4. Prayer

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا قَامَ أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَلَا يَبْصُقْ أَمَامَهُ فَإِنَّمَا يُنَاجِي اللَّهَ مَا دَامَ فِي مُصَلَّاهُ وَلَا عَنْ يَمِينِهِ فَإِنَّ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ مَلَكًا وَلْيَبْصُقْ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ أَوْ تَحْتَ قَدَمِهِ فَيَدْفِنُهَا» وَفِي رِوَايَةِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ: «تَحْتَ قدمه الْيُسْرَى»

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you gets up for prayer he must not spit in front, of him, because he is holding intimate converse with God as long as he is in his place of prayer; nor must he spit towards his right, for there is an angel at his right; but he may spit towards his left or under his feet and bury it.” The version of Abu Sa'id has “under his left foot.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ فِي مَرَضِهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَقُمْ مِنْهُ: «لَعَنَ اللَّهُ الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى اتَّخَذُوا قُبُورَ أَنْبِيَائِهِمْ مَسَاجِد»

‘A’isha told of God's Messenger as saying in his illness from which he did not recover, “God curse the Jews and Christians! They have taken the graves of their prophets as mosques.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَن جُنْدُب قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «أَلَا وَإِنَّ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ كَانُوا يَتَّخِذُونَ قُبُورَ أَنْبِيَائِهِمْ وَصَالِحِيهِمْ مَسَاجِدَ أَلَا فَلَا تَتَّخِذُوا الْقُبُورَ مَسَاجِدَ إِنِّي أَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْ ذَلِكَ» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Jundub told of his hearing the Prophet say, “Those who preceded you used to take the graves of their prophets and righteous men as mosques, but you must not take graves as mosques; I forbid you to do that.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «اجْعَلُوا فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ مِنْ صَلَاتِكُمْ وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوهَا قُبُورًا»

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Perform some of your prayer in your houses, and do not turn them into graves.”* * This is most probably a figurative expression indicating that a house in which prayer is not offered is like a grave, as God is not worshipped there. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَا بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ قِبْلَةٌ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The space between the East and the West is a qibla.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ طَلْقِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ: خَرَجْنَا وَفْدًا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَبَايَعْنَاهُ وَصَلَّيْنَا مَعَهُ وَأَخْبَرْنَاهُ أَنَّ بِأَرْضِنَا بِيعَةً لَنَا فَاسْتَوْهَبْنَاهُ مِنْ فَضْلِ طَهُورِهِ. فَدَعَا بِمَاءٍ فَتَوَضَّأ وتمضمض ثمَّ صبه فِي إِدَاوَةٍ وَأَمَرَنَا فَقَالَ: «اخْرُجُوا فَإِذَا أَتَيْتُمْ أَرْضَكُمْ فَاكْسِرُوا بِيعَتَكُمْ وَانْضَحُوا مَكَانَهَا بِهَذَا الْمَاءِ وَاتَّخِذُوهَا مَسْجِدًا» قُلْنَا: إِنَّ الْبَلَدَ بَعِيدٌ وَالْحَرَّ شَدِيدٌ وَالْمَاءَ يُنْشَفُ فَقَالَ: «مُدُّوهُ مِنَ الْمَاءِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَزِيدُهُ إِلَّا طِيبًا» . رَوَاهُ النَّسَائِيُّ

Talq b. ‘Ali said; we went out as a deputation to God’s Messenger and swore allegiance to him and prayed along with him. We told him that we had a church in our land, and we asked him for some of the leavings of the water he used for ablution. He called for water, performed ablution, rinsed his mouth, then poured it out for us into a skin vessel, and gave us the following command, “Go away, and when you come to your land break down your church, sprinkle this water on its site, and use it as a mosque." We told him that our land was distant, the heat severe, and that the water would evaporate, to which he replied, “Add some water to it, for it will only bring more good to it.” Nasa'i transmitted it.

