The Book of Prayers

Abu Bakr b. 'Abd al-Rahman reported that he had heard Abu Huraira say that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said like it, but he substituted" the aged" for 'the infirm".

Uthman b. Abu'l-'As at-Thaqafi reported: The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said to him: Lead your people in prayer. I said: Messenger of Allah. I perceive something (disturbing) in my soul. He (the Holy Prophet) asked me to draw near him and making me sit down in front of him he placed his hand on my breast between my nipples. and then, telling me to turn round, he placed it on my back between my shoulders. He then said: Act as an Imam for your people. He who acts as Imam of the people, he must be brief, for among them are the aged, among them are the sick, among them are the weak, and among them are the people who have business to attend. But when any of you prays alone, he may pray as he likes.

Uthman b. Abu'l-'As reported: The last thing which the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) instructed me was: When you lead the people in prayer, be brief.

Anas reported: The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to be brief and perfect in prayer.

Anas reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was among those whose prayers was brief and perfect.

Anas reported: I never prayed behind an Imam who was more brief and more perfect in prayer than the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him).

Anas reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) would listen to the crying of a lad in the company of his mother, in prayer, and he would recite a short surah or a small surah.

Anas b. Malik reported the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) having said: When I begin the prayer I Intend to make it long, but I hear a boy cry. ing; I then shorten it because of his mother's feelings.

Al-Bara' b. 'Azib reported: I noticed the prayer of Muhammad (may peace be upon him) and saw his Qiyam (standing), his bowing, and then going back to the standing posture after bowing, his prostration, his sitting between the two prostrations, and his prostration and sitting between salutation and going away, all these were nearly equal to one another.

Hakam reported: There dominated in Kufa a man whose name was men- tioned as Zaman b. al-Ash'ath, who ordered Abu 'Ubaidah b. 'Abdullah to lead people in prayer and he accordingly used to lead them. Whenever he raised his head after bowing, he stood up equal to the time that I can recite (this supplication): O Allah! our Lord! unto Thee be the praise which would fill the heavens and the earth, and that which will please Thee besides them I Worthy art Thou of all praise and glory. None can prevent that which Thou bestowest, and none can bestow that whichthou preventest. And the greatness of the great will not avail him against Thee. Hakam (the narrator) said: I made a mention of that to Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Laila who reported: I heard al-Bara' b. 'Azib say that the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and his bowing, and when he lifted his head from bowing, and his prostration, and between the two prostrations (all these acts) were nearly proportionate. I made a mention of that to 'Ar b. Murrah and he said: I saw Ibn Abi Laili (saying the prayer), but his prayer was not like this.

Hakam reported: When Matar b. Najiya dominated Kufa he ordered Abu Ubaida to lead people in prayer, and the rest of the hadith is the same.

Thabit reported it on the authority of Anas: While leading you in prayer I do not shorten anything in the prayer. I pray as I saw the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) leading us. He (Thabit) said: Anas used to do that which I do not see you doing; when he lifted his head from bowing he stood up (so long) that one would say: He has forgotten (to baw down in prostration). And when he lifted his head from prostration, he stayed in that position, till someone would say: He has forgotten (to bow down in prostration for the second sajda).

Thabit reported it on the authority of Anas: I have never said such a light and perfect prayer as I said behind the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). The prayer of the Messenger. of Allah (may peace be upon him) was well balanced. And so too was the prayer of Abu Bakr well balanced. When it was the time of 'Umar b. al-Khattab he prolonged the morning prayer. When the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Allah listened to him who praised Him, he stood erect till we said: He has forgotten. He then prostrated and sat between two prostration till we said: He has forgotten.

Al-Bara' (b. 'Azib), and he was no liar (but a truthful Companion of the Holy Prophet), reported: They used to say prayer behind the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). I never saw anyone bending his back at the time when he (the Holy Prophet) raised his head, till the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) placed his forehead on the ground. They then fell in prostration after him.

