My friend (the Messenger of Allah) (PBUH) directed me to observe fast for three days in every month, to perform two Rak'ah (optional) Duha prayer at forenoon and to perform the Witr prayer before going to bed.

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, "A house will be built in Jannah for every Muslim who offers twelve Rak'ah of optional Salat other than the obligatory Salat in a day and a night (to seek the Pleasure of Allah)."

[Muslim].

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “When any of you hears the summons to prayer while he has a vessel in his hand he should not lay it down till he finishes his drink.”* *This is interpreted as referring to the dawn prayer during Ramadan. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Ali b. al-Husain told in mursal form that God’s Messenger said the takbir in prayer as often as he got down1 and got up2 and that this continued to be his method in prayer till he met God. 1. i.e. for bowing or prostration. 2. i.e. after prostration. Malik transmitted it.

Abu Qatada reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The one who commits the worst theft is he who steals from his prayer.” When asked how one could steal from his prayer he replied, “By not performing his bowing and his prostration perfectly.” Ahmad transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you breaks wind when he has sat at the end of his prayer before giving the salutation, his prayer is valid.” Tirmidhi transmitted it saying that this is a tradition whose isnad is not strong, and there is confusion about its isnad.

‘Ali reported God’s Messenger as saying at the battle of the Trench,² "They have restrained us from the middle prayer,³ the afternoon prayer. God fill their houses and their graves with fire!” 2. The siege of Medina by Quraish in 5 A.H. 3. Cf. (Al-Qur’an, 2:238.) (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Yahya related to me from Malik that Ibn Shihab used to say, "When a man catches the raka he says, 'Allah is greater' once, and that takbir is enough for him."

Malik added, "That is if he intended to begin the prayer by that takbir "

Malik was asked about a man who began with the imam but forgot the opening takbir and the takbir of the ruku until he had done one raka. Then he remembered that he had not said the takbir at the opening nor in the ruku,so he said the takbir in the second raka. He said, "I prefer that he start his prayer again, but if he forgets the opening takbir with the imam and says the takbir in the first ruku, I consider that enough for him if he intends by it the opening takbir."

Malik said, about some one who prayed by himself and forgot the opening takbir, "He begins his prayer afresh ."

Malik said, about an imam who forgot the opening takbir until he had finished his prayer, "I think that he should do the prayer again, and those behind him, even if they have said the takbir."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam from his father that Umar ibn al-Khattab prayed two rakas with the people of Makka, and then, when he had finished, he said, "People of Makka, complete your prayer, becausewe are a group of travellers." Later, Umar prayed two rakas with them at Mina, but we have not heard that he said anything to them on that occasion.

Malik was asked whether the people of Makka should pray two rakas at Arafa or four, and whether the amir of the hajj, if he was a Makkan, should pray dhuhr and asr with four rakas or two, and also how the people of Makka who were living (at Mina) should pray, and he said, "The people of Makka should pray only two rakas at Arafa and Mina for as long as they stay there, and should shorten the prayer until they return to Makka. The amir of the hajj, if he is a Makkan, should also shorten the prayer at Arafa and during the days of Mina. Anyone who is living at Mina as a resident should do the full prayer at Mina, and similarly anyone who lives at Arafa and is a resident there should do the full prayer at Arafa."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from a man of the family of Khalid ibn Asid that he said to Abdullah ibn Umar, "Abu Abd ar-Rahman, we find the fear prayer and the prayer when settled mentioned in the Qur'an, but we do not find any mention of the travelling prayer in it." Ibn Umar said, "Son of my brother! Allah the Mighty and Majestic sent us Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and we know nothing. We only do as we saw him doing."

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) heard some one supplicating after his prayer without praising Allah and without supplicating Allah for the Prophet (PBUH). With regard to him, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "This man rushed." Then he called him and said, "When any one of you have performed Salat (prayer) and wants to supplicate, let him praise Allah first then glorify Him in the beginning and then he should supplicate Allah for me. Then he may supplicate for whatever he likes."

[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].

We used to greet the Prophet while he was engaged in prayer and he would respond to our greeting, but when we returned from the Negus* we greeted him and he did not respond to us, so we said, “Messenger of God, we used to greet you when you were engaged in prayer and you would respond to us.” He replied, “Prayer demands one’s whole attention.” * The reference is to the return of those who had gone from Mecca to Abyssinia when Muslims were being persecuted. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Ata’ said that when Ibn ‘Umar prayed the Friday noon prayer in Mecca he would go forward and pray two rak'as, then go forward and pray four; but when he was in Medina he prayed the Friday noon prayer, then returned to his house and prayed two rak'as, not praying them in the mosque. Someone mentioned this to him and he replied that God’s Messenger used to do it. Abu Dawud transmitted it. In Tirmidhi’s version he said, “I saw Ibn ‘Umar pray two rak'as after the Friday noon prayer, then he prayed four after that.”

