When we were in Al-Madinah, the moment the Mu'adhdhin finished the Adhan of the Maghrib prayer, the people hastened to the pillars of the mosque and performed two Rak'ah prayer behind them. A stranger coming into the mosque would think that the obligatory prayer had already been performed because of the number of people performing them.

[Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The person who will receive the highest reward for Salat (prayer) is the one who comes to perform it in the mosque from the farthest distance. And he who waits for Salat to perform it with the Imam (in congregation) will have a greater reward than the one who observes it alone and then goes to sleep."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

I cannot count how often I heard God’s Messenger reciting in the two rak'as after the sunset prayer and in the two rak'as before the dawn prayer, “Say, O unbelievers,” and “Say, He is God, one God.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted it on Abu Huraira’s authority, but he did not mention “after the sunset prayer.”

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you is served with his supper and the time for prayer comes, he should first have his supper and not hasten till he has finished it.” When Ibn ‘Umar’s food was served and the time for prayer came, he did not go to the prayer till he finished it; and he could hear the imam’s recitation. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

the sunset prayer after the sun had set; the night prayer between the ending of the twilight and the passing of a third of the night (adding three times “if one lies down to sleep may his eye not sleep”); and the morning prayer when the stars were still visible and out in abundance. Malik transmitted it.

the Prophet said: "I was about to order my boys to collect bundles of firewood, then order Salat to be held, then burn (the homes) of the people who did not attend the Salat."

Umm Salama said, “God’s Messenger observed the noon prayer much earlier than you, but you observe the afternoon prayer much earlier than he.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Bakra said, “I went out with the Prophet to the Morning Prayer, and he called every man he passed to prayer, or shook him with his foot.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

I went to inform the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) about the time of the dawn (Fajr) prayer, and 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) kept me busy and began to ask me about something till the day grew bright. Then I got up and informed the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) of the time of Salat. I informed him again but he did not came out immediately to lead As- Salat. When he came out, he led As-Salat. I said to him: 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) kept me busy and thus diverted my attention by asking about something and the morning grew bright. You also came out late. Upon that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "I was engaged in performing two Rak'ah of Fajr prayer." Bilal (May Allah be pleased with him)said: "O Messenger of Allah! You delayed As-Salat so long as the morning grew bright." He (PBUH) replied, "Even if the morning had become brighter than it had, I would have performed two Rak'ah of prayer in an excellent manner."

[Abu Dawud].

that the Prophet (SAW) said: "Order Abu Bakr to lead the people in Salat." 'Aishah said: "O Messenger of Allah! If Abu Bakr takes your place, the people will not be able to hear due to his crying, so order 'Umar to lead the people in Salat." She said: "So he said: 'Order Abu Bakr to lead the people in Salat.'" 'Aishah said: "So I said to Hafsah: 'Tell him that if Abu Bakr takes your place, then the people will not be able to hear due to his crying, so order 'Umar to lead the people in Salat.'" Upon this Hafsah did it. So the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: "Indeed you are but like the companions of Yusuf! Order Abu Bakr to lead the people in Salat." So Hafsah said to 'Aishah: "I never received any good from you."

My father used to say at the end of the prayer, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee from infidelity, poverty and the punishment in the grave.” I used to say these words also, so he asked me, “From whom did you get this, sonny?” When I told him that I had got it from him, he said that God’s messenger used to say these words at the end of the prayer. Nasa'i and Tirmidhi transmitted it, but the latter did not mention "at the end of the prayer." Ahmad transmitted the wording of the tradition, but he had, "at the end of every prayer."

The Prophet (PBUH) used to offer eleven Rak'ah of optional Salat (prayers) in the latter part of night. When it was about dawn, he would offer two short Rak'ah and then would lie down on his right side till the Mu'adhdhin (one who calls for prayer) would come to inform him that the congregation had gathered (for prayer).

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

"Fatimah bint Abi-Hubaish came to the Prophet and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! I am a woman who suffers from persistent bleeding and I do not become clean. Shall I give up Salat?' He said: 'No. That is only a bIood vessel, it is not menstruation. When your menstruation begins then leave the Salat. And when it ends, then wash the blood from you and perform Salat."

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, I sometimes thought of giving orders for firewood to be collected, then for proclaiming the Adhan for Salat. Then I would appoint an Imam to lead Salat, and then go to the houses of those who do not come to perform Salat in congregation, and set fire to their houses on them."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Bilal said, “God’s Messenger told me not to make the call to prayer twice for any of the prayers but the dawn prayer.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said that Abu Isra’il the transmitter is not considered by traditionists to be strong.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar, when questioned about forgetfulness in the prayer, said, "If you think that you have forgotten part of the prayer, then pray it."

