A man from among the people of Najd with disheveled hair came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The humming sound of his voice could be heard but what he was saying could not be understood. He came closer and it was then known that he was asking about Islam. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Five times of prayer each day and night: He asked: Must I observe any more than them? He replied: No, unless you do it voluntarily. He (Talhah) said that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) mentioned fasting during the month of Ramadan. He asked: Must I observe anything else? He replied: No, unless you do it voluntarily. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) mentioned Zakat to him. He asked: Must I pay anything else? He replied: No, unless you do it voluntarily. The man then turned away saying: I swear by Allah, I shall not add anything to this or fall short of it. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The man will be successful if he speaks truth.

He will be successful, by his father, if he speaks the truth; he will enter Paradise, by his father, if he speaks the truth.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Gabriel (ﷺ) 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.

'Umar b. 'Abdul 'Aziz was sitting on the pulpit and he somewhat postponed the afternoon prayer. 'Urwah b. al-Zubair said to him: "Gabriel informed Muhammed (ﷺ) of the time of prayer". So 'Umar said to him: "Be sure of what you are saying". 'Urwah then replied: "I heard Bashir b. Abu Mas'ud say that he heard Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari say that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'Gabriel came down and informed me of the time of prayer, and I prayed along with him, then prayed along with him, then I prayed along with him, then I prayed along with him, then I prayed along with him, reckoning with his fingers five times of the prayer.' I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) offering the Duhr prayer when the sun had passed the meridian. Sometimes he would delay it when it was sever heat ; and I witnessed that he prayer the 'Asr prayer when the sun was high and bright before the yellowness had overcome it; then a man could go off after the prayer and reach Dhu'l-Hulaifah before the sunset, and he would pray Maghrib when the sun had set ; and he would pray the 'Isha prayer when darkness prevailed over the horizon; sometime he would delay it until the people assembled; and once he prayer the fair prayer in the darkness of dawn and at another time he prayed it when it became fairly light; but later on he continued to pray in the darkness of dawn until his death; he never prayed it again in the light of the dawn."

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted from al-Zuhri by Ma'mar, Malik, Ibn 'Uyainah, Shu'aib b. Abi Hamzah, and al-Laith b. Sa'd and others; but they did not mention the time in which he (the Prophet) had prayer, nor did they explain it. And similarly it has been narrated by Hisham b. 'Urwah and Habib b. Abu Mazruq from 'Urwah like the report of Ma'mar and his companions. But Habib did not make a mention of Bashir. And Wahb b. Kaisan reported on the authority of Jabir from the Prophet (ﷺ) the time of the Maghrib prayer. He said: "Next day he (Gabriel) came to him at the time of the Maghrib prayer when the sun had already set. (He came both days) at the same time."

Abu Dawud said: Similarly, this tradition has been transmitted by Abu Hurairah from the Prophet (ﷺ). He said: "Then he (Gabriel) led me in the sunset prayer next day at the same time."

Similarly, this tradition has been narrated through a different chain by 'Abd Allah b. 'Amr b. al-'As, through a chain from Hassan b. 'Atiyyah, from 'Amr b. Shu'aib, from his father, on the authority from the Prophet (ﷺ).

A man asked the Prophet (ﷺ) [about the prayer times] but he did reply to him but he commanded Bilal, who made the announcement for the beginning of the time of the the fair prayer prayer when the dawn broke. He offered (the fair prayer) when a man (due to darkness) could not recognize the face of his companion ; or a man could not know the person who stood by his side. He then commanded Bilal who made announcement for the beginning of the time of the Zuhr prayer when the sun had passed the meridian until some said: Has the noon come ? While he (the Prophet) knew (the time) well. He the commanded Bilal who announced the beginning of the time of the 'Asr prayer when the sun was white and high. When the sunset he commanded Bilal who announced beginning of the time of the Maghrib prayer. When the twilight disappeared he commanded Bilal who announced the beginning of the Isha prayer. Next day he offered the Fajr prayer and returned until we said: Has the sun rise ? He observed the Zuhr prayer at the time he has previously observed the 'Asr prayer. He offered the 'Asr prayer at the time when the sun had become yellow or the evening had come. He offered the Maghrib prayer before the twilight had ended. He observed the Isha prayer when a third of the night had passed. He then asked: Where is the man who was asking me about the time of prayer. (Then replying to him he said): The time (of your prayer) lies within these two limits.