One day God's messenger led us in the dawn prayer, and mounting the pulpit addressed us till the time for the noon prayer came. He then descended and prayed, after which he mounted the pulpit and addressed us till the time for the afternoon prayer came. He then descended and prayed, after which he mounted the pulpit till the sun set. He informed us of what is to happen up to the day of resurrection, and the one of us who knows most is the one who committed most to memory. Muslim transmitted it.

Allah's Messenger said: "When one of you is sleepy and he is performing Salat, then let him lie down until the sleep is gone from him. For when one of you performs Salat while he is sleepy, perhaps he wants to seek forgiveness but he curses himself."

My friend (the Messenger of Allah) (PBUH) directed me to observe Saum (fasting) for three days in every month, to perform two Rak'ah (optional) Duha prayer at forenoon, and to perform the Witr prayer before going to bed.

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

‘A’isha said that the prayer was prescribed as consisting of two rak'as, and after God's Messenger emigrated it was prescribed as four, but prayer while travelling was left according to the original prescription. Zuhri said he asked ‘Urwa why ‘A’isha said prayers in the complete form and he replied that she interpreted the matter herself as ‘Uthman did. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Said ibn al- Musayyab from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Prayer in congregation is better than the prayer of one of you on his own by twenty-five parts."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Salim ibn Abdullah from his father that Umar ibn al-Khattab, when he went to Makka, used to lead them in prayer and do two rakas and then say, "People of Makka,complete the prayer, we are a group travelling."

Allah's Messenger said: "Shall I tell you that for which Allah will wipe out your sins, and raise your ranks?" They said, "Of course Allah's Messenger!" He said: "Performing Wudu well in difficulty, and taking many steps to the Masajid, and waiting for Salat after Salat, That is the Ribat."

"For six months, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) would pass by the door of Fatimah when going to the Fajr prayer saying: 'As-Salat O People of the house! Allah only wishes to remove the Rijs from you, O members of the family, and to purify you with thorough purification (33:33).'"

Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "I stand up to lead Salat with the intention of prolonging it. Then I hear the crying of an infant and I shorten the Salat lest I should make it burdensome for his mother".

[Al-Bukhari].

We took Suhur (predawn meal) with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and then we stood up for (Fajr) Salat (prayer). It was asked: "How long was the gap between the two?" He replied: "The time required for the recitation of fifty Ayat."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Mu'adha al-‘Adawiya said that when she asked ‘A'isha why one who has been menstruating must make up for her fast but not for her prayer, she replied, “That happened to us, and we were ordered to make up for the fast, but were not ordered to make up for the prayer.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If any one hears him who makes the call to prayer and is not prevented from joining the congregation by any excuse,” (he was asked what an excuse consisted of and replied that it was fear or illness), “the prayer he says will not be accepted from him.” Abu Dawud and Daraqutni transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If any of you prays after the Friday noon prayer, he should pray four rak'as.” Muslim transmitted it. In another version by him he said, “When any of you prays the Friday noon prayer, he should pray four rak'as after it.”

Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam from al-Qaqa ibn Hakim that Abu Yunus, the mawla of A'isha, umm al-muminin said, ''A'isha ordered me to write out a Qur'an for her. 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.' A'isha said, 'I heard it from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.' "

Yahya related to me from Malik from Umar ibn Muhammad ibn Zayd from Salim ibn Abdullah that Abdullah ibn Umar used to say, "If you are uncertain in the prayer, estimate what you think you have forgotten of the prayer and repeat it, then do the two sajdas of forgetfulness from the sitting position."

Yahya related to me that Malik had seen that the people of knowledge used to like to pay the zakat al-fitr after dawn had broken on the day of the Fitr before they went to the place of prayer.

Malik said, "There is leeway in this, if Allah wills, in that it can be paid either before setting out (for the prayer) on the day of Fitr or afterwards."

that the Prophet (SAW) was brought the body of a deceased man, to perform Salat for him, but he did not pray over him. It was said: "O Messenger of Allah! We have not seen you avoiding prayer over anyone before this?" He said: "He used to hate 'Uthman, so Allah hates him."