Al-Bara' reported, and he was no liar: When the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Allah listened to him who praised Him, none of us bent his back till he (the Holy Prophet) prostrated; we then, afterwards, went down in prostration.

Al-Bara' reported: They (the Companions) said prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), and they bowed when he (the Holy Prophet) bowed. and when he raised his head after bowing, he pronounced:" Allah listened to him who praised Him," and we kept standing till we saw him placing his face on the ground and then we followed him.

Al-Bara' reported: When we were (in prayer) with the Messenger of Allah Allah (may peace be upon him) none of us benfft his back till we saw he prostrated. Zuhair and others reported:" till we saw him prostrating".

'Amr b. Huraith reported: I said the dawn prayer behind the Apostle of (may peace be upon him) and heard him reciting: 'Nay. I call to witness the stars, running their courses and setting" (al-Qur'an, lxxxi. 15-16) and Done of us bent his back till he completed prostration.

('Abdullah b ) Ibn Abi Aufa reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) raised his back from the rukd' he pronounced: Allah listened to him who praised Him. O Allah! our Lord! unto Thee be praise that would fill the heavens and the earth and fill that which will please Thee besides them.

'Abdullah b. Aufa reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to recite this supplication: O Allah! our Lord, unto Thee be praise that would fill the heavens and the earth and fill that which will please Thee besides them.

Abdullah b. Abu Aufa reported that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to recite (this supplication): O Allah! our Lord, unto Thee be praise that would fill the heavens and the earth and fill that which will please Thee besides (them). O Allah! purify me with snow, (water of) hail and with cold water; O Allah. cleanse me from the sins and errors just as a white garment is cleansed from dirt.

This hadith with the same chain of transmitters has been narrated by Shu'ba, and in the narration of Mu'adh the words are: " just as the white garment is cleansed from filth," and in the narration of Yazid:" from dirt".

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) raised his head after bowing, he said: O Allah! our Lord, to Thee be the praise that would fill all the heavens and the earth, and all that it pleases Thee besides (them). O, thou art worthy of praise and glory, most worthy of what a servant says, and we all are Thy servants, no one can withhold what Thou givest or give what Thou withholdest, and riches cannot avail a wealthy person against Thee.

Ibn Abbas reported: When the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) raised his head after bowing, he said: Allah! our Lord, to Thee be the praise that would fill the heavens and the earth and that which is between them, and that which will please Thee besides (them). Worthy art Thou of all praise and glory. No one can withhold what Thou givest, or give what Thou withholdest. And the greatness O! the great availeth not against Thee.

Ibn Abbas reported from the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) the words: " And that would fill that which will please Thee besides (them)!" and he did not mention the subsequent (portion of supplication).

Ibn 'Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) drew aside the curtain (of his apartment) and (he saw) people in rows (saying prayer) behind Aba Bakr. And he said: Nothing remains of the glad tidings of apostlehood, except good visions which a Muslim sees or someone is made to see for him. And see that I have been forbidden to recite the Qur'an in the state of bowing and prostration. So far as Ruk'u is concerned, extol in it the Great and Glorious Lord, and while prostrating yourselves be earnest in supplication, for it is fitting that your supplications should be answered.

'Abdullah b. 'Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) drew aside the curtain and his head was bandaged on account of illness in which he died. He said: O Allah, have I not delivered (Thy Message)? (He repeated it) three times. Nothing has been left out of the glad tidings of apostlebood, but good vision. which a pious servant (of Allah) sees or someone else is made to see for him. He then narrated like the hadith transmitted by Sufyan.

'Ali b. Abi Talib reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) forbade me to recite (the Qur'an) in a state of bowing and prostration.

'Ali b. Abi Talib reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) forbade to recite the Qur'an, while I am in the state of bowing and prostration.

'Ali b. Abi Talib reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) forbade me from the recitation (of the Qur'an) in bowing and prostration and I do not say that he forbade you.