Abu Dawud said: Sulaiman b. Musa has narrated this tradition about the time of the Maghrib prayer from Musa from 'Ata on the authority of Jabir from the Prophet (ﷺ). This version adds: He then offered the Isha prayer when a third of the night had passed, as narrated (he said the Isha prayer) when half the night had passed.

This tradition has been transmitted by Ibn Buraidah on the authority of his father from the Prophet (ﷺ) in a similar way.

The time of the Zuhr prayer is as along as the time of the 'Asr prayer has not come; the time of the Asr prayer is as long as the sun has not become yellow ; the time of the Maghrib prayer is as long as the twilight has not ended; the time of the Isha prayer is up to midnight; and the time of the Fajr prayer is as long as the sun has not risen.

We asked Jabir about the time of the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said: He used to offer the Zuhr prayer in the midday heat, the 'Asr prayer when the sun was bright, the Maghrib prayer when the sun had completely set, the Isha prayer early when many people were present, but late if there were few, and the Fajr prayer in the darkness (of the dawn).

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would offer the Zuhr prayer when the sun had passed the meridian; he would offer 'Asr prayer after which one of us would visit the skirts of Medina and return him while the sun was still bright; I forgot what he said about the Maghrib prayer; he did not fear postponing the Isha prayer until a third of night had passed, or he said: until the midnight had passed. He would dislike sleeping before it or talking after it. And he would offer the Fajr prayer when a man could recognize his neighbor whom he recognized well; and he would recite from sixty to a hundred verses during it.

I would offer my noon prayer with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.

The extent of the shadow when the Messenger of Allah prayed (the noon prayer) was three to five feet in summer and five to seven feet in winter.

We were in the company of the Prophet (ﷺ). The mu'adhdhin intended to call for the Zuhr prayer. He said: Make it cooler. He then intended to call for prayer. He said twice or thrice: Make it cooler. We then witnessed the shadow of the mounds. He then said: The intensity of heat comes from the bubbling over of the Hell ; so when the heat is violent, offer (the Zuhr) prayer when it becomes cooler.

When the heat is violent, offer (the Zuhr) prayer when it becomes fairly cool, for the violent heat comes from the bubbling over the Hell.

Jabir b. Samurah reported that Bilal used to call for the noon prayer when the sun had declined.

Anas b. Malik said the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say the 'Asr prayer when the sun was high and bright and living, then one would go off to al-'Awali and get there while the sun was still high.

Al-'Awali is situated at a distance of two miles or three (from Medina). He (the narrator) said: I think he said: or four miles.

By the life of the sun is meant that you may find heat in it.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would offer the Zuhr prayer while the sunlight was present in her apartment before it ascended (the walls).

We came upon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in Medina. He would postpone the afternoon prayer as long as the sun remained white and clear.

'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying on the day of Battle of Khandaq (Trench). They (the unbelievers) prevented us from offering the middle prayer i.e. 'Asr prayer. May Allah fill their houses and their graves with Hell-fire.

'Aishah commanded me to write for her come passage from the Qur'an. She also added: When you reach the following verse, inform me: "Be guardian of your prayers and of the midmost prayer" (2:238). When I reached it, I informed her. She asked me to write: "Be guardians of your prayers, and of the midmost prayer, and of the 'Asr prayer, and stand up with devotion of Allah" (2:238). 'Aishah then said: I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to offer the Zuhr prayer in midday heat; and no prayer was harder on the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that this one. Hence the revelation came down: "Be guardians of your prayers, and of the midmost prayer" (2:238). He (the narrator) said: There are two prayers before it and two prayers after it.

If anyone says a rak'ah of the 'Asr prayer before sunset, he has observed (the 'Asr prayer), and if anyone performs a rak'ah of the Fajr prayer, he has observed (the Fajr prayer).

