Sunan Abu-Dawud (Introduction to Partial Translation)
Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat)
Narrated Abdullah Ibn Abbas:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: Gabriel (peace_be_upon_him) led me in prayer at the House (i.e. the Ka'bah). He prayed the noon prayer with me when the sun had passed the meridian to the extent of the thong of a sandal; he prayed the afternoon prayer with me when the shadow of everything was as long as itself; he prayed the sunset prayer with me when one who is fasting breaks the fast; he prayed the night prayer with me when the twilight had ended; and he prayed the dawn prayer with me when food and drink become forbidden to one who is keeping the fast.
On the following day he prayed the noon prayer with me when his shadow was as long as himself; he prayed the afternoon prayer with me when his shadow was twice as long as himself; he prayed the sunset prayer at the time when one who is fasting breaks the fast; he prayed the night prayer with me when about the third of the night had passed; and he prayed the dawn prayer with me when there was a fair amount of light.
Then turning to me he said: Muhammad, this is the time observed by the prophets before you, and the time is anywhere between two times.
Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah:
I would offer my noon prayer with the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) and took a handful of gravels so that they might become cold in my hand and I placed them (before me) so that I may put my forehead on them at the time when I would prostrate. I did this due to the intensity of heat.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud:
The extent of the shadow when the Apostle of Allah prayed (the noon prayer) was three to five feet in summer and five to seven feet in winter.
Narrated Ali ibn Shayban:
We came upon the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) in Medina. He would postpone the afternoon prayer as long as the sun remained white and clear.
Narrated AbuAyyub:
Marthad ibn Abdullah said: When AbuAyyub came upon us to fight the infidels and in those days Uqbah ibn Amir was the Governor of Egypt, he (Uqbah) delayed the sunset prayer. Hence AbuAyyub stood and said: What kind of prayer is this, Uqbah? He said: We were busy. He said: Did you not hear the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: My community will remain well, or he said: will remain on its natural condition, so long as it would not delay the evening prayer until the stars shine brightly just like a network.
Narrated An-Nu'man ibn Bashir:
I am the one who is best informed of the time of this prayer, i.e. the night prayer. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to offer it at the hour when the moon went down on its third night.
Narrated Mu'adh ibn Jabal:
We waited for the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) to offer the night prayer. He delayed until people thought that he would not come out and some of us said that he had offered the prayer. At the moment when we were in this condition the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) came out. People said to him as they were already saying. He said: Observe this prayer when it is dark, for by it you have been made superior to all the peoples, no people having observed it before you.
Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri:
We observed the prayer after nightfall with the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him), and he did not come out till about half the night had passed. He then said: Take your places. We then took our places. Then he said: The people have prayed and gone to bed, but you are still engaged in prayer as long as you wait for the prayer. Were it not for the weakness of the weak and for the sickness of the sick. I would delay this prayer till half the night had gone.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Sunabihi:
AbuMuhammad fancies that witr prayer is essential. (Hearing this) Ubadah ibn as-Samit said: AbuMuhammad was wrong. I bear witness that I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: Allah, the Exalted, has made five prayers obligatory. If anyone performs ablution for them well, offers them at their (right) time, and observes perfectly their bowing and submissiveness in them, it is the guarantee of Allah that He will pardon him; if anyone does not do so, there is no guarantee for him on the part of Allah; He may pardon him if He wills, and punish him if He wills.
Narrated Umm Farwah:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) was asked: Which of the actions is best? He replied: Observing prayer early in its period.
Al-Khuza'i narrated in his version from his aunt named Umm Farwah who took the oath of allegiance to the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him): He was questioned.
Narrated Umarah ibn Ruwaybah:
A man from Basrah said: Tell me what you heard from the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him). He said: I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: No one will enter Hell who has prayed before the rising of the sun and before its setting (meaning the dawn and the afternoon prayers). He said three times: Have you heard it from him? He replied: Yes, each time saying: My ears heard it and my heart memorised it. The man then said: And I heard him (the Prophet) say that.
Narrated Fudalah:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) taught me and what he taught me is this: Observe the five prayers regularly. He said: I told (him): I have many works at these times; so give me a comprehensive advice which, if I follow, should be enough for me. He said: Observe the two afternoon prayers (al-asrayn). But the term al-asrayn (two afternoon prayers) was not used in our language. Hence I said: What is al-asrayn? He said: A prayer before the sunrise and a prayer before the sunset (i.e. the dawn and the afternoon prayers).
