Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them

It wasnarrated from Mujahid, Sa’eed bin Jubair, ‘Ata’ bin Abi Rabahand Tawus that Ibn ‘Abbas told them that the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ)used to combine the Maghrib and ‘Isha’ when traveling,although therewas nothing to make him hurry and no enemy pursuinghim, and he wasnot afraid of anything.

It wasnarrated from Mu’adh bin Jabal that the Prophet (ﷺ) combinedtheZuhr and ‘Asr, and the Maghrib and ‘Isha’ when traveling duringthe campaign of Tabuk.

It wasnarrated from ‘Isa bin Hafs bin ‘Asim bin ‘Umar bin Khattabthat his father told him: “We were with Ibn ‘Umar on a journey,and he led us in prayer. Then we finished with him and he finishedturning around, and saw some people praying. He said: ‘What arethese people doing?’ I said: ‘Glorifying Allah.’* He said: ‘IfI wanted to glorify Allah (perform voluntary prayer) I would havecompleted my prayer. O son of my brother! I accompanied the Messengerof Allah (ﷺ) and he never prayed more than two Rak’ah when he wastraveling, until Allah took his soul. Then I accompanied Abu Bakr andhe never prayed more than two Rak’ah (when he was traveling), untilAllah took his soul. Then I accompanied ‘Umar and he never prayedmore than two Rak’ah, until Allah took his soul. Then I accompanied‘Uthman and he never prayed more than two Rak’ah, until Allahtook his soul. Allah says: ‘Indeed in the Messnger of Allah(Muhammad (ﷺ)) you have a good example to follow.’” [33:21]

Usamahbin Zaid said: “I asked Tawus about performing voluntaryprayerwhile traveling. Al-Hasan bin Muslim bin Yannaq was sittingwith himand he said: ‘Tawus told me that he heard Ibn ‘Abbas say:“TheMessenger of Allah (ﷺ) enjoined prayer while a resident andprayerwhen one is traveling. We used to pray when we were residentsbothbefore and after (the obligatory prayer), and we used to praybothbefore and after (the obligatory prayer) when we weretraveling.’”

It wasnarrated that ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Humaid Az-Zuhri said: “I askedSa’ib bin Yazid: ‘What have you heard about staying in Makkah?’Hesaid: ‘I heard ‘Ala’ bin Hadrami say: “The Prophet (ﷺ)said: ‘Three(days) for the Muhajir after departing (from Mina).’”*

‘Ata’narrated: “Jabir bin ‘Abdullah, who was among the people withme,told me that the Prophet (ﷺ) arrived in Makkah in the morning ofthe fourth day of Dhul-Hijjah.”

It wasnarrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)stayed for nineteen days in which he shortened his prayer to twoRak’ah. So, whenever we stayed for nineteen days we would shortenourprayer to two Rak’ah, but if we stayed more than that we wouldprayfour Rak’ah.”

It wasnarrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)stayedin Makkah for fifteen nights during the year of the Conquest,(duringwhich time) he shortened his prayer.

Yahyabin Abu Ishaq narrated that Anas said: “We went out with theMessenger of Allah (ﷺ) from Al-Madinah to Makkah, during which timewe shortened our prayer to two Rak’ah, until we came back.” Iasked:“How long did he stay in Makkah?” He said: “Ten (days).”

It wasnarrated that Jabir bin ‘Abdullah said: “The Messenger ofAllah(ﷺ) said: ‘Between a person and Kufr (disbelief) is abandoningthe prayer.’”

‘Abdullah bin Buraidah narrated that his father said: “TheMessengerof Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘The covenant that distinguishesbetween us andthem is prayer; so whoever leaves it, he has committedKufr.’”

It wasnarrated from Anas bin Malik that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “There isnothing standing between a person and Shirk (polytheism)exceptleaving the prayer, so if he leaves it he has committed Shirk.”

It wasnarrated that Jabir bin ‘Abdullah said: “The Messenger ofAllah(ﷺ) delivered a sermon to us and said: ‘O people! Repent toAllahbefore you die. Hasten to do good deeds before you becomepreoccupied(because of sickness and old age). Uphold the relationshipthatexists between you and your Lord by remembering Him a great dealandby giving a great deal of charity in secret and openly. (Then) youwill be granted provision and Divine support, and your condition willimprove. Know that Allah has enjoined Friday upon you in this placeofmine, on this day, in this month, in this year, until the Day ofResurrection. Whoever abandons it, whether during my lifetime orafterI am gone, whether he has a just or an unjust ruler, whether hetakesit lightly or denies (that it is obligatory), may Allah causehim tolose all sense of tranquility and contentment, and may He notblesshim in his affairs. Indeed, his prayer will not be valid, hisZakatwill not be valid, his Hajj will not be valid, his fasting willnot bevalid, and his righteous deeds will not be accepted, until herepents.Whoever repents, Allah will accept his repentance. No womanshould beappointed as Imam over a man, no Bedouin should beappointed as Imamover a Muhajir, no immoral person should beappointed as Imam over a(true) believer, unless that is forced uponhim and he fears his swordor whip.’”

