‘Abdallah b. Mughaffal reported the Prophet as saying, “Pray before the sunset prayer,” adding when saying it a third time, “This applies to those who wish to do so.” That was because he did not wish the people to treat it as a sunna. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Samura b. Jundub reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone omits the Friday prayer without excuse he must give a dinar in alms, or if he does not have as much, half a dinar.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Rafi' told th at he saw God's messenger uttering the call to prayer in the ear of al-Hasan b. ‘Ali when Fatima gave birth to him. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a hasan sahih tradition.

The Prophet (saws) passed by a boy who was skinning a goat. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Give it up until I show you. He (the Prophet) inserted his hand between the skin and the flesh until it reached the armpit. He then went away and led the people in prayer and he did not perform ablution. The version of Amr added that he did not touch water.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated though another chain of transmitters, making no mention of Abu Sa'id.

In the time of the Messenger of Allah (saws) there was a woman who had an issue of blood. So Umm Salamah asked the Messenger of Allah (saws) to give a decision about her. He said: She should consider the number of nights and days during which she used to menstruate each month before she was afflicted with this trouble and abandon prayer during that period each month. When those days and nights are over, she should take a bath, tie a cloth over her private parts and pray.

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 Messenger of Allah (saws) 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.

The Prophet (saws) said: When one of you prays facing a sutrah he should keep close to it, and not let the devil interrupt his prayer.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been narrated by Waqid b. Muhammad from Safwan from Muhammad b. Sahl on the authority of his father, or on the authority of Muhammad b. Sahl from the Prophet (saws). Some have narrated it from Nafi' b. Jubair on the authority of Sahl b. Sa'd. There is a variation in the chain of its narrators.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) commanded us (to recite) when we sit in the middle of the prayer or at its end before the salutation: The adorations of the tongue, all good things, acts of worship, and the Kingdom are due to Allah. Then give salutation to the right side; then salute your reciter (i.e. the imam) and yourselves.

Abu Dawud said: Sulaiman b. Musa hails from Kufah and he lives in Damascus.

Abu Dawud said: This collection of traditions indicates that al-Hasan (al-Basri) heard traditions from Samurah (b. Jundub).

White I was travelling with the Messenger of Allah (saws) between al-Juhfah and al-Abwa', a wind and intense darkness enveloped us, whereupon the Messenger of Allah (saws) began to seek refuge in Allah, reciting: "I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn," and "I seek refuge in the Lord of men."

He then said: Uqbah, use them when seeking refuge in Allah, for no one can use anything to compare with them for the purpose.

Uqbah added: I heard him reciting them when he led the people in prayer.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) heard a person supplicating during prayer. He did not mention the greatness of Allah, nor did he invoke blessings on the Prophet (saws).

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: He made haste.

He then called him and said either to him or to any other person: If any of you prays, he should mention the exaltation of his Lord in the beginning and praise Him; he should then invoke blessings on the Prophet (saws); thereafter he should supplicate Allah for anything he wishes.

I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah (saws) and a man was offering prayer. He then made supplication: O Allah, I ask Thee by virtue of the fact that praise is due to Thee, there is no deity but Thou, Who showest favour and beneficence, the Originator of the Heavens and the earth, O Lord of Majesty and Splendour, O Living One, O Eternal One.

The Prophet (saws) then said: He has supplicated Allah using His Greatest Name, when supplicated by this name, He answers, and when asked by this name He gives.

I came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) at the place of halting, that is, al-Muzdalifah. I said: I have come from the mountains of Tayy. I fatigued my mount and fatigued myself. By Allah, I found no hill (on my way) but I halted there. Have I completed my hajj? The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Anyone who offers this prayer along with us and comes over to Arafat before it by night or day will complete his hajj and he may wash away the dirt (of his body).