Narrated AbuQatadah ibn Rab'i:
Allah , the Exalted said: I made five times' prayers obligatory on your people, and I took a guarantee that if anyone observes them regularly at their times, I shall admit him to Paradise; if anyone does not offer them regularly, there is no such guarantee of Mine for him.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud:
Amr ibn Maymun al-Awdi said: Mu'adh ibn Jabal, the Messenger of the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) came to us in Yemen, I heard his takbir (utterance of AllahuAkbar) in the dawn prayer. He was a man with loud voice. I began to love him. I did depart from him until I buried him dead in Syria (i.e. until his death).
Then I searched for a person who had deep understanding in religion amongst the people after him. So I came to Ibn Mas'ud and remained in his company until his death. He (Ibn Mas'ud) said: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said to me: How will you act when you are ruled by rulers who say prayer beyond its proper time? I said: What do you command me, Apostle of Allah, if I witness such a time? He replied: Offer the prayer at its proper time and also say your prayer along with them as a supererogatory prayer.
Narrated Ubadah ibn as-Samit:
After me you will come under rulers who will be detained from saying prayer at its proper time by (their) works until its time has run out, so offer prayer at its proper time. A man asked him: Apostle of Allah, may I offer prayer with them? He replied: Yes, if you wish (to do so).
Sufyan (another narrator through a different chain)said: May I offer prayer with them if I get it with them? He said: Yes, if you wish to do so.
Narrated Qabisah ibn Waqqas:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: After me you will be ruled by rulers who will delay the prayer and it will be to your credit but to their discredit. So pray with them so long as they pray facing the qiblah.
Narrated Amr ibn Umayyah ad-Damri:
We were in the company of the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) during one of his journeys. He overslept abandoning the morning prayer until the sun had arisen. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) awoke and said: Go away from this place.
He then commanded Bilal to call for prayer. He called for prayer. They (the people) performed ablution and offered two rak'ahs of the morning prayer (sunnah prayer). He then commanded Bilal (to utter the iqamah, i.e. to summon the people to attend the prayer). He announced the prayer (i.e. uttered the iqamah) and he led them in the morning prayer.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud:
We proceeded with the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) on the occasion of al-Hudaybiyyah. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: Who will keep watch for us? Bilal said: I (shall do). The overslept till the sun arose. The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) awoke and said: Do as you used to do (i.e. offer prayer as usual). Then we did accordingly. He said: Anyone who oversleeps or forgets (prayer) should do similarly.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:
I was not commanded to build high mosques. Ibn Abbas said: You will certainly adorn them as the Jews and Christians did.
Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The Last Hour will not come until people vie with one another about mosques.
Narrated Uthman ibn Abul'As:
The Prophet (nay peace be upon him) commanded him to build a mosque at Ta'if where the idols were placed.
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) commanded us to build mosques in different localities (i.e. in the locality of each tribe separately) and that they should be kept clean and be perfumed.
Narrated Maymunah ibn Sa'd:
I said: Apostle of Allah, tell us the legal injunction about (visiting) Bayt al-Muqaddas (the dome of the Rock at Jerusalem). The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: go and pray there. All the cities at that time were effected by war. If you cannot visit it and pray there, then send some oil to be used in the lamps.
Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The rewards of my people were presented before me, so much so that even the reward for removing a mote by a person from the mosque was presented to me. The sins of my people were also presented before me. I did not find a sin greater than that of a person forgetting the Qur'anic chapter or verse memorised by him.
Narrated Abdullah al-Muharibi:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: When a man stands with the intention of saying prayer, or if any of you says prayer, he should not spit before him, nor at his right side; but he should do so at his left side, if there is a place for it; or he should spit under his left foot and then rub it off.
Narrated Ubadah ibn as-Samit:
We came to Jabir ibn Abdullah who was sitting in his mosque. He said: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) came to us in this mosque and he had a twig of date-palm of the kind of Ibn Tab. He looked and saw phlegm on the wall towards qiblah. He turned to it and scraped it with the twig.
He then said: Who of you likes that Allah turns His face from him? He further said: When any of you stands for praying, Allah faces him. So he should not spit before him, nor on his right side. He should spit on his left side under his left foot. If he is in a hurry (i.e. forced to spit immediately), he should do with his cloth in this manner. He then placed the cloth on his mouth and rubbed it off.