We came upon Anas b. Malik after the Zuhr prayer. He stood for saying the 'Asr prayer. When he became free from praying, we mentioned to him about observing prayer in its early period or he himself mentioned it. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: This is how hypocrites pray, this is how hypocrites pray, this is how hypocrites pray: He sits (watching the sun), and when it becomes yellow and is between the horns of the devil, or is on the horns of the devil, he rises and prays for rak'ahs quickly, remembering Allah only seldom during them.

Anyone who loses his 'Asr prayer is like a person whose family has perished and whose property has been plundered.

Abu Dawud said: 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar narrated the word utira (instead of wutira, meaning perished). The dispute on this point goes back to Ayyub. Al-Zuhri reported from Salim on the authority of this father from the Prophet (ﷺ) the word 'wutira'.

Delaying the 'Asr prayer means that the sunshine becomes yellow on the earth.

We used to offer the Maghrib prayer with the Prophet (ﷺ) and then shoot arrows, one of us could see the place where arrow would fall.

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say the Maghrib prayer immediately after the sun had set when its upper side would disappear.

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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.

I am the one who is best informed of the time of this prayer, i.e. the night prayer. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to offer it at the hour when the moon went down on its third night.

We remained one night waiting for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to offer the Isha prayer. He came out to us when one-third of the night has passed or even after it. We did not know whether anything kept him occupied or there was some other matter. When he came out, he said: Are you waiting for this prayer ? Were it not that it would impose a burden on my people, I would normally pray with them at this time. He then gave orders to the mu'adhdhin who declared that the time of the prayer had come.

We waited for the Prophet (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) 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.

We observed the prayer after nightfall with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), 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.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would say the Fajr prayer after which the women would depart wrapped up their woolen garments, being unrecognizable because of the darkness before dawn.

Offer Fajr prayer at dawn, for it is most productive of rewards to you or most productive of reward.

AbuMuhammad fancies that witr prayer is essential. (Hearing this) Ubadah ibn as-Samit said: AbuMuhammad was wrong. I bear witness that I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ): He was questioned.

A man from Basrah said: Tell me what you heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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).

There are five thing, if anyone observe them with faith, he will enter Paradise. He who prays the five times prayer regularly, with the ablution for them, with their bowing, with their prostration and their (right) times ; keeps fast during Ramadan ; performs Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (Ka'bah), provided he has the ability for its passage; pays Zakat happily ; and fulfills the trust (he will enter Paradise). People said: Abu al-Darda', what is fulfilling the trust ? He replied: Washing because of sexual defilement.

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.

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked me: 'How will you act, Abu Dharr, when you are under rulers who kill prayer or delay it (beyond its proper time) ?' I said: 'Messenger of Allah, what do you command me ?' He replied: 'Offer the prayer at its proper time, and if you say it along with them, say it, for it will be a supererogatory prayer for you.'"

Amr ibn Maymun al-Awdi said: Mu'adh ibn Jabal, the Messenger of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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, Messenger 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.

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: Messenger 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.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) returned from the Battle of Khaibar, he travelled during the night. When we felt sleep, he halted for rest. Addressing Bilal he said: Keep vigilance at night for us. But Bilal who was leaning against the saddle of his mount was dominated by sleep. Neither the Prophet (ﷺ) nor Bilal nor any of his Companions could get up till the sunshine struck them. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got up first of all. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was embarrassed and said: O Bilal ! He replied: He who detained your soul, detained my soul, Messenger of Allah, my parents be sacrificed for you. Then they drove their mounts to a little distance. The Prophet (ﷺ) perfumed ablution and commanded Bilal who made announcement for the prayer. He (the Prophet) led them in the Fajr prayer. When he finished prayer, he said: If anyone forget saying prayer, he should observe it when he recalls it, for Allah has said (in the Qur'an): "Establish prayer for my remembrance". Yunus said: Ibn Shihab used to recite this verse in a similar way (i.e. instead of reciting the word li-dhikri - for the sake of My remembrance - he would recite li-dhikra - when you remember). Ahmad (one of the narrator) said: 'Anbasah (a reporter) reported on the authority of Yunus the word li-dhikri (for the sake of my remembrance). Ahmad said: The word nu'as (occurring in this tradition) means "drowsiness".