The Prophet (saws) said: If a Muslim sleeps while remembering Allah, in the state of purification, is alarmed while asleep at night, and asks Allah for good in this world and in the Hereafter. He surely gives it to him. Thabit al-Bunani said: AbuZabyah came to visit us and he transmitted this tradition to us from Mu'adh ibn Jabal from the Prophet (saws). Thabit said: So and so said: I tried my best to utter these (prayers) when I got up, but I could not do.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) performed the obligatory circumambulation of the Ka'bah at the end of the day of sacrifice after he had offered the noon prayer. He hen returned to Mina and stayed there during the tashriq days and he threw pebbles at the jamrahs when the sun declined. He threw seven pebbles at each of the jamrahs, uttering the takbir (Allah is most great) at the time of the throwing the pebble. He stood at the first and the second jamrah, and prolonged his standing there, making supplications with humilation. He threw pebbles at the third jamrah but did not stand there.

A man was praying with his lower garment hanging down. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said to him: Go and perform ablution. He then went and performed ablution. He then came and he said: Go and perform ablution. Then a man said to him: Messenger of Allah, what is the matter with you that you commanded him to perform ablution and then you kept silence ? He replied: He was praying while hanging down his lower garments, and Allah does not accept the prayer of a man who hangs down his lower garment.

I saw ‘Uthman b. ‘Affan performing ablution. He then narrated the same tradition. In this version there is no mention of rinsing the mouth and snuffing up water. This traditions adds : “He wiped his head three times. He then washed his feet three times. He then said : I saw the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) performing ablution in like manner. He (the Prophet) said: He who performs ablution less than this, it is sufficient for him. 73 The narrator did not mention prayer (in this version).

I did not offer prayer behind anyone more brief than the one offered by the Messenger of Allah(may peace be upon him) and that was perfect. When the Messenger of Allah(may peace be upon him) said: “Allah listens to him who praises Him,” he stood long we thought that he had omitted something; then he say takbir(Allah is most great) and prostrate, and would sit between the two prostrations so long that we thought that he had omitted something.

A man used to pray on the roof of his house. When he recited the verse “Is not He able to bring the dead to life?” [Surah al-Qiyamah:42] he would say: ”Glory be to You, then, why not?” They asked him about it, and he replied: "I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him)".

Abu Dawud said : Ahmad (b. Hanbal) said: It is pleasing to me that one should recite in the obligatory prayer those supplications which have occurred in the Quran.

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.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) recited the supplication in the night prayer for a month. He said (in his supplication): O Allah, rescue al-Walid b. al-Walid, rescue Salamah b. Hisham, rescue the weak believers; O Allah, trample severely on Mudar; O Allah, cause them a famine like that of Joseph. Abu Hurairah said: One morning the Messenger of Allah (saws) id not make supplication for them. So I told him about it. He said: You dod not see that they have come (back).

"One day when he-the Prophet (SAW)- was still among us, he took a nap, then he raised his head, smiling. We said to him: 'Why are you smiling, O Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'Just now this Surah was revealed to me: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Verily, We have granted you (O Muahmmad) Al-Kawthar. Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only). For he who hates you, he will be cut off.' Then he said: 'Do you know what Al-Kawthar is?' We said: 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said: 'It is a river that my Lord has promised me in Paradise. Its vessels are more than the number of the stars. My Ummah will come to me, then a man among them will be pulled away and I will say: "O Lord, he is one of my Ummah" and He will say to me: 'You do not know what he did after you were gone."

"I heard Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, say: 'I heard Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam reciting Surat Al-Furqan, in a way that I had not been taught, and the Messenger of Allah (SAW) had taught me. I was about to interrupt him (in his prayer), but I left him alone until he had finished. Then I grabbed him by his garment and brought him to the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I heard this man reciting Surat Al-Furqan in a way that you did not teach me.' The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said to him: 'Recite.' So he recited it in the way that I had heard him recite. Then the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: 'It was revealed like this.' Then he said to me: 'Recite.' So I recited it and he said: 'It was revealed like this. This Quran has been revealed in seven different modes, so recite as much of the Quran as may be easy for you.'"

"We used not to know what we should say in each rak'ah apart from glorifying, magnifying and praising our Lord. But Muhammad (SAW) taught us everything about what is good. He said: "When you sit following every two rak'ahs, then say: At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibat, as-salamu 'alaika ayyuhan-Nabiyyu wa rahmatAllahi wa baraktuhu. As-salamu 'alaina wa 'ala 'ibad illahis-salihin, ashahdu an la illaha ill-Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluhu (Allah compliments, prayers and pure words are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah (SWT) and his blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah (SWT). I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger), then choose any supplication that you like and call upon Allah the Mighty and Sublime with it.'"