He then said: Bring perfume. A young man of the tribe stood and hurried to his house and returned with perfume in his palm. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) took it and put it at the end of the twig. He then stained the mark of phlegm with it.
Jabir said: This is the reason you use perfume in your mosques.
Narrated AbuSahlah as-Sa'ib ibn Khallad:
A man led the people in prayer. He spat towards qiblah while the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) was looking at him. The Apostle of Allah said to the people when he finished his prayer: He should not lead you in prayer (henceforth).
Thenceforth he intended to lead them in prayer, but they forbade him and informed him of the prohibition of the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him). He mentioned it to the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) who said to him: Yes.
The narrator said: I think he (the Prophet) said: You did harm to Allah and His Apostle.
Narrated Wathilah ibn al-Asqa':
AbuSa'id said: I saw Wathilah ibn al-Asqa' in the mosque of Damascus. He spat at the mat and then rubbed it with his foot. He was asked: Why did you do so? He said: Because I saw the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) doing so.
Narrated AbuDharr:
The earth has been made for me purifying and as a mosque (place for prayer).
Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib:
AbuSalih al-Ghifari reported: Ali (once) passed by Babylon during his travels. The mu'adhdhin (the person who calls for prayer) came to him to call for the afternoon prayer. When he passed by that place, he commanded to announce for the prayer. After finishing the prayer he said: My affectionate friend (i.e. the Prophet) prohibited me to say prayer in the graveyard. He also forbade me to offer prayer in Babylon because it is accursed.
Narrated Sa'id:
and the narrator Musa said: As far as Amr thinks, the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The whole earth is a place of prayer except public baths and graveyards.
Narrated As-Saburah:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Command a boy to pray when he reaches the age of seven years. When he becomes ten years old, then beat him for prayer.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: Command your children to pray when they become seven years old, and beat them for it (prayer) when they become ten years old; and arrange their beds (to sleep) separately.
Narrated Mu'adh ibn Abdullah ibn Khubayb al-Juhani:
Hisham ibn Sa'd reported: We entered upon Mu'adh ibn Abdullah ibn Khubayb al-Juhani. He said to his wife: When (at what age) should a boy pray? She replied: Some person of us reported: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) was asked about it; he said: When a boy distinguishes right hand from the left hand, then command him to pray.
Narrated AbuUmayr ibn Anas:
AbuUmayr reported on the authority of his uncle who was from the Ansar (the helpers of the Prophet): The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) was anxious as to how to gather the people for prayer.
The people told him: Hoist a flag at the time of prayer; when they see it, they will inform one another. But he (the Prophet) did not like it. Then someone mentioned to him the horn.
Ziyad said: A horn of the Jews. He (the Prophet) did not like it. He said: This is the matter of the Jews. Then they mentioned to him the bell of the Christians. He said: This is the matter of the Christians. Abdullah ibn Zayd returned anxiously from there because of the anxiety of the Apostle (peace_be_upon_him). He was then taught the call to prayer in his dream. Next day he came to the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) and informed him about it.
He said: Apostle of Allah, I was between sleep and wakefulness; all of a sudden a newcomer came (to me) and taught me the call to prayer. Umar ibn al-Khattab had also seen it in his dream before, but he kept it hidden for twenty days.
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said to me (Umar): What did prevent you from saying it to me?
He said: Abdullah ibn Zayd had already told you about it before me: hence I was ashamed.
Then the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: Bilal, stand up, see what Abdullah ibn Zayd tells you (to do), then do it. Bilal then called them to prayer.
AbuBishr reported on the authority of AbuUmayr: The Ansar thought that if Abdullah ibn Zayd had not been ill on that day, the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) would have made him mu'adhdhin.
Narrated Mu'adh ibn Jabal:
Prayer passed through three stages and fasting also passed through three stages. The narrator Nasr reported the rest of the tradition completely. The narrator, Ibn al-Muthanna, narrated the story of saying prayer facing in the direction of Jerusalem.
He said: The third stage is that the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) came to Medina and prayed, i.e. facing Jerusalem, for thirteen months.
Then Allah, the Exalted, revealed the verse: "We have seen thee turning thy face to Heaven (for guidance, O Muhammad). And now verily We shall make thee turn (in prayer) toward a qiblah which is dear to thee. So turn thy face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship, and ye (O Muslims), wherever ye may be, turn your face (when ye pray) toward it" (ii.144). And Allah, the Reverend and the Majestic, turned (them) towards the Ka'bah. He (the narrator) completed his tradition.