Another version of the above tradition adds: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Go away from this place of yours where inadvertence took hold of you. He then commanded Bilal who called for prayer and announced that the prayer in congregation was ready (i.e. he uttered the iqamah) and he observed prayer.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Malik, Sufyan b. 'Uyainah, al-Awza'i, and 'Abd al-Razzaq from Ma'mar and Ibn Ishaq, none of them made a mention of the call for prayer (adman) in this version of the tradition narrated by al-Zuhri, and none of them attribute (this tradition) to him except al-Awza'i and Aban al-'Attar on the authority of Ma'mar.

"The Prophet (ﷺ) was on a journey. The Prophet (ﷺ) took a turn and I also took a turn with him. He said: 'Look!' I said: 'This is a rider; these are two riders; and these are three' until we became seven. He then said: Guard for us our prayer, i.e. the Fajr prayer. But sleep dominated them and none could awaken them except the heat of the sun. They stood up and drove away a little. Then they got down (from their mounts) and performed ablution. Bilal called for prayer and they offered two rak'ahs of (Sunnah) of Fajr and then offered the Fajr prayer and mounted (their mounts). Some of them said to others: We showed negligence in prayer. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: There is no negligence in sleep. The negligence is in wakefulness. If any of you forget saying prayer, he should offer it when he remembers it and next day (he should say it) at its proper time.

'Abd Allah b. Rabah al-Ansari, whom the Ansar called faqih (juries), came to us from Medina, and reported us on the authority of Abu Qatadah al-Ansari, the horseman of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent a military expedition consisting of the chief Companions. He then narrated the same story, saying Nothing awakened us except the rising sun. We stoop up in bewilderment, for our prayer. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Wait a little, wait a little. When the sun rose high, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Those who sued to observer the two rak'ahs of Fajr prayer (sunnah prayer before obligatory prayer) should observe them. Then those who used to observe and those who would not observe stood up and said prayer. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded to call for prayer; the call for prayer was made accordingly. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood and led us in prayer. When he turned away (from the prayer) he said: We thank Allah for the fact that we were not engaged in any wordily affairs which detained us from our prayer. Instead our souls were in the hands of Allah. He released them whenever He wished. If any one of you gets morning prayer tomorrow at its proper time, he should offer a similar prayer as an atonement.

"Allah takes your souls as He wishes, and returns them as He wishes. Stand up and call the Adhan to prayer." They (the Companions) stood and performed ablution. When the sun rose high, the Prophet (ﷺ) stood and led the people in prayer.

"He performed ablution when the sun had arisen high and led them in prayer."

There is no remissness in sleep, it is only when one is awake that there is remissness when you delay saying the prayer till the time for the next prayer comes.

If any one forgets a prayer or oversleeps, he should observe it when he remembers it ; there is no expiation for it except that.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was on his journey. They (the people) slept abandoning the Fajr prayer. They awoke by the heat of the sun. Then they travelled a little until the sun rose high. He (the Prophet) commanded the mu'adhdhin (one who called for prayer) to call for prayer. He then offered two rak'ahs of prayer (sunnah prayer) before the (obligatory) fajr prayer. Then he (the mu'adhdhin) announced for saying the prayer in congregation (i.e. he uttered iqamah). Then he led them in the morning prayer.

We were in the company of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) during one of his journeys. He overslept abandoning the morning prayer until the sun had arisen. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.

Yazid b. Salih (instead of Yazid b. Sulaih).

"He (Bilal) called for prayer unhurriedly."

We proceeded with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the occasion of al-Hudaybiyyah. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Who will keep watch for us? Bilal said: I (shall do). The overslept till the sun arose. The Prophet (ﷺ) 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.

I was not commanded to build high mosques. Ibn Abbas said: You will certainly adorn them as the Jews and Christians did.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The Last Hour will not come until people vie with one another about mosques.

The Prophet (nay peace be upon him) commanded him to build a mosque at Ta'if where the idols were placed.