It wasnarrated that ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Ka’b bin Malik said: “I usedtoguide my father after he lost his sight, and when I took him outforthe Friday (prayer), when he heard the Adhan he would pray forforgiveness for Abu Umamah As’ad bin Zurarah, and supplicate forhim.I heard that from him for a while, then I said to myself: ‘ByAllah!What is this weakness? Every time he heard the Adhan forFriday(prayer) I hear him praying for forgiveness for Abu Umamah andsupplicate for him, and I do not ask him about why he does that.’ThenI took him out for Friday (prayer), as I used to take him out,andwhen he heard the Adhan he prayed for forgiveness as he used todo. Isaid to him: ‘O my father! I see you supplicating for As’adbinZurarah every time you hear the call for Friday; why is that?’Hesaud: ‘O my son, he was the first one who led us for the Fridayprayerbefore the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came from Makkah, in Naqi’Al-Khadamat (a place near Al-Madinah), in the plain of Harrah BanuBayadah.’ I asked: ‘How many of you were there at that time?’He said:‘Forty men.’”

It wasnarrated that Abu Hurairah said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)said: ‘Allah led those who came before us astray from Friday.Saturdaywas for the Jews and Sunday was for the Christians. And theywill lagbehind us until the Day of Resurrection. We are the last ofthe peopleof this world but we will be the first to be judged amongall ofcreation.’”

It wasnarrated that Abu Lubabah bin ‘Abdul-Mundhir said: “TheProphet(ﷺ) said: ‘Friday is the chief of days, the greatest daybeforeAllah. It is greater before Allah then the Day of Adha and theDay ofFitr. It has five characteristics: On it Allah created Adam; onitAllah sent down Adam to this earth; on it there is a time duringwhich a person does not ask Allah for anything but He will give it tohim, so long as he does not ask for anything that is forbidden; on itthe Hour will begin. There is no angel who is close to Allah, noheaven, no earth, no wind, no mountain, and no sea that does not fearFriday.’”

It wasnarrated that Shaddad bin Aws said: “The Messenger of Allah(ﷺ)said: ‘The best of your days is Friday. On it Adam was created,onit the Trumpet will be blown, on it all creatures will swoon. Sosenda great deal of peace and blessings upon me on that day, for yourpeace and blessings will be presented to me.’ A man said: ‘OMessengerof Allah, how will our peace and blessings be shown to youwhen youwill have disintegrated?’ He said: ‘Allah has forbiddenthe earth toconsume the bodies of the Prophets.’”

It wasnarrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)said: “From one Friday to the next is an expiation for whatever wascommitted in between, so long as one does not commit any major sin.”

Aws binAws Ath-Thaqafi said: “I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say:‘Whoevertakes a bath on Friday, and bathes completely, and goesearly,arriving early,* and walks and does not ride (to the mosque),andsits close to the Imam and listens to him, and does not engage inidle talk; for every step he takes he will have the reward of oneyear, the reward of a year’s fasting and praying (at night).”

It wasnarrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: “I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) sayfromthe pulpit: ‘Whoever comes to Friday, let him take a bath.’”

It wasnarrated from Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said: “Bath on Fridays is obligatory for every male who hasreached the age of puberty.”

It wasnarrated that Abu Hurairah said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)said: ‘Whoever performs ablution and performs ablution well, thencomes to Friday (prayer) and sits near (the Imam), and keeps quietandlistens, he will be forgiven for what was between that and theprevious Friday (of sins), and three days more. And whoever touchesthe pebbles then he has engaged in Laghw (idle talk or behaviour).”

It wasnarrated from Anas bin Malik that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoeverperforms ablution on Friday, it is well and good for him, andhe hasdone what is obligatory for him. But whoever takes a bath, bathisbetter.”

It wasnarrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)said: “When Friday comes, angels stand at every door of the mosque andrecord the names of the people who come, in order of arrival. WhentheImam comes out, they close their records and listen to thesermon. Thefirst one who comes to the prayer is like one whosacrifices a camel;the one who comes after him is like one whosacrifices a cow; the onewho comes after him is like one whosacrifices a ram,” (and so on)until he made mention of a hen andan egg. Sahl added in his Hadith:“And whoever comes after thatcomes only to do his duty with regard tothe prayer.”

It wasnarrated from Samurah bin Jundab that the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ)described the likeness of Friday, saying that those who comeearliestare like the one who sacrifices a camel, then like one whosacrificesa cow, then like one who sacrifices a sheep, until he mademention ofa chicken.

It wasnarrated that ‘Alqamah said: “I went out with ‘Abdullah toFriday (prayer), and he found three men who arrived before him. Hesaid: ‘The fourth of four, and the fourth of four is not far away.Iheard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “On the Day ofResurrectionpeople will gather near Allah according to how earlythey came toFriday (prayer), the first, second, and third.’”Then he said: ‘Thefourth of four, and the fourth of four is notfar away.’”

It wasnarrated from ‘Abdullah bin Salam that he heard the MessengerofAllah (ﷺ) saying on the pulpit one Friday: “There is nothingwrong with anyone of you buying two garments for Friday (prayer),other than his daily work clothes.”

It wasnarrated from ‘Aishah that the Prophet (ﷺ) delivered asermon tothe people one Friday, and he saw them wearing woollenclothes. TheMessenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “There is nothing wrongwith any oneof you, if he can afford it, buying two garments forFriday, otherthan his daily work clothes.”

It wasnarrated from Abu Dharr that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoevertakesa bath on a Friday and does it well, and purifies himself anddoes itwell, and puts on his best clothes, and puts on whatever Allahdecrees for him of the perfume of his family, then comes to themosqueand does not engage in idle talk or separate (pushing between)twopeople; he will be forgiven for (his sins) between that day andtheprevious Friday.”