"We used not to know what to say when we prayed, then the Messenger of Allah (SAW) taught us some eloquent and concise words. He said to us: 'Say: "At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibat, as-salamu 'alaika ayyuhan-Nabiyyu wa rahmatAllahi wa baraktuhu. As-salamu 'alaina wa 'ala 'ibad illahis-salihin, ashahdu an la illaha ill-Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluhu (Allah compliments, prayers and pure words are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah (SWT) and his blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah (SWT). I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger)." (One of the narrators) 'Ubaidullah said: "Zaid bin Hammad said, narrating from Ibrahim, that 'Alqamah said: 'I saw Ibn Mas'ud teaching us these words just as he taught us the Quran."

"When the Messenger of Allah died, and Abu Bakr became the Khalifah after him, and some of the 'Arabs reverted to disbelief. 'umar said to Abu Bakr: 'How can you fight the people when the Messenger of allah said: "I have been commanded to fight the people until they say La ilaha illallah (there is none worthy of worship but Allah). Whoever says La ilaha illah, his wealth and his life safe from me, unless he deserves a legal punishment justly, and his reckoning will be with Allah?"' Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 'I will fight anyone who separates prayer and Zakah; Zakah is the compulsory right to be taken from wealth. By Allah, if they withhold from me a rope that they used to give to the Messenger of Allah, I will fight them for wiholding it.' 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 'By Allah, it was as if I saw that Allah has opened the heart of Abu Bakr for fighting, and I knew that I was the truth."'

That he heard Talhah bin 'Ubaidullah say: "A man from Najd with unkempt hair came to the Messenger of Allah [SAW]; he was speaking loudly but his speech could not be understood until he came close. He was asking about Islam. The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'Five prayers every day and night.' He said: 'Do I have to do any more than that? He said: 'No, not unless you do it voluntarily.' The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'Fasting the month of Ramadan.' He said: 'Do I have to do any more than that?' He said: 'No, not unless you do it voluntarily.' Then the Messenger of Allah [SAW] told him about Zakah. He said: 'Do I have to do any more than that?' He said: 'No, not unless you do it voluntarily.' The man left saying, 'I will not do any more than that or any less.' The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'He will succeed, if he is telling the truth.'"

"A man from the people of Najd came to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) with unkempt hair. We could hear him talking loudly but we could not understand what he was saying until he came closer. He was asking about Islam. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to him: 'Five prayers each day and night.' He said: 'Do I have to do anything else' He said: 'No, unless you do it voluntarily.' He said: 'And fasting the month of Ramadan.' He said: 'Do I have to do anything else?' He said: 'No, unless you do it voluntarily.' And the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) mentioned Zakah to him, and he said: 'Do I have to do anything else?' He said: 'No, unless you do it voluntarily.' The man left saying: 'By Allah, I will not do any more than this or any less.' The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: 'He will achieve salvation, if he is speaking the truth.'"

"The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: This is 'Jibril, peace be upon you, he came to teach you your religion. He prayed Subh when the dawn appeared, and he prayed Zuhr when the sun had (passed its zenith), and he prayed 'Asr when he saw that the shadow of a thing was equal to its height, then he prayed Maghrib when the sub had set and it is permissible for the fasting person to eat. Then he prayed 'Isha' when the twilight had disappeared. Then he came to him the following day and prayed Subh when it had got a little lighter, then he prayed Zuhr when the shadow of a thing was equal to its height, then he prayed 'Asr when the shadow of a thing was equal to twice its height, then he prayed Maghrib at the same time as before, then he prayed 'Isha' when a short period of the night had passed. Then he said: 'The prayer is between the times when you prayed yesterday and the times when you prayed today.'"

“The most beloved fast to Allah is the fast of Dawud, for he used to fast one day and not the next. And the most beloved of prayer to Allah is the prayer of Dawud; he used to sleep half of the night, pray one-third of the night and sleep one-sixth of the night.”