وَعَن عَائِشَة قَالَت: أَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِبِنَاءِ الْمَسْجِدِ فِي الدُّورِ وَأَنْ يُنَظَّفَ وَيَطَيَّبَ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَالتِّرْمِذِيّ وَابْن مَاجَه

‘A’isha said that God's Messenger ordered that a mosque be built in a residential district and that it be cleaned and perfumed. Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَا أَمَرْتُ بِتَشْيِيدِ الْمَسَاجِدِ» . قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: لَتُزَخْرِفُنَّهَا كَمَا زَخْرَفَتِ الْيَهُود وَالنَّصَارَى. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God's Messenger as saying, “I was not commanded to build high mosques." Ibn ‘Abbas said, “You* will certainly ornament them as the Jews and Christians did." * The verb is plural addressed by Ibn ‘Abbas to some hearers. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: «من أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ أَنْ يَتَبَاهَى النَّاسُ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالنَّسَائِيُّ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ

Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “One of the signs of the last hour will be that people will vie with one another about mosques. Abu Dawud, Nasa’i Darimi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: «عُرِضَتْ عَلَيَّ أُجُورُ أُمَّتِي حَتَّى الْقَذَاةُ يُخْرِجُهَا الرَّجُلُ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ وَعُرِضَتْ عَلَيَّ ذُنُوبُ أُمَّتِي فَلَمْ أَرَ ذَنْبًا أَعْظَمَ مِنْ سُورَةٍ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ أَوْ آيَةٍ أُوتِيهَا رَجُلٌ ثُمَّ نَسِيَهَا» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُد

He also reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The rewards of my people were placed before me, even and the sins of my people were placed before me, and I saw no sin greater than that a man should memorise a sura or verse of the Qur’an, then forget it."* * Cf. Al-Qur’an, 20:126. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ بُرَيْدَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «بَشِّرِ الْمَشَّائِينَ فِي الظُّلَمِ إِلَى الْمَسَاجِدِ بِالنُّورِ التَّامِّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ وَأَبُو دَاوُد وَرَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَهْ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ وَأنس

Buraida reported God's Messenger as saying, “Announce to those who make a practice of walking to mosques during the times of darkness the good news that they will have complete light on the day of resurrection. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted it from Sahl b. Sa'd and Anas.

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ الرَّجُلَ يَتَعَاهَدُ الْمَسْجِد فَاشْهَدُوا لَهُ بِالْإِيمَان فَإِن الله تَعَالَى يَقُولُ (إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّه وَالْيَوْم الآخر وَأقَام الصَّلَاة وَآتى الزَّكَاة) رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ وَابْن مَاجَه والدارمي

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When you see a man frequenting the mosque, testify that he has faith, for God says, ‘God’s mosques are visited only by those who believe in God and the last day.”* * Al-Qur'an; 9:18 Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

وَعَن عُثْمَان بن مَظْعُون قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ائْذَنْ لَنَا فِي الِاخْتِصَاءِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ خَصَى وَلَا اخْتَصَى إِنَّ خِصَاءَ أُمَّتِي الصِّيَامُ» . فَقَالَ ائْذَنْ لَنَا فِي السِّيَاحَةِ. فَقَالَ: «إِنْ سِيَاحَةَ أُمَّتَيِ الْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ» . فَقَالَ: ائْذَنْ لَنَا فِي التَّرَهُّبِ. فَقَالَ: «إِن ترهب أمتِي الْجُلُوس فِي الْمَسَاجِد انتظارا للصَّلَاة» . رَوَاهُ فِي شرح السّنة

‘Uthman b. Mazun said, “Messenger of God, grant us permission to become eunuchs." God’s Messenger replied, “He who makes another a eunuch or becomes one himself does not belong to us; fasting serves that purpose among my people." He then said, "Grant us permission to lead the wandering life of the devotee." He replied, "The wandering life of the devotee among my people is jihad in God’s path." He said, "Grant us permission to adopt monkery.” He replied, "Monkery among my people consists of sitting in mosques waiting for the time of prayer." Baghawi transmitted it in Sharh as-sunna.