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to perform four Rak'ah prayer after the declining of the sun before Zuhr prayer and would say, "This is an hour at which the gates of heaven are opened, and I like that my good deeds should rise to heaven at that time."

[At- Tirmidhi].

`Ali (رضي الله عنه) came out to us when the mu`adhdhin gave the call to Fajr prayer and said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has enjoined us to pray Witr and this is the time for it. Then he said: Give the iqamah for prayer, O Ibnun-Nawwahah.

I heard `Ali (رضي الله عنه) say: On the day of al-Ahzab, we prayed ‘Asr between Maghrib and `Isha`. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: `They distracted us from the middle prayer, ‘Asr, prayer, may Allah fill their graves and stomachs with fire.`

a man who gives God and his patron their due, a man who leads people in prayer to their satisfaction, and a man who summons people to the five times of prayer every day and night.” Tirmidhi transmitted it and said that it is a gharib tradition.

Abu Musa reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The one who will receive the greatest reward for prayer is he who lives farthest away, and he who has farthest to walk and he who waits for the prayer to observe it with the imam will have a greater reward than the one who observes it and then goes to sleep.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas said, “When we were in Medina, the moment the mu’adhdhin made the call to the sunset prayer the people hastened to the pillars of the mosque and prayed two rak'as, with the result that any stranger coming into the mosque would think that the obligatory prayer had been observed owing to the number who were praying them.” Muslim transmitted it.

"The Prophet performed Salat on a Hasir."

"The first to perform Salat was 'Ali."

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "I have seen myself in al-Hijr when Quraish were questioning me about my night journey and asked me about matters connected with Jerusalem regarding which I was not sure. I was worried to an extent I had never experienced before, so God raised it up before me and they did not ask about anything without my informing them. I have seen myself in a company of the prophets, and there was Moses standing in prayer, a spare, strong-limbed man looking like one of the men of Shanu'a. Jesus was there standing in prayer, `Urwa b. Mas'ud ath-Thaqaf being the one who resembles him most closely. Abraham also was there standing in prayer, your companion (meaning himself) being the one who resembles him most closely. When the time for prayer came, I acted as their imam, and when I had finished the prayer, someone said to me, `This, Muhammad, is Malik, the guardian of hell, "so give him a salutation.' I turned round to him, and he gave me a salutation before I had time to salute him." Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn `Umar reported God's messenger as saying, "Your appointed period in relation to that of peoples who have passed away is just the time between the afternoon prayer and sunset. A comparison between you and the Jews and Christians is like a man who employed labourers and said, `Who will work for me till midday for a qirat each?' The Jews worked till midday for a qirat each, and then he said, `Who will work for me from midday till the afternoon prayer for a qirat each?' The Christians worked from midday till the afternoon prayer for a qirat each, and then he said, `Who will work for me from the afternoon prayer till sunset for two qirat each?' I assure you that you are the ones who work from the afternoon prayer till sunset and that you will have the reward twice over. The Jews and Christians were angry and said, `We have done more work and received less pay,' but God most high asked, `Have I wronged you in any respect regarding what was due to you?' When they admitted that He had not, God most high said, `It is my extra favour which I grant to whomsoever I will.'" Bukhari transmitted it.

That the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Whoever drinks Khamr, Salat is not accepted from him for forty days. If he repents, then Allah will accept his repentance. It he returns to it, then Allah will not accept his Salat for forty days. If he repents, then Allah will accept his repentance. If he returns to it, then Allah will not accepts his Salat for forty days. If he repents, then Allah will accept his repentance. If he returns to it a fourth time, Allah will not accept his Salat for forty days, and if he were to repent, Allah would not accept his repentance, and he will be given to drink from the river of Al-Khabal." They said: "O Aby 'Abdur-Rahman! What is the river of Al-Khabal?" He said: "A river of the pus from the inhabitants of the Fire."

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan. Similar to this has been reported from 'Abdullah bin 'Amr and Ibn 'Abbas from the Prophet (saws).

"'Abdullah bin 'Abdullah bin Ubayy came to the Messenger of Allah (SAW) when his father died, and said: 'Give me your shirt to shroud him in and perform the Salat upon him, and seek forgiveness for him.' So he (SAW) gave him his shirt, and said: 'When you are finished then inform me.' So when he wanted to perform the Salat, 'Umar tugged at him and said: 'Has not Allah prohibited that you perform Salat over the hypocrites?' He said: 'I have been given the choice between two: 'Whether you seek forgiveness for them or you do not seek forgiveness for them.... (9:80)' So he performed the Salat for him. Then Allah revealed: 'And never pray for any of them who dies, nor stand at his grave... (9:84)' So he abandoned praying for them."