“The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: ‘There are three whose prayer are not accepted: A man who leads people while they do not like him; a man who does not come to prayer until its end – meaning after its time has expired – and one who enslaves a freed person.’”

“I heard ‘Umar bin Khattab say: ‘The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: ‘Whoever sleeps and misses his daily portion of Qur’an, or any part of it, let him read it between the Fajr prayer and the Zuhr prayer, and it will be recorded as if he had read it during the night.”

In the Pre-Islamic Period of Ignorance, I used to think that people who used to worship idols, were deviated and did not adhere to the true religion. Then I heard of a man in Makkah who was preaching a message. So I mounted my camel and went to him. I found that (this man who was) Messenger of Allah (PBUH) remained hidden because of the persecution by his people. I had entered Makkah stealthily and when I met him I asked him, "Who are you?" He (PBUH) said, "I am a Prophet." I asked; "What is a Prophet?" He said, "Allah has sent me (with a message)". I asked, "With what has He sent you?" He said, "He sent me to strengthen the ties of kinship, to destroy idols so that Allah alone should be worshipped and nothing should be associated with Him". I asked, "Who has followed you in this?" He said, "A freeman and a slave". (At that time only Abu Bakr and Bilal (May Allah be pleased with her) were with him). I said, "I shall follow you". He said, "You can not do that now. Do you not see my situation and that of the people? Go to your people, and when you hear that my cause has prevailed, come to me". So I went back to my people, and while I was with my people, Messenger of Allah (PBUH) emigrated to Al-Madinah. I continued to ask people about him till some of my people visited Al- Madinah. On their return, I asked them, "How is that man who has arrived in Al-Madinah faring?" They said, "People are hastening to him. His own people had planned to kill him but did not succeed." Then I went to Al-Madinah and came to him and said, "O Messenger of Allah, do you recognize me?" He (PBUH) said, "Yes, you are the one who met me in Makkah." I said, "O Messenger of Allah, tell me of that which Allah has taught you and of which I am unaware. Tell me about Salat first." He (PBUH) replied, "Perform the Fajr (morning) Salat, then stop Salat until the sun has risen up to the height of a lance, for when it rises, it rises up between the horns of the devil, and the infidels prostrate themselves before it at that time. Then perform Salat, for Salat is witnessed and angels attend it, until the shadow becomes equal to the length of its object; then stop Salat, for at that time Jahannam (Hell) is heated up. Then pray when the shadow becomes longer, for the prayer is witnessed and angels attend it, until you perform 'Asr prayer; then stop Salat till sun sets, for it sets between the horns of a devil. At that time the infidels prostrate themselves before it." I then asked the Messenger of Allah to tell me about Wudu', and he (PBUH) said, "When a person begins the Wudu' and washes his mouth and nose, the sins committed by his face, mouth and nostrils are washed out. Then when he washes his face as commanded by Allah, the sins of his face are washed out with the water from the sides of his beard. Then when he washes his hands up to elbows, the sins of his hands are washed out through his fingers with water. Then he passes his wet hands over his head and the sins of the head are washed out through the ends of his hair with water. Then he washes his feet up to the ankles, the sins of his feet are washed out through his toes with water. Then, if he stands up for Salat and praises Allah, glorifies Him, proclaims His Greatness as He deserves and devotes his heart wholly to Allah, he emerges sin free as the day he was born".

When 'Amr bin 'Abasah (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated this Hadith to Abu Umamah (May Allah be pleased with him) a Companion of the Prophet (PBUH), the latter said to him, "Watch what you are saying. O 'Amr bin 'Abasah, a man will be getting all of this in one shot?" 'Amr (May Allah be pleased with him) replied, "O Abu Umamah, I have attained old age, my bones have become dry, my death is approaching and there is no need for me to tell lies concerning Allah and His Messenger (PBUH). Had I not heard this from the Messenger of Allah only once, twice, thrice (and he counted up to seven) I would never have reported it. Indeed I have heard this frequently".

[Muslim].

Yahya related to me from Malik that Yahya ibn Said said, "I have heard that by his good character a man can reach the degree of the one who stands in prayer at night and the one who is thirsty from fasting in the heat of the day."