وَعَن عبد الرَّحْمَن بن عائش قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " رَأَيْتُ رَبِّيَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي أَحْسَنِ صُورَةٍ قَالَ: فَبِمَ يَخْتَصِمُ الْمَلَأُ الْأَعْلَى؟ قُلْتُ: أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ قَالَ: فَوَضَعَ كَفَّهُ بَيْنَ كَتِفِيَّ فَوَجَدْتُ بَرْدَهَا بَيْنَ ثَدْيَيَّ فَعَلِمْتُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَتَلَا: (وَكَذَلِكَ نُرِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلِيَكُونَ من الموقنين) رَوَاهُ الدَّارمِيّ مُرْسلا وللترمذي نَحوه عَنهُ

I saw my Lord in the most beautiful form, and He said, "What do the angels near My presence dispute about?" I replied," Thou knowest best.” Then He placed the palm of His hand between my shoulder-blades and I felt the coolness of it between my nipples! Then I knew what was in the heavens and the earth. And he recited, "Thus did We show Abraham the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and it was so that he might have certainty (Al-Qur’an; 6:75).’’ Darimi transmitted it in mursal form.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَمُعَاذِ بْنِ جبل وَزَادَ فِيهِ: قَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ {هَلْ تَدْرِي فِيمَ يَخْتَصِمُ الْمَلَأُ الْأَعْلَى؟ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ فِي الْكَفَّارَاتِ. وَالْكَفَّارَاتُ: الْمُكْثُ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ بَعْدَ الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالْمَشْيِ عَلَى الْأَقْدَامِ إِلَى الْجَمَاعَاتِ وَإِبْلَاغِ الْوَضُوءِ فِي الْمَكَارِهِ فَمَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ عَاشَ بِخَيْرٍ وَمَاتَ بِخَيْرٍ وَكَانَ مِنْ خَطِيئَتِهِ كَيَوْمَ وَلَدَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَقَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ} إِذَا صَلَّيْتَ فَقُلِ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ فِعْلَ الْخَيْرَاتِ وَتَرْكَ الْمُنْكَرَاتِ وَحُبَّ الْمَسَاكِينِ وَإِذَا أَرَدْتَ بِعِبَادِكَ فِتْنَةً فَاقْبِضْنِي إِلَيْكَ غَيْرَ مَفْتُونٍ. قَالَ: وَالدَّرَجَاتُ: إِفْشَاءُ السَّلَامِ وَإِطْعَامُ الطَّعَامِ وَالصَّلَاةُ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّاسُ نِيَامٌ. وَلَفْظُ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ كَمَا فِي الْمَصَابِيحِ لَمْ أَجِدْهُ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَن إِلَّا فِي شرح السّنة.

He asked, "Muhammad, do you know what the angels near My presence dispute about?" I replied, "Yes, about expiations, and they are remaining in the mosques after the prayers are over, walking on foot to the congregational prayers, and performing elaborate ablution in unpleasant circumstances (Cf. p. 151). Whoever does that will live and die righteously, and as far as his sin is concerned, he will be as he was on the day his mother gave birth to him." He said, "Muhammad, when you pray say, ‘O God, I ask Thee to enable me to do good deeds, abandon objectionable things, and love the poor, and when Thou intendest to test Thy servants, take me to Thyself without being led astray.'" He said, "People are raised in degree by saluting all and sundry, providing food, and praying at night when people are asleep." The wording of this tradition is as it occurs in al-Masabih, but I found it traced to ‘Abd ar-Rahman only in Sharh as-sunna.

وَعَن أبي أُمَامَة الْبَاهِلِيّ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «ثَلَاثَة كلهم ضَامِن على الله عز وَجل رَجُلٌ خَرَجَ غَازِيًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ ضَامِن على الله حَتَّى يتوفاه فيدخله الْجنَّة أَو يردهُ بِمَا نَالَ من أجرأوغنيمة وَرَجُلٌ رَاحَ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ فَهُوَ ضَامِنٌ عَلَى الله حَتَّى يتوفاه فيدخله الْجنَّة أَو يردهُ بِمَا نَالَ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَغَنِيمَةٍ وَرَجُلٌ دَخَلَ بَيْتَهُ بِسَلَامٍ فَهُوَ ضَامِنٌ عَلَى اللَّهِ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