The narrator, Nasr, mentioned the name of the person who had the dream, saying: And Abdullah ibn Zayd, a man from the Ansar, came. The same version reads: And he turned his face towards the qiblah and said: Allah is most great, Allah is most great; I testify that there is no god but Allah, I testify that there is no god but Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah, I testify that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah; come to prayer (he pronounced it twice), come to salvation (he pronounced it twice); Allah is Most Great, Allah is most great. He then paused for a while, and then got up and pronounced in a similar way, except that after the phrase "Come to salvation" he added. "The time for prayer has come, the time for prayer has come."
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: Teach it to Bilal, then pronounce the adhan (call to prayer) with the same words. As regards fasting, he said: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to fast for three days every month, and would fast on the tenth of Muharram. Then Allah, the Exalted, revealed the verse: ".......Fasting was prescribed for those before you, that ye may ward off (evil)......and for those who can afford it there is a ransom: the feeding of a man in need (ii.183-84). If someone wished to keep the fast, he would keep the fast; if someone wished to abandon the fast, he would feed an indigent every day; it would do for him. But this was changed. Allah, the Exalted, revealed: "The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an ..........(let him fast the same) number of other days" (ii.185).
Hence the fast was prescribed for the one who was present in the month (of Ramadan) and the traveller was required to atone (for them); feeding (the indigent) was prescribed for the old man and woman who were unable to fast. (The narrator, Nasr, further reported): The companion Sirmah, came after finishing his day's work......and he narrated the rest of the tradition.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:
The words of adhan were pronounced from the time of the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) twice in pairs (i.e. four times) each, and the words of iqamah were pronounced once in pairs (twice each), except that the phrase "The time for prayer has come" would be pronounced twice. When we heard iqamah, we would perform ablution, and go out for prayer. Shu'bah said: I did not hear AbuJa'far narrating any other tradition except this one.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Zayd:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) intended to do many things for calling (the people) to prayer, but he did not do any of them. Then Abdullah ibn Zayd was taught in a dream how to pronounce the call to prayer. He came to the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and informed him. He said: Teach it to Bilal. He then taught him, and Bilal made a call to prayer. Abdullah said: I saw it in a dream and I wished to pronounce it, but he (the Prophet) said: You should pronounce iqamah.
Narrated Ziyad ibn al-Harith as-Suda'i:
When the adhan for the dawn prayer was initially introduced, the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) commanded me to call the adhan and I did so. Then I began to ask: Should I utter iqamah, Apostle of Allah? But he began to look at the direction of the east, (waiting) for the break of dawn, and said: No.
When the dawn broke, he came down and performed ablution and he then turned to me. In the meantime his Companions joined him. Then Bilal wanted to utter the iqamah, but the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said to him: The man of Suda' has called the adhan, and he who calls the adhan utters the iqamah.
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The mu'adhdhin will receive forgiveness to the extent to which his voice reaches, and every moist and dry place will testify on his behalf; and he who attends (the congregation of) prayer will have twenty-five prayers recorded for him and will have expiation for sins committed between every two times of prayer.
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
The imam is responsible and the mu'adhdhin is trusted, O Allah, guide the imams and forgive the mu'adhdhins.
Narrated A woman from Banu an-Najjar:
Urwah ibn az-Zubayr reported on the authority of a woman from Banu an-Najjar. She said: My house was the loftiest of all the houses around the mosque (of the Prophet at Medina). Bilal used to make a call to the morning prayer from it. He would come there before the break of dawn and wait for it. When he saw it, he would yawn and say: O Allah, I praise you and seek Your assistance for the Quraysh so that they might establish Thine religion. He then would make the call to prayer.
She (the narrator) said: By Allah, I do not know whether he ever left saying these words on any night.
Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
The supplication made between the adhan and the iqamah is not rejected.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As:
A man said: Apostle of Allah, the mu'adhdhins excel us. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: Say (the same words) as they say, and when you come to the end, make a petition and that will be granted to you.
Narrated AbuUmamah, or one of the Companion of the Prophet:
Bilal began the Iqamah, and when he said: "The time for prayer has come," the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: "May Allah establish it and cause it to continue."
Narrated Umm Salamah, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) taught me to say when the adhan for the sunset prayer was called; "O Allah, this is the time when Thy night comes on, Thy day retires, and the voices of Thy summoners are heard, so forgive me."