The mosque (of the Prophet) during his lifetime was built with bricks, its roof with branches of the palm-tree, and its pillars with palm-wood, as Mujahid said: Abu Bakr did not add anything to it. But 'Umar added to it; he built as it was built during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with bricks and branches, and he changed its pillars. Mujahid said: Its pillars were made of wood. 'Uthman changed it altogether with increasing addition. He built its walls with decorated stone and lime. And he built the pillars with decorated stone and its roof with teak. Mujahid said: Its roof was made of teak.

Abu Dawud said: Al-Qassah means lime used as mortar.

The pillars of the mosque of the Prophet (ﷺ) during the life time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) were made of the trunks of the palm-tree; they covered from the above by twigs of the palm-tree; they decayed during the caliphate of Abu Bakr. He built it afresh with trunks and twigs of the palm-tree. But they again decayed during the caliphate of 'Uthman. He, therefore, built it with bricks. That survives until today.

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came over to Medina and encamped at the upper side of Medina among the tribe known as Banu 'Amr b. 'Awf. He stayed among them for fourteen days. He then sent someone to call Banu al-Najjar. They came to him hanging their swords from the necks. Anas then said: As if I am looking at the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sitting on his mount and Abu Bakr seated behind him, and Banu al-Najjar standing around him. He descended in the courtyard of Abu Ayyub. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would say his prayer in the folds of the sheep and goats. He commanded us to build a mosque. He then sent for Banu al-Najjar and said to them: Banu al-Najjar, sell this land of yours to me for some price. They replied: By Allah, we do not want any price (from you) except from Allah. Anas said: I tell what this land contained. It contained the graves of the disbelievers, dung-hills, and some trees of date-palm. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded and the graves of the disbelievers were dug open, and the trees of the date-palm were cut off. The wood of the date-palm were erected in front of the mosque ; the door-steps wre built of stone. They were reciting verses carrying the stones. The Prophet (ﷺ) also joined them (in reciting verses) saying: O Allah, there is no good except the good of the Hereafter. So grant you aid to the Ansar and the Muhajirah.

The Mosque (of the Prophet) was built in the land of Banu al-Najjar which contained crops, palm trees and graves of the disbelievers. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Sell it to me for some price. They (Banu al-Najjar) replied: We do not want (any price). The palm-trees were cut off, and the crops removed and the graves of the disbelievers dug opened. He then narrated the rest of the tradition. But this version has the word "forgive" in the verse, instead of the word "help". Musa said: 'Abd al-Warith also narrated this tradition in a like manner. The version of 'Abd al-Warith has the word "dung-hill" (instead of crop), and he asserted that he narrated this tradition to Hammad.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.

After (praising Allah and blessing the Prophet) that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to command us to build mosques in our localities and keep them well and clean.

I said: Messenger of Allah, tell us the legal injunction about (visiting) Bayt al-Muqaddas (the dome of the Rock at Jerusalem). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.

I asked Ibn 'Umar about the gravel spread pin the mosque. He replied: One night the rain fell and the earth was moistened. A man was bringing the gravel (broken stones) in his cloth and spreading it beneath him. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) finished his prayer, he said: How fine it is !

It was said that when a man removed gravels from the mosque, they adjured him.

The gravels adjure the person when removes them from the mosque.

The Prophet (ﷺ) 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.

If we left this door for women (it would have been better). Nafi' said: Ibn 'Umar did not enter (the door) until his death. The other except 'Abd al-Warith said: This was said by 'Umar (and not by Ibn 'Umar) and that is more correct.

This tradition has been reported by 'Umar b. al-Khattab through a different chain of narrators. He narrated it to the same effect and that is more correct.

‘Umar b. al-Khattab used to prohibit (men) to enter through the door reserved for women.

when any of you enters the mosque he should invoke blessing on the prophet (ﷺ) and then he should say: O Allah, open to me the gates of thy mercy. And when he goes out, he should say: O Allah, I ask thee out of Thine abundance.

I met ‘Uqbah b. Muslim and said to him: it has been reported to me that someone has narrated to you from the prophet (ﷺ) that when he entered the mosque, he would say: I seek refuge in Allah, the Magnificent, and in His noble face, and in his eternal domain, from the accursed Devil. He asked : is it so much only? I said: Yes. He said: when anyone says so. The devil says: he is protected from me all the day long.

