّى الْعِشَاءَ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَامَ نِصْفَ اللَّيْلِ وَمَنْ صَلَّى الصُّبْحَ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ فَكَأَنَّمَا صَلَّى اللَّيْل كُله» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

‘Uthman reported God’s Messenger as saying, "If anyone prays the evening prayer in company, it is as though he had remained awake in prayer half the night; but if anyone prays the Morning Prayer in company, it is as though he had prayed the whole night.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا يَغْلِبَنَّكُمُ الْأَعْرَابُ على اسْم صَلَاتكُمْ الْمغرب» . قَالَ: «وَتقول الْأَعْرَاب هِيَ الْعشَاء» وَقَالَ: " لَا يَغْلِبَنَّكُمُ الْأَعْرَابُ عَلَى اسْمِ صَلَاتِكُمُ الْعِشَاءِ فَإِنَّهَا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ الْعِشَاءُ فَإِنَّهَا تعتم بحلاب الْإِبِل. رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, "Do not let the Bedouin take away from you the name of your prayer al-maghrib (sunset) which the Bedouin call al-'isha (evening); and do not let the Bedouin take away from you the name of your prayer al-‘isha, for it is mentioned as al-‘isha in God’s Book,1 and for they use the verb from the root ‘atama of milking camels at nightfall.” 1. (Al-Qur’an, 24:58.)

وَعَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ يَوْمَ الْخَنْدَقِ: " حَبَسُونَا عَنْ صَلَاةِ الْوُسْطَى: صَلَاةِ الْعَصْرِ مَلَأَ اللَّهُ بُيُوتَهُمْ وَقُبُورَهُمْ نَارًا) (مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ)

‘Ali reported God’s Messenger as saying at the battle of the Trench,2 "They have restrained us from the middle prayer,3 the afternoon prayer. God fill their houses and their graves with fire!” 2. The siege of Medina by Quraish in 5 A.H. 3. Cf. (Al-Qur’an, 2:238.) (Bukhari and Muslim.)

عَن ابْن مَسْعُود وَسمرَة بن جُنْدُب قَالَا: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «صَلَاةُ الْوُسْطَى صَلَاةُ الْعَصْرِ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ

Ibn Mas'ud and Samura b. Jundub reported God's Messenger as saying, "The middle prayer is the afternoon prayer.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: (إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا) قَالَ: «تَشْهَدُهُ مَلَائِكَةُ اللَّيْلِ وَمَلَائِكَةُ النَّهَارِ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ

Concerning God’s words, “The recitation of the dawn is witnessed,” (Al-Qur’an, 17:78). Abu Huraira quoted the Prophet as saying, "The angels of the night and the angels of the day are present at it.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

عَن زيد بن ثَابت وَعَائِشَة قَالَا: الصَّلَاةُ الْوُسْطَى صَلَاةُ الظُّهْرِ رَوَاهُ مَالِكٌ عَن زيد وَالتِّرْمِذِيّ عَنْهُمَا تَعْلِيقا

Zaid b. Thabit and ‘A’isha said that the middle prayer is the noon prayer. Malik transmitted it from Zaid and Tirmidhi from both of them without a full isnad.

وَعَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي الظُّهْرَ بِالْهَاجِرَةِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يُصَلِّي صَلَاةً أَشَدَّ عَلَى أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْهَا فَنَزَلَتْ (حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَى) وَقَالَ إِنَّ قَبْلَهَا صَلَاتَيْنِ وَبَعْدَهَا صَلَاتَيْنِ. رَوَاهُ أَحْمد وَأَبُو دَاوُد

Zaib b. Thabit said that God’s Messenger used to pray the noon prayer in the extreme heat, observing no prayer more severe to his companions than it. Then was revealed, “And observe carefully the prayers and the middle prayer”; (Al-Qur’an, 2:238) and he said, “Before it there are two times of prayer and after it there are two times of prayer.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَن مَالك بَلَغَهُ أَنَّ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبَّاسٍ كَانَا يَقُولَانِ: الصَّلَاةُ الْوُسْطَى صَلَاة الصُّبْح. رَوَاهُ فِي الْمُوَطَّأ وَرَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ عَن ابْن عَبَّاس وَابْن عمر تَعْلِيقا

Malik heard that ‘Ali b. Abu Talib and ‘Abdallah b. ‘Abbas used to say, “The middle prayer is the morning prayer.” He transmitted it in al-Muwatta’, and Tirmidhi transmitted it from Ibn ‘Abbas and Ibn ‘Umar without a full isnad.

وَعَنْ سَلْمَانَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «مَنْ غَدَا إِلَى صَلَاةِ الصُّبْحِ غَدَا بِرَايَةِ الْإِيمَانِ وَمَنْ غَدَا إِلَى السُّوقِ غَدَا بِرَايَةِ إِبْلِيسَ» . رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَه

Salman said that he heard God’s Messenger say, “He who goes out early to Morning Prayer goes out with the standard of faith, but he who goes out early to the market goes out with the standard of Iblis.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

عَن أنس قَالَ: ذَكَرُوا النَّارَ وَالنَّاقُوسَ فَذَكَرُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى فَأُمِرَ بِلَالٌ أَنْ يَشْفَعَ الْأَذَانَ وَأَنْ يُوتِرَ الْإِقَامَةَ. قَالَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ: فَذَكَرْتُهُ لِأَيُّوبَ. فَقَالَ: إِلَّا الْإِقَامَة

Anas said they mentioned kindling fire and the use of a bell, and mentioned the Jews and the Christians. Then Bilal was ordered to repeat the call to prayer twice and the statement that the time for prayer had come (al-iqama) once. Isma'il1 said that he mentioned it to Ayyub,2 and he said it was correct except regarding the iqama. (Bukhari and Muslim.) 1. Bukhari (Adhan, 3) gives a shorter form of the tradition than that above, mentioning Ismail b. Ibrahim in his isnad and telling how he made the enquiry of Ayyub. 2. Ayyub b. Abu Tamima.