Narrated Uthman ibn Abul'As:
Apostle of Allah, appoint me the leader of the tribe in prayer. He said: You are their leader, but you should follow on who is the weakest of them: and appoint a mu'adhdhin who does not charge for the calling of adhan.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:
Bilal made a call to prayer before the break of dawn; the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him), therefore, commanded him to return and make a call: Lo! the servant of Allah (i.e. I) had slept (hence this mistake).
The version of Musa has the addition: He returned and made a call: Lo! the servant of Allah had slept.
Narrated Bilal:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said to Bilal: Do not call adhan until the dawn appears clearly to you in this way, stretching his hand in latitude.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:
Mujahid reported: I was in the company of Ibn Umar. A person invited the people for the noon or afternoon prayer (after the adhan had been called). He said: Go out with us (from this mosque) because this is an innovation (in religion).
Narrated AbudDarda':
I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: If there are three men in a village or in the desert among whom prayer is not offered (in congregation), the devil has got the mastery over them. So observe (prayer) in congregation), for the wolf eats only the straggling animal. Sa'ib said: By the word Jama'ah he meant saying prayer in company or in congregation.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:
If anyone hears him who makes the call to prayer and is not prevented from joining the congregation by any excuse--he was asked what an excuse consisted of and replied that it was fear or illness--the prayer he offers will not be accepted from him.
Narrated Amr ibn Za'dah, Ibn Umm Maktum:
Ibn Umm Maktum asked the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) saying: Apostle of Allah, I am a blind man, my house is far away (from the mosque), and I have a guide who does not follow me. Is it possible that permission be granted to me for saying prayer in my house? He asked: Do you hear summons (adhan)? He said: Yes. He said: I do not find any permission for you.
Narrated Ibn Umm Maktum:
Apostle of Allah, there are many venomous creatures and wild beasts in Medina (so allow me to pray in my house because I am blind). The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Do you hear the call, "Come to prayer," "Come to salvation"? (He said: Yes.) Then you must come.
Narrated Ubayy ibn Ka'b:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) led us in the dawn prayer one day. And he said: Is so and so present? They said: No. He (again) asked: Is so and so present? They replied: No. He then said: These two prayers are the ones which are most burdensome to hypocrites. If you knew what they contain (i.e. blessings), you would come to them, even though you had to crawl on your knees. The first row is like that of the angels, and if you knew the nature of its excellence, you would race to join it.
A man's prayer said along with another is purer than his prayer said alone, and his prayer with two men is purer than his prayer with one, but if there are more it is more pleasing to Allah, the Almighty, the Majestic.
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The further one is from the mosque , the greater will be one's reward.
Narrated AbuUmamah:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: If anyone goes out from his house after performing ablution for saying the prescribed prayer in congregation (in the mosque), his reward will be like that of one who goes for hajj pilgrimage after wearing ihram (robe worn by the hajj pilgrims).
And he who goes out to say the mid-morning (duha) prayer, and takes the trouble for this purpose, will take the reward like that of a person who performs umrah. And a prayer followed by a prayer with no worldly talk during the gap between them will be recorded in Illiyyun.
Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri:
Prayer in congregation is equivalent to twenty-five prayers (offered alone). If he prays in a jungle, and performs its bowing and prostrations perfectly, it becomes equivalent to fifty prayers (in respect of reward).
Narrated Buraydah ibn al-Hasib:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Give good tidings to those who walk to the mosques in darkness for having a perfect light on the Day of Judgment.
Narrated Ka'b ibn Ujrah:
AbuThumamah al-Hannat said that Ka'b ibn Ujrah met him while he was going to the mosque; one of the two (companions) met his companion (on his way to the mosque) And he met crossing the fingers of my both hands. He prohibited me to do so, and said: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) has said: If any of you performs ablution, and performs his ablution perfectly, and then goes out intending for the mosque, he should not cross the fingers of his hand because he is already in prayer.
Narrated A person from the Ansar:
Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab said: An Ansari was breathing his last. He said: I narrate to you a tradition, and I narrate it with the intention of getting a reward from Allah.
I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: If any one of you performs ablution and performs it very well, and goes out for prayer, he does not take his right step but Allah records a good work (or blessing) for him, and he does not take his left step but Allah remits one sin from him. Any one of you may reside near the mosque or far from it; if he comes to the mosque and prays in congregation, he will be forgiven (by Allah).