Abu Qatadah reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying; when any one of you enters the mosque, he should pray two RAKAHS before sitting down.

then he may remain sitting (after praying two RAKAHS) or may go for his work.

O Allah, forgives him; O Allah, have mercy on him.

Nothing prevents one from going home to one’s family except prayer.

O Allah, forgive him? O Allah, take mercy on him, until he turns away, or he is defiled. He was asked: what is meant by defilement? He replied: he breaks wind gently or loudly.

Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying; one shall have the thing the for which one comes to the mosque.

I heard the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying; if anyone hears a man crying out in the mosque about something he has lost, he should say: May Allah not restore it to you, for the mosque were not built for this.

Spitting in the mosque is a sin and it is expiated by burying the spittle.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Spitting in the mosque is a sin and it is expiated by burying the spittle.

The Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said: Spitting phlegm in the mosque... The narrator then transmitted the rest of the tradition to the same effect.

The Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said: if anyone enters the mosque, and spits in it, or ejects phlegm, he should remove some earth and bury it there. If he does not do so, then he should spit in his clothes and not come out with it.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.

One day while the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ)was giving sermon he suddenly saw phlegm on the wall towards the qiblah(the direction to which Muslims turn in prayer) of the mosque. So he became angry at people. He then scraped it and sent for saffron and stained with it. He then said: When any one of you prays, Allah, the Exalted, faces him: he, therefore, should not spit before him.

The Prophet(ﷺ) liked the twigs of the date-palm, and he often had one of them in his hand. He entered the mosque and saw phlegm in the wall towards qiblah and he scraped it. He then turned towards people in anger and said: Is any one of you is pleased to spit in his face? When any of you faces qiblah, he indeed faces his Lord, the Majestic the Glorious: the angels are at right side. Therefore, he should not spit on his right side or before him towards qiblah. He should spit towards his left side or beneath his foot. If he is in a hurry, he should do so-and-so. Describing it Ibn ‘Ajlan said: He should spit in his cloth and fold a part of it over the other.

A man led the people in prayer. He spat towards qiblah while the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was looking at him. The Messenger 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who said to him: Yes.

The narrator said: I think he (the Prophet) said: You did harm to Allah and His Apostle.

I came to the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) who was saying prayer. He spat beneath his left foot.

“He then rubbed it with his shoe."

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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) doing so.

We came to Jabir ibn Abdullah who was sitting in his mosque. He said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.

A man entered the mosque on camel and made it kneel down, and then tied his leg with rope. He then asked: Who among you is Muhammad? The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) was sitting leaning upon something among them. We said to him: This white (man) who is leaning. The man said: O son of ‘Abd al-Muttalib. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said; I already responded to you. The man (again) said: O Muhammad. I am asking you. The narrator then narrated the rest of the tradition.

Banu Sa’d b. Bakr sent Qamam b. Tha’labah to the apostle of Allah (May peace be upon him). He came to him and made his camel kneel down near the gate of the mosque. He then tied its leg and entered the mosque. The narrator then reported in a similar way. He then said: Who among you is the son of Abd al-Muttalib? The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) replied: I am the son of Ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib. He said: O son of ‘Abd al-Muttalib. The narrator then reported the rest of the tradition.

The Jews came to the Prophet (May peace be upon him) and he was sitting in the mosque among his Companions. They said: O Abu al-Qasim, a man and a woman have committed adultery.

The earth has been made for me purifying and as a mosque (place for prayer).

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.

Abu Salih narrated this tradition with a different chain of transmitters to the same effect as reported by Sulaiman b. Dawud. But this version has the word KHARAJA (he went out) instead of BARAZA (proceeded).

and the narrator Musa said: As far as Amr thinks, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: The whole earth is a place of prayer except public baths and graveyards.

The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) was asked about saying prayer at places where the camels kneel down. He replied; Do not say prayer at places where the camels kneel down because they are the places of devils. And he was asked about saying prayer in the fold of sheep. He replied: pray there because they are the places of blessing.

The Prophet (ﷺ) 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.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.

Waki' misunderstood the name of Dawud b. Sawar. Abu Dawud al-Tayalisi has narrated this tradition from him. He said: Anu Hamzah Sawar al-Sairafi.

