Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat)

Jubair b. Mut’im said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) reciting al-Tur(surah lii) in the sunset prayer.

Marwan b. a-hakkam said: Zaid b. Thabit asked me: Why do you recite short surahs in the sunset prayer? I saw the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) reciting two long surahs at the sunset prayers. I asked him: which are those two long surahs? He replied: Al-A’raf(surah vii) and al-an’am(surah vi). I ( the narrator Ibn Juraij) asked Ibn Mulaikah (about these surahs): He said on his own accord: Al-ma’idah (surah v.) and al-A’raf(furah vii.)

HIsham b . ‘Urwah said that his father (‘Umrah) used to recite the surahs as you recite like Wa’l-Adiyat(surah c).Abu Dawud said: This indicates that those (traditions indicating long surahs) are abrogated, and this is more sound tradition.

‘Amr b. Shu’aib, on his father’s authority, quoted his grandfather as saying: There is no short or long surah in al-Mufassal which I have not heard the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) reciting when he led the people in the prescribed prayer.

Abu’Uthman al-Nahdl said that he offered the sunset prayer behind Ibn mas’ud, when he recited “Say: He is Allah, the One” (Surah 112).

Narrated Mu'adh ibn Abdullah al-Juhani: A man of Juhaynah told him that he had heard the Prophet (ﷺ) reciting "When the earth is shaken" (Surah 99) in both rak'ahs of the morning prayer. But I do not know whether he had forgotten, or whether he recited it on purpose.

‘Amr b. Huraith said: As if I am hearing the voice of the prophet (may peace by upon him) who would recite at the morning prayer “Oh, but I call to witness the planets, the stars which rise and set”(surah 81:15-16)

Abu sa’id said: we were commanded to recite Fatihat al-kitab and whatever was convenient (from the Qur’an during the prayer).

Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: Go out and announce in medina that prayer is not valid but the recitation of the Qur’an even though it might be fatihat al-kitab and something more.

Abu hurairah said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded me to announce that prayer is not valid but with the recitation of Fatihat al-kitab and something more.

Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying: If anyone observes a prayer in which he does not recite Umm al-Qur’an, it is incomplete, it is incomplete, it is incomplete, and deficient. (The narrator said) I said: Abu Hurairah, sometime I pray behind the imam(then what should I do)? Pressing my hand he replied: O Persian, recite it inwardly, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying that Allah, Most High, has said: I have Me and the Half for my servant and My servant will receive what he asks. The Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said: Recite. When the servant says: “praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe,” Allah, Most High says: “My servant has praised me.” When the servant says: “ The Compassionate, the merciful, “Allah Most High says: “My servant has lauded me.” When the servant says: “Owner of the Day of Judgment,” Allah, Most High, says: “My servant has glorified Me” When the servant says: “ Thee do we worship and of thee we ask help. “ (Allah says) “This is between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks.” When the servant says: “ Guide us to the Straight Path, the path of those whom thou hast favoured, not ( the path) of those who earn thine anger nor of those who go astray,”(Allah says: ) “This is for My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks.”

'Ubadah b. al-Samit reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying : the prayer is not valid I one does not recite fatihat al-kitab and something more, sufyan( the narrator) said: This applies to a man who prays alone.

Narrated Ubadah ibn as-Samit: We were behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at the dawn prayer, and he recited (the passage), but the recitation became difficult for him. Then when he finished, he said: Perhaps you recite behind your imam? We replied: Yes, it is so, Messenger of Allah. He said: Do not do so except when it is Fatihat al-Kitab, for he who does not recite it is not credited with having prayed.

Nafi’b. Mahmudb. Al-Rabi’ Al-Ansari said: “Ubadah b. al-samit came to late to lead the morning prayer. Abu Nu’aim, the mu’adhdhin, pronounced the takbir and he led the people in prayer. Then Ubadah came and I was with him. We Joined the row behind Abu Nu’aim, while Abu Nu’aim was reciting the Qur’an loudly. Then ‘Ubadah began to recite the Umm al-Quran (I.e Surah al Fatihah). When he finished, I said to Ubadah: I heard you reciting the Umm al-Qur’an while Abu Nu’aim was reciting Qur’an loudly. He replied: yes> The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led us in a certain prayer in which the Qur’an is recited loudly, but he became confused in the recitation. When he finished he turned his face to us and said: Do you recite when I recite the Qur’an loudly? Some of us said: we do so; this is why I said to myself: What is that which confused me (in the recitation of ) the Qur’an. Do not recite anything from the Qur’an when I recite it loudly except the Umm al-Qur’an.