"While the Messenger of Allah (SAW) was returning from Khaibar he traveled during the night until he became sleepy and he sat down to rest. Then he said: 'O Bilal! Stand guard for us for the night.'" He said: 'So Bilal performed Salat, then he leaned against his mount facing the direction of (dawn awaiting) Fajr. His eyes overcame him until he slept, and not one of them awoke. The first of them to awaken was the Prophet (SAW) who said: 'O Bilal!' Bilal said: 'May my father be ransomed for you O Messenger of Allah! I was overtaken just as you were overtaken.' So the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: 'Move out!' Then he kneeled to perform Wudu and to announce the standing for the Salat, then he performed Salat the same as he would when not traveling. Then he said: 'And establish the Salat for My rememberance (20:14).'"

When God’s Messenger was seriously ill* and Bilal came to announce the time of prayer for him, he said, “Order Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” So Abu Bakr led the prayer during those days, then when the Prophet experienced some improvement in his condition he got up and came into the mosque swaying between two men with his feet touching the ground. On hearing the sound Abu Bakr began to withdraw, but God’s Messenger signed to him not to do so. He then came and sat at Abu Bakr’s left, and Abu Bakr prayed standing and God’s Messenger prayed sitting, Abu Bakr following God’s Messenger’s prayer, while the people followed Abu Bakr’s. * Here the reference is to the Prophet's last illness. (Bukhari and Muslim.) They both have a version which says that Abu Bakr caused the people to hear the takbir.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone performs ablution, doing it well, then comes to the Friday prayer, listens and keeps silent, his sins between that time and the next Friday will be forgiven him, with three days extra; but he who touches pebbles has caused an interruption (lagha).”* * This refers to little stones which one removes while engaged in salat. While Bukhari, al-'amal fis salat, 8, gives a tradition which allows smoothing the ground once only, this tradition treats the matter as unsuitable. Regarding this tradition Lisan al-'Arab, 22:118, says that lagha means ‘he has spoken', or ‘deviated from what is right,‘ or ‘has been frustrated', adding that the first is the basic meaning. The idea is evidently that the one who makes a sound by removing small stones during the prayer has hindered someone from hearing. Cf. Qur'an, 41:26. Muslim transmitted it.

"A man asked the Messenger of Allah (PBUH): 'O Messenger of Allah, how many prayers has Allah enjoined upon His slaves?' He said: 'Allah has enjoined upon His slaves (five) prayers.' He said: 'O Messenger of Allah, is there anything before them or after them?' He said: 'Allah has enjoined upon His salves (five) prayers.' The man swore that he would not do anything more or less than that. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: 'If he is speaking the truth he will most certainly enter Paradise.'"

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nuaym ibn Abdullah al-Madani al-Mujmir that he heard Abu Hurayra say, "If someone does wudu and does it correctly and then goes off intending to do the prayer, then he is in prayer as long as he intends to do the prayer. A good action is written for every alternate step he makes and a wrong action is erased for the second. When you hear the iqama do not lengthen your stride, and the one who has the greatest reward is the one whose house is farthest away." They said, "Why, Abu Hurayra?" He replied, "Because of the greater number of steps."

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “By Him in whose hand my soul is, I have thought about giving orders for fuel and having it gathered, then giving orders for prayer and having the adhan called for it, then ordering a man to lead the people, then going off to some people (who are not present at the prayer, as it says in a version) and burning down their houses over them. By Him in whose hand my soul is, if one of them knew he would find a fat meaty bone or two fine sheep’s hoofs, he would attend the evening prayer.” Bukhari transmitted it and Muslim has something similar.

Did you not hear God’s Messenger say, “When a man leads the people in prayer he must not stand in a position higher than theirs,” or words to that effect? ‘Ammar replied, “That is why I followed you when you took me by the hand.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

I must tell you how God’s Messenger conducted prayer. He said that he had the iqama announced, drew the men up in line and drew up the youths behind them, then led them in prayer (mentioning how he conducted it), then said, “Thus is the prayer of. . ,”* ‘Abd al-A‘la said: I think he must have said “my people.” * The wording of the tradition is incomplete. ‘Abd al-A‘la who appears at a later stage in the isnad supplies what he considers the missing word must have been. Abu Dawud transmitted it.