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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about it; he said: When a boy distinguishes right hand from the left hand, then command him to pray.

AbuUmayr reported on the authority of his uncle who was from the Ansar (the helpers of the Prophet): The Prophet (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ). He was then taught the call to prayer in his dream. Next day he came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and informed him about it.

He said: Messenger 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 (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would have made him mu'adhdhin.

when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered a bell to be made so that it might be struck to gather the people for prayer, a man carrying a bell in his hand appeared to me while I was asleep, and I said; servant of ‘abd Allah, will you sell the bell? He asked; what will you do with it? I replied; we shall use it to call the people to prayer. He said; should I not suggest you something better than that. I replied: certainly. Then he told me to say: Allah is most great, Allah is most great, Allah is most great, Allah is most great. I testify that there is no god but Allah, I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Come to pray, come to pray; come to salvation; come to salvation. Allah is most great, Allah is most great. I testify that there is no god but Allah. He then moved backward a few steps and said: when you utter the IQAMAH, you should say: Allah is most great, Allah is most great. I testify that there is no god but Allah, I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Come to prayer, come to salvation. The time for prayer has come, the time for prayer has come: Allah is most great, Allah is most great. There is no god but Allah. When the morning came, I came to the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) and informed him of what I had seen in the dream. He said: it is a genuine vision, and he then should use it to call people to prayer, for he has a louder voice than you have. So I got up along with Bilal and began to teach it to him and he used it in making the call to prayer. ‘Umar b. al-khattab (Allah be pleased with him) heard it while he was in his house and came out trailing his cloak and said: Messenger of Allah. By him who has sent you with the truth, I have also seen the kind of thing as has been shown to him. The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) said: To Allah be the praise. Abu Dawud said; Al-Zuhri narrated this tradition in a similar way from Sa’id b. al-Musayyib on the authority of ‘Abd Allah b. Zaid. In this version Ibn Ishaq narrated from al-Zuhri: Allah is most great. Allah is most great, Allah is most great, Allah is most great. Ma;mar and yunus narrated from al-Zuhri; Allah is most great, Allah is most great. They did not report it twice again.

I testify that there is no god but Allah, I testify that there is no god but Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Lowering your voice while saying them (these words). Then you must raise your voice in making the testimony: I testify that there is no god but Allah, I testify there is no god but Allah; I testify Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I testify Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Come to prayer, come to prayer; come to salvation, come to salvation. If it is the morning prayer, you must pronounce; prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep, Allah is most great; there is no god but Allah.

He (the prophet) taught me IQAMAH (to pronounce each phrase) twice: 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 Messenger of Allah, I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah: come to prayer, come to prayer: come to salvation, come to salvation: Allah is most great. Allah is great; there is no god but Allah.

Abu Dawud said: The narrator ‘Abd al-Razzaq said; You pronounce IQAMAH for announcing the prayer; you must say twice: the time for prayer has come, the time for prayer has come. (The Prophet said to Abu Mahdhurah): did you listen (to me)? Abu Mahdhurah would not have the hair of his forehead cut, nor would he separate them (from him) because the Prophet (ﷺ) wiped over them.

come to prayer, come to prayer, come to salvation; Allah is most great, Allah is most great: there is no god but Allah. IQAMAH runs: Allah is most great, Allah is most great. 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 Messenger of Allah, I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; come to prayer; come to prayer: come to salvation. Come to salvation; the time for prayer has come the time for prayer has come: Allah is most great, Allah is most great: there is no god but Allah. This is recorded in his collection (i.e., in the collection of the narrator Hammam b. Yahya) according to the tradition reported by Abu Mahdhurah (i.e., IQAMAH contains seventeen phrases)

The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) himself taught me the call to prayer (adhan). He asked me to pronounce: Allah is most great. Allah is most great. 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 Messenger of Allah, I testify that Muhammad is Messenger of Allah. Then repeat and raise your voice; I testify that there is no god but Allah, I testify that there is no god but Allah ; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; come to prayer, come to prayer; come to salvation, come to salvation; Allah is most great. Allah is most great; there is no god but Allah.