If he comes to the mosque while the people had prayed in part, and the prayer remained in part, and he prays in congregation the part he joined, and completed the part he had missed, he will enjoy similarly (i.e. he will be forgiven). If he comes to the mosque when the people had finished prayer, he will enjoy the same.
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: whoever performs ablution, and performs his ablution perfectly, and then goes to the mosque and finds that the people had finished the prayer (in congregation), Allah will give him a reward like one who prayed in congregation and attended it; The reward of those who prayed in congregation will not be curtailed.
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
Do not prevent the female servants of Allah from visiting the mosques of Allah, but they may go out (to the mosque) having no perfumed themselves.
Narrated Sa'id al-Khudri:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) saw a person praying alone. He said: Is there any man who may do good with this (man) and pray along with him.
Narrated Yazid ibn al-Aswad:
Yazid prayed along with the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) when he was a young boy. When he (the Prophet) had prayed there were two persons (sitting) in the corner of the mosque; they did not pray (along with the Prophet). He called for them. They were brought trembling (before him). He asked: What prevented you from praying along with us? They replied: We have already prayed in our houses. He said: Do not do so. If any of you prays in his house and finds that the imam has not prayed, he should pray along with him; and that will be a supererogatory prayer for him.
Narrated Yazid ibn Amir:
I came while the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) was saying the prayer. I sat down and did not pray along with them. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) turned towards us and saw that Yazid was sitting there. He said: Did you not embrace Islam, Yazid? He replied: Why not, Apostle of Allah; I have embraced Islam. He said: What prevented you from saying prayer along with the people? He replied: I have already prayed in my house, and I thought that you had prayed (in congregation). He said: When you come to pray (in the mosque) and find the people praying, then you should pray along with them, though you have already prayed. This will be a supererogatory prayer for you and that will be counted as obligatory.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:
Sulayman, the freed slave of Maymunah, said: I came to Ibn Umar at Bilat (a place in Medina) while the people were praying. I said: Do you not pray along with them? He said: I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: Do not say a prayer twice in a day.
Narrated Uqbah ibn Amir:
I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: He who leads the people in prayer, and he does so at the right time, will receive, as well as those who are led (in prayer) will get (the reward). He who delays (prayer) from the appointed time will be responsible (for this delay) and not those who are led in prayer.
Narrated Sulamah daughter of al-Hurr:
I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: One of the signs of the Last Hour will be that people in a mosque will refuse to act as imam and will not find an imam to lead them in prayer.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:
Let the best among you call the adhan for you, and the Qur'an-readers act as your imams.
Narrated Umm Waraqah daughter of Nawfal:
When the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) proceeded for the Battle of Badr, I said to him: Apostle of Allah allow me to accompany you in the battle. I shall act as a nurse for patients. It is possible that Allah might bestow martyrdom upon me. He said: Stay at your home. Allah, the Almighty , will bestow martyrdom upon you.
The narrator said: Hence she was called martyr. She read the Qur'an. She sought permission from the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) to have a mu'adhdhin in her house. He, therefore, permitted her (to do so).
She announced that her slave and slave-girl would be free after her death. One night they went to her and strangled her with a sheet of cloth until she died, and they ran away.
Next day Umar announced among the people, "Anyone who has knowledge about them, or has seen them, should bring them (to him)."
Umar (after their arrest) ordered (to crucify them) and they were crucified. This was the first crucifixion at Medina.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: There are three types of people whose prayer is not accepted by Allah: One who goes in front of people when they do not like him; a man who comes dibaran, which means that he comes to it too late; and a man who takes into slavery an emancipated male or female slave.
Narrated Malik ibn al-Huwayrith:
AbuAtiyyah a freed slave of us, said: Malik ibn al-Huwayrith came to this place of prayer of ours, and the iqamah for prayer was called. We said to him: Come forward and lead the prayer. He said to us: Put one of your own men forward to lead you in prayer. I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: If anyone visits people, he should not lead them in prayer, but some person of them should lead the prayer.
Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) rode a horse in Medina. It threw him off at the root of a date-palm. His foot was injured. We visited him to inquire about his illness. We found him praying sitting in the apartment of Aisha. We, therefore, stood, (praying) behind him. He kept silent.
We again visited him to inquire about his illness. He offered the obligatory prayer sitting. We, therefore, stood (praying) behind him; he made a sign to us and we sat down. When he finished the prayer, he said: When the imam prays sitting, pray sitting; and when the imam prays standing, pray standing, and do not act as the people of Persia used to act with their chiefs (i.e. the people stood and they were sitting).