وَعَن أبي مَحْذُورَة قَالَ: أَلْقَى عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ التَّأْذِينَ هُوَ بِنَفْسِهِ فَقَالَ: " قُلِ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ. ثُمَّ تَعُودَ فَتَقُولَ: أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ. حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ. اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ". رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ

Abu Mahdhura said that God's Messenger himself taught him how to make the call to prayer, telling him to say, “God is most great. God is most great. God is most great. God is most great. I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger”; then to repeat, “I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. Come to prayer. Come to prayer. Come to salvation. Come to salvation. God is most great. God is most great. There is no god but God.” Muslim transmitted it.

عَن ابْن عمر قَالَ: كَانَ الْأَذَانُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَرَّتَيْنِ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَالْإِقَامَةُ مَرَّةً مَرَّةً غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ: قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَالنَّسَائِيّ والدارمي

Ibn ‘Umar said that in the time of God's Messenger the phrases in the adhan were uttered twice each and in the iqama once each, except for saying, ‘‘The time for prayer has come. The time for prayer has come.” Abu Dawud, Nasai and Darimi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي مَحْذُورَةَ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَّمَهُ الْأَذَانَ تِسْعَ عَشْرَةَ كَلِمَةً وَالْإِقَامَةَ سَبْعَ عَشْرَةَ كَلِمَةً. رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالنَّسَائِيُّ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ

Abu Mahdhura said that the Prophet taught him the adhan as consisting of nineteen words, and the iqama as consisting of seventeen words. Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Darimi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ عَلِّمْنِي سنة الْأَذَان قَالَ: فَمسح مقدم رَأسه. وَقَالَ: " وَتقول اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ تَرْفَعُ بِهَا صَوْتَكَ ثُمَّ تَقُولَ: أَشْهَدُ أَن لَا إِلَه إِلَّا الله أشهد أَن لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ تَخْفِضُ بِهَا صَوْتَكَ ثُمَّ تَرْفَعُ صَوْتَكَ بِالشَّهَادَةِ: أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ أَشْهَدُ أَن لَا إِلَه إِلَّا الله أشهد أَن مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ فَإِنْ كَانَ صَلَاةُ الصُّبْحِ قُلْتَ: الصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ الصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ " رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

When I asked God’s Messenger to teach me the sunna relating to the adhan he wiped the forepart of his head and said: You must say, “God is most great. God is most great. God is most great. God is most great,” raising your voice while saying these words. Then you must say, “I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger,” lowering your voice while saying these words. Then you must raise your voice in making the testimony, “I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. Come to prayer. Come to prayer. Come to salvation. Come to salvation”; and if it is the Morning Prayer you must say, “Prayer is better than sleep. Prayer is better than sleep. God’s is most great. God is most great. There is no god but God.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ بِلَالٍ قَالَ: قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا تُثَوِّبَنَّ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنَ الصَّلَوَاتِ إِلَّا فِي صَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ: أَبُو إِسْرَائِيلَ الرَّاوِي لَيْسَ هُوَ بِذَاكَ الْقَوِيِّ عِنْدَ أهل الحَدِيث

Bilal said, “God’s Messenger told me not to make the call to prayer twice for any of the prayers but the dawn prayer.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said that Abu Isra’il the transmitter is not considered by traditionists to be strong.

وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لِبِلَالٍ: «إِذَا أَذَّنْتَ فَتَرَسَّلْ وَإِذا أَقمت فاحدر وَاجعَل بَيْنَ أَذَانِكَ وَإِقَامَتِكَ قَدْرَ مَا يَفْرُغُ الْآكِلُ مِنْ أَكْلِهِ وَالشَّارِبُ مِنْ شُرْبِهِ وَالْمُعْتَصِرُ إِذَا دَخَلَ لِقَضَاءِ حَاجَتِهِ وَلَا تَقُومُوا حَتَّى تَرَوْنِي» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ وَقَالَ: لَا نعرفه إِلَّا ن حَدِيث عبد الْمُنعم وَهُوَ إِسْنَاد مَجْهُول

Jabir stated that God’s Messenger said to Bilal, “When you call the adhan speak deliberately, when you utter the iqama speak quickly, and leave between your adhan and your iqama time for one who eats to finish his food and one who drinks to finish his drink, and one who needs to relieve himself to do so. And do not get up to pray* till you see me do so.” * This sentence is addressed not only to Bilal, as the plural is used. Tirmidhi transmitted it and said, “I know it only from the tradition of ‘Abd al-Mun‘im, and it is an unknown isnad”

وَعَن زِيَاد بن الْحَارِث الصدائي قَالَ: أَمَرَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِن أؤذن فِي صَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ» فَأَذَّنْتُ فَأَرَادَ بِلَالٌ أَنْ يُقِيمَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِن أَخا صداء قد أذن وَمن أَذَّنَ فَهُوَ يُقِيمُ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ

God's Messenger ordered me to call the adhan for the dawn prayer and I did so. Then Bilal wanted to utter the iqama, but God’s Messenger said to him, “The man of Suda' has called the adhan, and he who calls the adhan utters the iqama.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.