" I came to Al-Madinah and entered upon Aishah, may Allah (SWT) be pleased with her. She said: 'Who are you?' I said: 'I am Sa'd bin Hisham bin 'Amir.' She said: 'May Allah have mercy on your father.' I said: 'Tell me about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (SAW).' She said: 'The Messenger of Allah (SAW) did such and such.' I said: 'Yes indeed.' She said: 'The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to pray Isha' at night, then he would go to his bed and sleep. In the middle of the night, he would get up to relieve himself and go to his water for purification and perform wudu. Then he went into the Masjid and prayed eight rak'ahs. I think he made the recitation, bowing and prostration equal in length. Then he prayed one rak'ah of witr, then he prayed two rak'ahs sitting down. Then he lay down on his side. Sometimes Bilal would come and tell him that it was time to pray before he napped, and sometimes he napped. And sometimes I was not sure if he had napped or not before he told him that it was time to pray. This is how the Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to pray until he grew older and gained weight"- and she mentioned whatever Allah (SWT) willed about his gaining weight. She said: "And the Prophet (SAW) used to lead the people in praying witr, then he would go to his bed. In the middle of the night, he would get up and go to water for purification, and to relieve himself, then he would perform wudu. Then he would go into the masjid and pray six rak'ahs, and I think he made the recitation, bowing, and prostration equal in length. Then he prayed one rak'ah of witr, then he prayed two rak'ahs sitting down. Then he lay down on his side. Sometimes Bilal would come and tell him that it was time to pray before he napped, and sometimes he napped. And sometimes I was not sure if he had napped or not before he told him that it was time to pray." She said: "And this is how the Messenger of Allah (SAW) continued to pray."

"We were forbidden in the Quran to ask the Prophet about anything not imperative, so we liked it when a wise man from among the people of the desert came and asked him. A man from among the desert people came and said: 'O Muhammad, your messenger came to us and told us that you say that Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has sent you.' He said: 'He spoke the truth.' He said: 'Who created the heavens?' He said: 'Allah.' He said: 'Who created the Earth?' He said: 'Allah.' He said: 'Who set up the mountains in it?' He said: 'Allah.' He said: 'Who created beneficial things in them?' He said: 'Allah.' He said: 'By the One Who created the heavens and the Earth, and set up the mountains therein, and created beneficial things in them, has Allah sent you?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Your messenger said that we have to offer five prayers each day and night.' He said: 'He spoke the truth.' He said: 'By the One Who sent you, has Allah commanded you to do this?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Your messenger said that we have to pay Zakah on our wealth.' He said: 'He spoke the truth.' He said: 'By the One Who sent you, has Allah commanded you to do this?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Your messenger said that we have to fast the month of Ramadan each year.' He said: 'He spoke the truth.' He said: 'By the One Who sent You, has Allah commanded you to do this?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Your messenger said that we have to perform Hajj, those who can afford it.' He said: 'He spoke the truth.' He said: 'By the One Who sent you, has Allah commanded you to do this?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'By the One Who sent you with the truth, I will not do more than this or less.' When he left, the Prophet said: 'If he is sincere, he will certainly enter paradise.'"

"Umar bin Al-Khattab told me: 'While we were with the Messenger of Allah [SAW] one day, a man appeared before us whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black. We could see no signs of travel on him, but none of us knew him. He came and sat before the Messenger of Allah [SAW], putting his knees against his, and placing his hands on his thighs, then he said: "O Muhammad, tell me about Islam." He said: "It is to bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah [SWT] and that Muhammad [SAW] is the Messenger of Allah, to establish the Salah, to give Zakah, to fast Ramadan, and to perform Hajj to the House if you are able to bear the journey." He said: "You have spoken the truth." And we were amazed by his asking him, and then saying, "You have spoken the truth". Then he said: "Tell me about Faith." He said: "It is to believe in Allah [SWT] , His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and in the Divine Decree, its good and its bad." He said: "You have spoken the truth." He said: "Tell me about Al-Ihsan." He said: "It is to worship Allah [SWT] as if you can see Him, for although you cannot see Him, He can see you." He said: "Tell me about the Hour." He said: "The one who is asked about it does not know more about it than the one who is asking." He said: "Then tell me about its signs." He said: "When a slave woman gives birth to her mistress, when you see the barefoot, naked, destitute shepherds competing in making tall buildings.'" 'Umar said: 'Three (days) passed, then the Messenger of Allah [SAW] said to me: "O 'Umar, do you know who the questioner was?" I said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said: "That was Jibril, peace be upon him, who came to you to teach you your religion."

Allah's Messenger (SAW) said, "A man's prayer offered with another man is purer than his prayer which he offers alone, and his prayer with two men is purer than his prayer with one and if they are more (in number), it is more beloved to Allah, the Mighty the Majestic." [Reported by Abu Dawud and an-Nasa'i. And Ibn Hibban graded it Sahih (authentic)].