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The imam is appointed only to be followed; when he says "Allah is most great," say "Allah is most great" and do not say "Allah is most great" until he says "Allah is most great." When he bows; bow; and do not bow until he bows. And when he says "Allah listens to him who praise Him," say "O Allah, our Lord, to Thee be the praise."
The version recorded by Muslim goes: "And to Thee be the praise: And when he prostrate; and do not prostrate until he prostrates. When he prays standing, pray standing, and when he prays sitting, all of you pray sitting.
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The imam is appointed only to be followed. This version adds: When he recites (the Qur'an), keep silent."
Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud:
Alqamah and al-Aswad sought permission from Abdullah (ibn Mas'ud) for admission, and we remained sitting at his door for a long time. A slave-girl came out and gave them permission (to enter). He (Ibn Mas'ud) then got up and prayed (standing) between me (al-Aswad) and him (Alqamah). He then said: I witnessed the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) doing similarly.
Narrated Yazid ibn al-Aswad:
Jabir ibn Yazid ibn al-Aswad reported on the authority of his father: I prayed behind the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him). When he finished the prayer, he would turn (his face from the direction of the Ka'bah).
Narrated Al-Bara' ibn Azib:
When we would pray behind the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him), we liked to be on his right side. He (the Prophet) would sit turning his face towards us (and back towards the Ka'bah) (peace_be_upon_him).
Narrated Mughirah ibn Shu'bah:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The Imam should not pray at the place where he led the prayer until he removes (from there).
Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: When the Imam completes the prayer and sits (for reciting tashahhud), and then becomes defiled (i.e. his ablution becomes void) before he speaks (to someone), his prayer becomes complete. And those who prayed behind him also complete the prayer.
Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The key of prayer is purification; takbir (saying "Allah is most great") makes (all acts which break prayer) unlawful and taslim (uttering the salutation) makes (all such acts) lawful.
Narrated Mu'awiyah ibn AbuSufyan:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Do not try to outstrip me in bowing and prostrating because however earlier I bow you will join me when I raise (my head from bowing); I have become bulky.
Narrated Talq ibn Ali al-Hanafi:
We came to the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him), and a man came and said: Prophet of Allah, what do you say if one prays in a single garment? The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) then took off his wrapper and combined it with his sheet, and put it on them. He got up and the Prophet of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) led us in prayer. When he finished the prayer, he said: Does every one of you have two garments?
Narrated Salamah ibn al-Akwa':
I said: Apostle of Allah, I am a man who goes out hunting; may I pray in a single shirt? He replied: Yes, but fasten it even if it should be with a thorn.
Narrated Buraydah ibn al-Hasib:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) prohibited us to pray in a sheet of cloth without crossing both its ends, and he also prohibited us to pray in a wrapper without putting on a sheet.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud:
I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: He who lets his garment trail during prayer out of pride, Allah, the Almighty, has nothing to do with pardoning him and protecting him from Hell.
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a veil.
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) forbade trailing garments during prayer and that a man should cover his mouth.
Narrated AbuRafi':
Sa'id ibn AbuSa'id al-Maqburi reported on the authority of his father that he saw AbuRafi' the freed slave of the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him), passing by Hasan ibn Ali (Allah be pleased with them) when he was standing offering his prayer. He had tied the back knot of his hair. AbuRafi' untied it. Hasan turned to him with anger, AbuRafi' said to him: Concentrate on your prayer and do not be angry: I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: This is the seat of the devil, referring to the back knot of the hair.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:
Kurayb the freed slave of Ibn Abbas reported: Abdullah ibn Abbas saw Abdullah ibn al-Harith praying having the back knot of the hair. He stood behind him and began to untie it. He remained standing unmoved (stationary). When he finished his prayer he came to Ibn Abbas and said to him: What were you doing with my head? He said: I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: A man who prays with the black knot of hair tied is the one praying pinioned.
Narrated Abdullah ibn as-Sa'ib:
I saw the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) praying on the day of the conquest of Mecca and he had placed his shoe at his left side.
Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri:
While the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) was leading his Companions in prayer, he took off his sandals and laid them on his left side; so when the people saw this, they removed their sandals. When the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) finished his prayer, he asked: What made you remove your sandals? The replied: We saw you remove your sandals, so we removed our sandals.