The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) taught me the call to prayer (adhan) verbatim; Allah is most great, Allah is most great, 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 Messenger of Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; I testify that there is no god but Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; come to prayer, come to prayer; come to salvation, come to salvation. He used to pronounce “prayer is better than sleep” in the dawn prayer.

Allah is most great, Allah is most great; I testify that there is no god but Allah. He then narrated adhan like the one contained in the tradition transmitted by Ibn Juraij from ‘Abd al-aziz b. ‘abd al-Malik to the same effect. The version Malik b. Dinar has. I asked the son of Abu Mahdhurah, saying: Narrate to me the adhan of your father narrated from the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him). He said: Allah is most great, Allah is most great, that is all. Similar is the version narrated by Ja’far b. Sulaiman from the son of Abd Muhdhurah from his uncle on the authority of his grandfather, excepting that he said; Then repeat and raise your voice. Allah is most great. Allah is most great.

Prayer passed through three stages. And out people narrated to us that Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) said; it is to my liking that the prayer of Muslims or believers should be united (i.e., in congregation), so much so that I intended to send people to the houses to announce the time of prayer; and I also resolved that I should order people to stand at (the tops of) the forts and announce the time of the prayer for Muslims; and they struck the bell or were about to strike the bell (to announce the time for prayer). Then came a person from among the Ansar who said: Messenger of Allah, when I returned from you, as I saw your anxiety. I saw (in sleep) a person with two green clothes on him; he stood on the mosque and called (people) to prayer. He then sat down for a short while and stood up and pronounced in a like manner, except that he added: “The time for prayer has come”. If the people did not call me (a liar), and according to the version of Ibn al-Muthanna, if you did not call me (a liar). I would say that I was awake; I was awake; I was not asleep. The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) said: According to the version of Ibn al-Muthanna, Allah has shown you a good (dream). But the version of ‘Amr does not have the words: Allah has shown you a good (dream). Then ask Bilal to pronounce the ADHAN (to call to the prayer). ‘Umar (in the meantime) said: I also had a dream like the one he had. But as he informed earlier. I was ashamed (to inform). Our people have narrated to us: when a person came (to the mosque during the prayer in congregation), he would ask (about the RAKAHS of prayer), and he would be informed about the number of RAKAHS already performed. They would stand (in prayer) along with the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him): some in standing position; others bowing; some sitting and some praying along with the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him).

Ibn al-Muthanna reported from ‘Amr from Hussain b. Abi Laila, saying ; Until Mu’adh came. Shu’bah said ; I heard it from Hussain who said : I shall follow the position (in the prayer in which I find him (the prophet)). . . you should do in a similar way.

Abu Dawud said: I then turned to the tradition reported by ‘Amr b. Marzuq he said; then Ma’adh came and they (the people) hinted at him. Shu’bah said; I heard it from hussain who said: Mu’adh then said; I shall follow the position (in the prayer when I join it) in which I find him (the prophet). He then said: Mu’adh has prayer when I join it in which I find him (the prophet). He then said: MU’adh has introduced for you a SUNNAH (a model behaviour), so you should do in a like manner. He said; our people have narrated to us; when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to Madina, he commanded them (the people) to keep fast for three days. Thereafter the Quranic verses with regard to the fasts during Ramadan were revealed. But they were people who were not accustomed to keep fast ; hence the keeping of the fasts was hard for them; so those who could not keep fast would feed an indigent; then the month”. The concession was granted to the patient and the traveler; all were commanded to keep fast.

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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah, I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Teach it to Bilal, then pronounce the adhan (call to prayer) with the same words. As regards fasting, he said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.

Anas reported; Bilal was commanded to pronounce Adhan in double pairs and IQAMAH in single pairs.

Hammam added in his version; “except IQAMAH”.

I narrated this tradition to Ayyub who said: “Except IQAMAH”.

The words of adhan were pronounced from the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.

This tradition has been narrated by Abu Ja’far, the mu’adhdhin of ‘Uryan mosque (at Kufah), from Abu al-Muthanna, the mu’adhdhin of masjid al-akbar (at kufah) on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar. The rest of the tradition was transmitted in a like manner.

The Prophet (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) 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.