The Prophet (S) said: "Salat in the night is two by two. So when you fear the dawn (is near) then make it odd by one, and make that the last of your Salat odd."

I used to perform prayer with the Prophet (PBUH) and his Salat was of a moderate length and his Khutbah too was moderate in length.

[Muslim].

Jabir b. Samura said that the. Prophet used to recite at the dawn prayer, "Qaf. By the glorious Qur'an"* and a passage of similar length, and his prayer afterwards was shortened. *Al-Qur’an; 50. Muslim transmitted it.

"The Messenger of Allah said to me: 'O my son! Beware of looking around during the Salat, for indeed looking around during Salat is destruction. If you must do so, then in the voluntary (prayers), not in the obligatory (prayers).'" (Da'if)

"Ibn Abbas was asked about a man who fasted during the day and stood (in prayers) during the night, but he did not attend the Friday prayer nor congregational prayer. He replied: 'He is in the Fire.'"

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "When one of you gets up at night to perform (Tahajjud) prayer, let him start Salat with two short Rak'ah."

[Muslim].

Yahya related to me that Malik said, "The sunna concerning the time of prayer on the ids of Fitr and Adha - and there is no disagreement amongst us about it - is that the imam leaves his house and as soon as he has reached the place of prayer the prayer falls due."

Yahya said that Malik was asked whether a man who prayed with the imam could leave before the khutba, and he said, "He should not leave until the imam leaves."

Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Should I not direct you to something by which Allah obliterates the sins and elevates (your) ranks." They said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah". He said, "Performing Wudu' properly, even in difficulty, frequently going to the mosque, and waiting eagerly for the next Salat (prayer) after a Salat is over; indeed, that is Ar- Ribat".

[Muslim].

God’s Messenger asked me, “How will you act when you are under rulers who make prayer a dead thing, or delay it beyond its proper time?” When I asked what he commanded me to do he replied, “Observe the prayer at its proper time, and if you can say it along with them do so, for it will be a supererogatory prayer for you.” Muslim transmitted it.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Da'ud ibn al-Husayn that Ibn Yarbu al-Makhzumi said, "I heard Zayd ibn Thabit say, 'The middle prayer is the prayer of dhuhr.' "

Allah's Messenger (S) said: "When he commits Hadath - meaning a man - and he is sitting in the end of his Salat before saying the Taslim, then his Salat is acceptable."

If the Prophet (PBUH) could not perform four Rak'ah before Zuhr prayer, he would perform them after it (i.e., after the obligatory prayer).

[At-Tirmidhi].

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Salat in congregation is twenty-seven times more meritorious than a Salat performed individually."

[Al- Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not offer any prayer after which (nafl) prayer may be offered, but he prayed two rak`ahs after it.

Masruq and I visited 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) and said: "O Mother of the Believers! There are two Companions of Muhammad (PBUH) and neither of them holds back from doing good acts; but one of them hastens to break Saum (fasting) and hastens to perform the Maghrib prayer, while the other delays breaking Saum and delays performing Salat (prayer)." She asked, "Who is the one who hastens to break Saum and perform the Maghrib prayer?" Masruq said, "It is 'Abdullah (meaning 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud)." She said, "The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to do so."

[Muslim].

Malik b. al-Huwairith used to come to our place of prayer and tell us traditions, and one day when the time for prayer came we told him to go forward and lead the prayer, but he said to us: Put one of your own men forward to lead you in prayer, and I shall tell you why I am unwilling to do so. I heard God’s Messenger say, "If anyone visits people he must not act as their imam, but one of their men must do so.” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it, but Nasa’i gave only the Prophet's words.

I was told that God’s Messenger had said, “Prayer engaged in by a man while sitting counts as half the prayer,” so I went to him and I found him praying while sitting, and I put my hand on his head. He said, “What is the matter with you, ‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr? ’’ I replied, “I have been told, Messenger of God, that you said that prayer engaged in by a man while sitting counts as half the prayer, yet you yourself are praying while sitting.” He said, “Yes, but I am not like one of you.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said, “When travelling I prayed along with the Prophet two rak'as at the noon prayer and two after it.” In a version he said, “I prayed with the Prophet both when resident and when travelling. When resident I prayed along with him four rak'as at the noon prayer and two after it, and when travelling two at it and two after it; two rak'as at the afternoon prayer after which he prayed no more; and both when resident and travelling alike three rak'as at the sunset prayer, in which he never prayed less whether resident or travelling, this being the witr of the daytime. After it he prayed two rak'as.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam that Amr ibn Rafi said, "I was writing a Qur'an for Hafsa, umm al-muminin, and she said, 'When you reach this ayat, let me know, "Guard the prayers carefully and the middle prayer and stand obedient to Allah." When I reached it I told her and she dictated to me, 'Guard the prayers carefully and the middle prayer and the asr prayer and stand obedient to Allah.' "

Abdullah bin Mas'ud said: "Shall I not demonstrate the Salat of Allah's Messenger to you?" Then he offered Salat and he did not raise his hands except while saying the first Takbir."