a man who goes out to fight in God’s path, who is in God’s safe keeping till He takes his soul and brings him into paradise, or sends him home with the reward or booty he has obtained; a man who goes out to the mosque, who is in God’s safe keeping; and a man who enters his house in peace,* who is in God’s safe keeping.” * The translation above is given on the analogy of Al-Qur’an; 15:46. The phrase might, however, mean one who gives a salutation when he enters his house. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم قَالَ: «مَنْ خَرَجَ مِنْ بَيْتِهِ مُتَطَهِّرًا إِلَى صَلَاةٍ مَكْتُوبَة فَأَجره كَأَجر الْحَاج الْمُحْرِمِ وَمَنْ خَرَجَ إِلَى تَسْبِيحِ الضُّحَى لَا يُنْصِبُهُ إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ فَأَجْرُهُ كَأَجْرِ الْمُعْتَمِرِ وَصَلَاةٌ عَلَى إِثْرِ صَلَاةٍ لَا لَغْوَ بَيْنَهُمَا كِتَابٌ فِي عليين» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمد وَأَبُو دَاوُد

He also reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If one goes out from his house to a stated prayer in a state of purity, his reward will be like that of the pilgrim in the sacred state; if one goes out to devotions in the forenoon, nothing else causing him to go out, his reward will be like that of him who performs the ‘umra;1 and a prayer following another with no idle talk between them will be a deed recorded in llliyun,”2 1. The little pilgrimage, consisting of the rites at the Ka'ba and the running between al-Safa and al-Marwa. 2. See Al-Qur’an, 83:18 ff. Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ «إِذَا مَرَرْتُمْ بِرِيَاضِ الْجَنَّةِ فَارْتَعُوا» قِيلَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا رِيَاضُ الْجَنَّةِ؟ قَالَ: «الْمَسَاجِدُ» . قُلْتُ: وَمَا الرَّتْعُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: «سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَالله أكبر» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When you pass one of the gardens of paradise, feed there.” When asked what the gardens of paradise were he replied that they were the mosques, and when asked what the feeding consisted of, he replied, “Glory be to God; Praise be to God; there is no god but God; and God is most great.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ أَتَى الْمَسْجِدَ لِشَيْءٍ فَهُوَ حَظُّهُ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

He also reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone comes to a mosque for a purpose, he will attain it.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ جَدَّتِهَا فَاطِمَةَ الْكُبْرَى رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ قَالَتْ: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ صَلَّى عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَسَلَّمَ وَقَالَ: «رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوبِي وَافْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ» وَإِذَا خَرَجَ صَلَّى عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَسَلَّمَ وَقَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوبِي وَافْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ فَضْلِكَ ". رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَحْمَدُ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَفِي رِوَايَتِهِمَا قَالَتْ: إِذَا دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ وَكَذَا إِذَا خَرَجَ قَالَ: «بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ» بَدَلَ: صَلَّى عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَسَلَّمَ. وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ لَيْسَ إِسْنَادُهُ بِمُتَّصِلٍ وَفَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ الْحُسَيْنِ لَمْ تدْرك فَاطِمَة الْكُبْرَى

Fatima daughter of al-Husain said on the authority of her grand-mother, Fatima the elder,* that when the Prophet entered the mosque he would pray for blessings and safety for himself and say, “My Lord, forgive me my sins, and open to me the gates of Thy mercy.” And when he went out he would pray for blessings and safety for himself and say, “My Lord, forgive me my sins, and open to me the gates of Thy abundance.” *The daughter of the Prophet who married ‘Ali. Tirmidhi, Ahmad and Ibn Majah transmitted it. In the version of the last two she said that when he entered the mosque, and also when he came out, he said, “In the name of God, and peace be upon God’s Messenger,” instead of “he would pray for blessings and safety for himself.” Tirmidhi said that its isnad is not connected, for Fatima daughter of al-Husain was not born in the lifetime of Fatima the elder.