"The Salat of Allah's Messenger (was such that) when he bowed, and when he raised his head from bowing, and when he prostrated, and when he raised his head from prostration it (all) was nearly the same."

"Allah's Messenger used to mingle with us such that he said to my younger brother: 'O Abu Umair! What did the Nughair do?'" He (Anas) said: "A Bisat of ours would be sprinkled (with water) to perform Salat on."

"The night prayer of Allah's Messenger was thirteen Rak'ah, five of which were his Witr, not sitting in any of them except at the end of them. When the Mu'adh-dhin called the Adhan he would stand to perform two light (Rak'ah)."

"I saw the Prophet, after the Iqamah was called for Salat, talking to a man who was standing between him and the Qiblah, he did not stop talking, and I saw some of them getting sleepy from his lengthy standing the Prophet."

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "If a Muslim dies and forty people, who do not associate anything with Allah in worship, participate in the funeral prayer over him, Allah will accept their intercession for him."

[Muslim].

I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) as saying, "The Satan has despaired of being worshipped by those who engage in prayer in the Arabian Peninsula but (has not lost hope) in creating dissension among them."

[Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "When anyone of you has performed two of Sunnah before the Fajr prayer, he should lie down on his right side."

[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].

I heard `Ali bin Abi Talib (رضي الله عنه) say: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to offer nafl prayers at night when `A`ishah (رضي الله عنها) was lying between him and the qiblah.

`They distracted us from the middle prayer until the sunset. May Allah fill their bellies and their houses with fire.”

Anas b. Malik al-Ka‘bi reported God’s messenger as saying, “God has remitted half the prayer to the traveller, and fasting to the traveller, the woman who is suckling an infant and the woman who is pregnant.” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Salman said that he heard God’s Messenger say, “He who goes out early to Morning Prayer goes out with the standard of faith, but he who goes out early to the market goes out with the standard of Iblis.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Jabir said that he heard the Prophet say, “When the devil hears the summons to prayer he goes off till he is as far away as ar-Rauha’.” The transmitter said that ar-Rauha’ is thirty-six miles from Medina. Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Arqam said he heard God’s Messenger say, “When the time for prayer comes and one of you needs to relieve himself, he should do that first.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Malik, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted something similar.

Umm Habiba said she heard God’s Messenger say, “If anyone keeps on praying four rak'as before and four after the noon prayer, God will forbid that he be sent to hell.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa'i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you prays the two rak'as of the dawn prayer, he should lie down on his right side.”* * Cf. the third tradition in section 1 of this chapter. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Should anyone fall asleep and fail to recite his portion of the Qur’an or a part of it, if he recites it between the dawn and the noon prayer it will be recorded for him as though he had recited it during the night.” Muslim transmitted it.

"I had a case of blood flow that was severe and excessive. So I went to the Prophet to inform him and ask him about it. I found him in the house of my sister Zainab bint Jahsh. I said, 'O Messenger of Allah! I suffer from a case of severe and excessive blood flow. So what do you order me to do for it, and does this prevent me from fasting and performing Salat?' He said: 'Tie a cotton rag around yourself and the bIood will go away.' I said, 'It is more than that.' He said: 'Make it tight.' I said, 'It is more than that.' He said: 'Then use a cloth (to bind it).' I said, it is more than that. It flows too much.' So the Prophet said: 'I will order you to do one of two things, which ever of them you do, it will be acceptable for you. You should know which of them you are able to do.' Then he said: 'This is only a blow from Shaitan. Menstruate for six or seven days, which Allah knows, then perform Ghusl. When you see that you have become pure and clean, then perform Salat for twenty-three or twenty-four nights and their days. Perform Salat and fast, and that will be acceptable for you. So do this (if you can) just as (other) women who menstruate and become pure during their periods of menstruation and purity. If (not, and) you are able to delay Zuhr and hasten Asr then perform Ghusl when you have become pure, and pray Zuhr and Asr together. Then delay Maghrib and hasten Isha, then perform Ghusl and combine the two prayers. So do this (if you are able). Then perform Ghusl with the dawn and pray. Do this, and fast if you are able to do so.' Then Allah's Messenger said: 'That is what is preferable to me of the two.'"