The above mentioned tradition has been transmitted through a different chain of narrators by 'Ubadah b. al-samit like the version of al-Rabi’b Sulaiman. This version adds: Makhul used to recite Surah al Fatihah al-kitab quietly in the prayer in which the imam recites the Qur’an loudly when he observes the period of silence. If he does not observe the period of silence, recite it before him(i.e before his recitation), or along with him or after him; do not give it up in any case.

Narrated AbuHurayrah: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) finished a prayer in which he had recited (the Qur'an) loudly, he asked: Did any of you recite along with me just now? A man replied: Yes, Messenger of Allah. He said: I am wondering what is the matter with me that I have been contended with reciting the Qur'an. He said: When the people heard that from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) they ceased reciting (the Qur'an) along with him at the prayers in which he recited aloud.Abu Dawud said: This tradition reported by Ibn Ukaimah has also been narrated by Ma'mar, Yunus, and Usamah b. Zaid on the authority of al-Zuhri similar to the tradition of Malik.

Abu Hurairah said: The Messenger of Allah(May peace be upon him) led us in prayer, that was, we think, the dawn prayer, He further narrated this tradition up to the words “what is the matter with me that I have been contended with in (the recitation of ) the Qur’an.”Abu Dawud said: Musaddad in his tradition said that Ma’mar said: The people ceased to recit (the Qur’an) at the prayer in which the Messenger of Allah(May peace be upon him) recited aloud. Ibn al-Sarh said in his version that Ma’mar reported from al-Zuhrl on the authority of Ab Hurairah. Then the people ceased (to recite behind the imam).Another version says: Sufyan said: Al-Zuhrl spoke a word that I could not hear. Then Ma’mar said; He said: Then people ceased (to recite the Qur’an)Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by ‘Abd al-Raman b. Ishaq on the authority of al-Zuhrl. This version ends at the words: “What is the matter with me that I am contended with in (the recitation of ) the Qur’an. Al-Awza’ I also narrated it on the authority of al-Zuhri. This version has: Al-Zuhrl said: The Muslims took lesson from that and thenceforth they did not recite (the Qur’an) at the prayer in which he (the Prophet) recited a loud.Abu Dawud said: I heard Muhammad b. Yaya b. Faris say: The words “ the people ceased to recite (the Qur’an)” is a statement of al-zuhri.

Narrated Imran ibn Husayn: The Prophet (ﷺ) led (us) in the noon prayer, and a man came and recited behind him "Glorify the name of thy Lord, the Most High" (Surah 87). When he finished (the prayer), he said: Which of you recited? They (the people) said: A man (recited). He said: I knew that some one of you confused me in it (in the recitation of the Qur'an).Abu Dawud said: Abu al-Walid said in his version: Shu'bah said: I asked Qatadah: Did Sa'id not say: Listen attentively to the Qur'an? He replied: (Yes), but that applies to prayer in which it (the Qur'an) is recited aloud. Ibn Kathir said in his version: I said to Qatadah: Perhaps he (the Prophet) disliked it (recitation). He said: If he had disliked it, he would have prohibited it.

‘Imran b. Husain reported that the prophet of Allah (ﷺ) led them in the noon prayer. When he finished it, he said: Which of you did recite the surah “ Glorify the name of thy lord, the Most High”(Surah lxxxvii.) A man said: I . He said: I knew that some one of you confused me in it(i.e in the recitation of the Qur’an).

Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to us while we were reciting the Qur'an, and there were among us bedouins and the non-Arabs. He said: Recite, all is well. In the near future there will appear people who will straighten it (the Qur'an) as an arrow is straightened. They will recite it quickly and not slowly (or it means that they will get the reward in this world and not in the Hereafter).