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) then said: Gabriel came to me and informed me that there was filth in them. When any of you comes to the mosque, he should see; if he finds filth on his sandals, he should wipe it off and pray in them.
Narrated Aws ibn Thabit al-Ansari:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: Act differently from the Jews, for they do not pray in their sandals or their shoes.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As:
I saw the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) praying both barefooted and wearing sandals.
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: When any of you prays, he should not place his sandals on his right side or on his left so as to be on the right side of someone else, unless no one is at his left, but should place them between his feet.
Narrated Al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to pray on a mat and on a tanned skin.
Narrated Al-Bara' ibn Azib:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to pass through the row from one side to the other; he used to set out chests and shoulders in order, and say: Do not be irregular. And he would say: Allah and His angels bless those who are near the first rows.
Narrated An-Nu'man ibn Bashir:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to straighten our rows when we stood up to pray, and when we were straight, he said: Allah is most great (takbir).
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Set the rows in order, stand shoulder to shoulder, close the gaps, be pliant in the hands of your brethren, and do not leave openings for the devil. If anyone joins up a row, Allah will join him up, but if anyone breaks a row, Allah will cut him off.
Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Stand close together in your rows, bring them near one another, and stand neck to neck, for by Him in Whose hand my soul is, I see the devil coming in through openings in the row just like a small black sheep.
Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Complete the front row, then the one that comes next, and if there is any incompleteness, let it be in the last row.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The best of you are those whose shoulders are soft in prayer.
Narrated AbdulHamid ibn Mahmud:
I offered the Friday prayer along with Anas ibn Malik. We were pushed to the pillars (due to the crowd of people). We, therefore, stopped forward and backward. Anas then said: We used to avoid it (setting a row between the pillars) during the time of the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him).
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: Allah and His angels bless those who are on the right flanks of the rows.
Narrated AbuMalik al-Ash'ari:
Should I not tell you how the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) led the prayer? He said: He had the iqamah announced, drew the men up in line and drew up the youths behind them, then led them in prayer. He then mentioned how he conducted it. and said: Thus is the prayer of......AbdulA'la said: I think he must have said: My people.
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Have the imam in the centre and close up the gaps.
Narrated Wabisah:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) saw a man praying alone behind the row. He ordered him to repeat. Sulayman ibn Harb said: The prayer.
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: When one of you prays, he should put something in front of his face, and if he can find nothing , he should set up his staff; but if he has no staff, he should draw a line; then what passes in front of him will not harm him.
Narrated Al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad:
I never saw the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) praying in front of a stick, a pillar, or a tree, without having it opposite his right or left eyebrow, and not facing it directly.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Do not pray behind a sleeping or a talking person.
Narrated Sahl ibn AbuHathmah:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: When one of you prays facing a sutrah he should keep close to it, and not let the devil interrupt his prayer.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:
Qatadah said: I heard Jabir ibn Zayd who reported on the authority of Ibn Abbas; and Shu'bah reported the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) as saying: A menstruating woman and a dog cut off the prayer.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:
Ikrimah reported on the authority of Ibn Abbas, saying: I think the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: When one of you prays without a sutrah, a dog, 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.
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
I was sleeping in front of the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) with my legs between him and the qiblah. Shu'bah said: I think she said: I was menstruating.
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
I used to sleep lying between the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) and the qiblah. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to pray when I (was lying) in front of him. When he wanted to offer the witr prayer - added by the narrator Uthman - he pinched me - then the narrators are agreed - and said: Set aside.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:
I came riding a donkey. Another version has: Ibn Abbas said: When I was near the age of the puberty I came riding a she-ass and found the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) leading the people in prayer at Mina. I passed in front of a part of the row (of worshippers), and dismounting left my she-ass for grazing in the pasture, and I joined the row, and no one objected to that.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:
AbusSahba' said: We discussed the things that cut off the prayer according to Ibn Abbas. He said: I and a boy from Banu AbdulMuttalib came riding a donkey, and the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) was leading the people in prayer. He dismounted and I also dismounted. I left the donkey in front of the row (of the worshippers). He (the Prophet) did not pay attention to that. Then two girls from Banu AbdulMuttalib came and joined the row in the middle, but he paid no attention to that.
Narrated Al-Fadl ibn Abbas:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) came to us accompanied by Abbas when we were in open country belonging to us. He prayed in a desert with no sutrah 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.
Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Nothing interrupt prayer, but repulse as much as you can anyone who passes in front of you, for he is just a devil.