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to perform two short Rak'ah prayer when it was dawn and the Mu'adhdhin had called Adhan (for the Fajr prayer).

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Keep your rows straight (during Salat in congregation), for keeping the rows straight is part of the perfection of Salat."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying: "Do not offer Salat (prayer) facing the graves and do not sit on them."

[Muslim].

`The last words of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) were: “Prayer, prayer! And fear Allah with regard to what your right hands possess, [i.e.female slaves].`

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “The most excellent fast after Ramadan is in God’s month al-Muharram, and the most excellent prayer after what is prescribed is prayer during the night." Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir reported God’s Messenger as saying, “What lies between a man and infidelity is the abandonment of prayer.”* *This means that when a man does not make it his practice to observe the prayer he is no longer a Muslim. Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Sonny, avoid turning to the side when you are engaged in prayer, for turning to the side produces destruction. If you must do it, do it in the voluntary, but not in the obligatory prayer.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Yahya related to me from Malik that al-Ala ibn Abd ar-Rahman said, "We visited Anas ibn Malik after dhuhr and he stood up and prayed asr. When he had finished his prayer, we mentioned doing prayers early in their time, or he mentioned it, and he said that he had heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, the prayer of the hypocrites, the prayer of the hypocrites, the prayer of the hypocrites is that one of them sits until the sun becomes yellow and is between the horns of Shaytan, or on the horn of Shaytan, and then gets up and rattles off four rakas, hardly remembering Allah in them at all.' "

Yahya related to me from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father that al- Miswar ibn Makhrama told him that he had visited Umar ibn al Khattab on the night he was stabbed and had woken him up for the subh prayer and Umar had said, ''Yes. Whoever stops doing the prayer will get nothing from Islam," and he did the prayer with blood pouring from his wound.

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Were people to know the blessing of pronouncing Adhan and the standing in the first row, they would even draw lots to secure these privileges. And were they to realize the reward of performing Salat early, they would race for it; and were they to know the merits of Salat after nightfall ('Isha') and the dawn (Fajr) Salat, they would come to them even if they had to crawl."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led us in prayer. He left then he came back, and his head was dripping with water, and he led us in prayer. Then he said: `I led you in prayer just now when I was junub. Whoever is in the state I was in or hears a sound in his stomach, let him do what I did.`

Ibn ‘Umar said that when the Muslims came to Medina they gathered and sought to know the time of prayer, but no one summoned them. One day they discussed the matter, and one of them said, “Use something like the bell of the Christians." Another said, “Use a horn like that of the Jews." But when ‘Umar said, “I suggest that you send a man to announce the prayer," God’s Messenger said, “Get up, Bilal, and summon to prayer." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Yahya related to me from Malik that Ibn Shihab used to say, "Some one who catches a raka of the jumua prayer should pray another one with it." Ibn Shihab said, "That is the sunna."

Malik said, "I saw the people of knowledge in our city doing that. That is because the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Whoever catches a raka of the prayer has caught the prayer.' "

Malik said, concerning some one who was in a crowd on the day of jumua and did the ruku but was not able to go into sajda until the imam had risen or finished his prayer, "If he is able to do the sajda and has already done the ruku then he should do the sajda when the people stand up. If he is unable to do thesajda until after the imam has finished the prayer, then I prefer that he begins the prayeragain and does the four rakas of dhuhr."

"Allah's Messenger entered the Masjid, and a man entered and offered Salat. Then he came to give Salam to the Propet. He returned the Salam to him and said: 'Go back and perform Salat, for indeed you have not prayed.' So the man returned to pray as he had prayed. Then he came to give Salam to the Prophet. He returned Salam to him, then [Allah's Messenger] said: 'Go back and perform Salat, for indeed you have not prayed' until he had done that three times. So the man said to him: 'By the One who sent you with the Truth, I do not know any better than this, so teach me.' So he said [to him]: 'When you stand for Salat then say the Takbir, then recite what is easy for you of the Quran. Then bow until you are at rest while bowing, then rise up until you are at rest sitting. Do that in all of your Salat.'"