Sahl b. Sa’d al-Sa’idi said: The Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) one day came out to us while we were reciting the Qur’an. He said: Praise be to Allah. The Book of Allah is one, and among you are the red, and among you are the white and among you are the black. Recite it before there appear people who will recite it and straighten it as an arrow is straightened. They will get their reward for it in this world and will not get it in the Hereafter.

Narrated Abdullah ibn AbuAwfa: A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: I cannot memorise anything from the Qur'an: so teach me something which is sufficient for me. He said: Say Glory be to Allah, and praise be to Allah, and there is no god but Allah, and Allah is most great, and there is no might and no strength but in Allah. :He said: Messenger of Allah, this is for Allah, but what is for me? He said: Say: O Allah have mercy on me, and sustain me, and keep me well, and guide me. When he stood up, he made a sign with his hand (indicating that he had earned a lot). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He filed up his hand with virtues.

Jabir b. ‘Abd Allah said: we used to offer supererogatory prayers and recite supplications while we were standing, and would glorify Allah while bowing and prostrating.

The above-mention tradition has also been transmitted through a different chain of narrators by Humaid, but he did not mention the word “Supererogatory prayer” This version has: Al-Hasan (al-Basri) would recite fatihat al-kitab in the noon and afternoon prayers while he led in prayer or he was behind the imam and would glorify Allah, and would repeatedly say: “Allah is most great” and “ There is no god but Allah” (i.e takbir and tahlil) equal to the amount one recites al-Qaf (Surah 50) and al-Dhariyat(surah 51).

Mutarrif said: I and ‘Imran b. Husain offered prayer behind ‘All b. AbI Talib(may Allah be pleased with him). When he prostrated, he uttered the takbir (Allah is most great) and when he bowed, he uttered the takbir and when he stood up at the end of two rak’ahs, he uttered the takbir. When we finished our prayer, ‘Imran caught hold of my hand, and said: He has led us in prayer just now like the prayer offered by Muhammed(may peace by upon him).

Abu bakr b. ‘Abd al-Rahman and abu Salamah said: Abu Hurairah would utter the takbir in every prayer, whether obligatory or non-obligatory, He would utter the takbir when he stood, and he would utter the takbir when he bowed, then he would say: “Allah listens to him who praises Him”; he then would say before prostrating himself; “ Our Lord, to Thee be praise”; then he would say while falling in prostration: “Allah is most great”; he then would utter the takbir when he raised his head after prostration, and then utter the takbir when he prostrated, and then utter takbir the takbir when he stood up at the end of two rak’ahs after sitting down. He used to do so in every rak’ah until he finished his prayer. Then he would say at the end of the prayer: By Him in Whose hands lies my life, I am closer to the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) in respect of his prayer. Such was the prayer he used to offer until he departed from the world.Abu Dawud said: Malik, al-Zubaidi and others have narrated so that they form the last words from al-Zuhri on the authority of ‘Ali b, Husain. And this is supported by the version reported by ‘Abd al-A’la from Ma’mar and SHu’aib b. Abi Hamzah on the authority of Al-Zuhri.

‘Abd al Rahman b. Abza said that he offered prayer along with the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) but he did not complete the takbir.Abu Dawud said: This means that when he raised his head after bowing and when he was about to prostrate, he did not utter the takbir, and when he stood up after prostration, he did not utter the takbir.

Narrated Wa'il ibn Hujr: I saw that the Prophet (ﷺ) placed his knees (on the ground) before placing his hands when he prostrated himself. And when he stood up, he raised his hands before his knees.

The above-mentioned tradition has also been transmitted by Wa’il b. Hujr through a different chain of narrators. This version has: When he prostrated himself, his knees fell on the ground before his hands had fallen. Hemmam said: This tradition has also been transmitted by ‘Asim b. Kulaib through a different chain of narrators to the same effect. And one of these two versions, and probably the version narrated by Muhammad b. Juhadah, has the words: When he stood up (after prostration), he stood up on his knees taking the support of his thighs.

Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: when one of you prostrates himself he must not kneel in the manner of camel, but should put down his hands before his knees.