"A man came to the Prophet and asked him about the times of the prayer. He said: 'Pray with us for two days.' When the sun passed its zenith he commanded Bilal to call the Adhan, then he commanded him to give the Iqamah for Zuhr; then he commanded him to give the Iqamah for 'Asr when the sun was high and clearly white. Then he commanded him to give the Iqamah for Maghrib when the sun had set; then he commanded him to give the Iqamah for 'Isha' when the red afterglow had disappeared; then he commanded him to give the Iqamah for Fajr when dawn came. On the following day he commanded him to give the Adhan for Zuhr when the extreme heat had passed and it had cooled down; then he prayed 'Asr when the sun was still high, but he delayed it more than he had done the day before; then he prayed Maghrib before the red afterglow disappeared; he prayed 'Isha' when one-third of the night had passed; and he prayed Fajr at the time when it was already light. Then he said: 'Where is the one who was asking about the times of Prayer?' The man said: 'Here I am, O Messenger of Allah.' He said: 'The times of your prayer are between the times you have seen.'"

'Itban bin Malik As-Salimi who was the chief of his people Banu Salim and had participated in (the battle of) Badr with the Messenger of Allah said: "I came to the Messenger of Allah and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, my sight is failing and the flood comes and prevents me from reaching the mosque of my people, and it is too hard for me to cross the water. Do you think you could come and perform prayer in my house in a place which I can then take as a place of prayer?' He said: 'I will do that.' The following day, the Messenger of Allah and Abu Bakr came, when the heat of the day had grown intense. He asked permission to enter, and I gave him permission. He did not sit down until he said: 'Where would you like me to perform prayer for you in your house?' I showed him the place where I wanted him to pray, so the Messenger of Allah stood and we lined up behind him, and he led us in praying two Rak'ah (units). Then I asked him to stay and eat some Khazirah that had been prepared for them.'"

"The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: 'I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify to La ilaha ill-allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah) and that I am the Messenger of Allah, and establish regular prayers and pay Zakat.'"

The Prophet saw some sputum in the prayer direction of the mosque and he became so angry that his face turned red. Then a woman from among the Ansar came and scraped it off, and put some Khaluq on that spot. The Messenger of Allah said: "How good this is."

"A woman came to the Prophet with two of her children, carrying one and leading the other. The Messenger of Allah said: 'They carry children and give birth to them and are compassionate. If they do not annoy their husbands, those among them who perform prayer will enter Paradise."'

“The Prophet (saw) said: ‘If anyone of you knew (how great is the sin involved) in passing in front of his brother while he is performing prayer, waiting for one hundred years would be better for him than one step that he takes.’”

“The Messenger of Allah (saw) used to pray two Rak’ah while traveling, and he did not do more than that. And he used to pray Tahajjud at night.” I asked: “Did he pray Witr?” He said: “Yes.”

‘Whoever offers the funeral prayer will have one Qirat; and whoever attends until the burial is over, will have two Qirat. By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad! The Qirat is greater than this (mountain of) Uhud.”

“By the One Who took his (saw) soul, he did not die until most of his prayers were offered sitting down. And the most beloved of deeds to him was a righteous deed which a person persists in doing, even if it is something small.”

God's messenger addressed us saying, "You will travel all evening and all night and come to water to-morrow, if God wills.' The people then set off not turning round to one another. Abu Qatada said: While God's messenger was travelling, when the middle of the night came, he turned aside from the road, laid down his head and said, "Keep watch for us for our time of prayer." Now the first to awake was God's messenger when he felt the sun on his back, and he said "Mount." We did so and travelled till the sun had risen in the sky, when he dismounted, called for an ablution vessel. I had containing some water and performed ablution from it to a less extent than usual. Some water remained in it, and he said, `Keep your ablution vessel for us, for it will be something to talk about. Bilal then gave the call to prayer, and God's messenger prayed two rak`as, after which he prayed the morning prayer. He then mounted and we mounted along with him and reached the people when the day had advanced and everything was hot. They were saying, "Messenger of God, we are perishing from thirst," to which he replied, "You will not perish." He called for the ablution vessel, began to pour out water, and Abu Qatada[*] was supplying them with water. No sooner did the people see that there was water in the ablution vessel then they crowded around it, so God's messenger said, "Behave in an orderly manner, for every one of you will get a supply of water." They did so, and God's messenger began to pour and I to supply them with water till only he and I were left. He then poured and told me to drink, but I replied, "I shall not drink till you do so, messenger of God." He said, "The one who supplies water for people comes last," so I drank and then he drank. Then the people came to the watering-place in comfort, having had a supply of water. *I have retained the Arabic construction here. Abu Qatada is telling the story and elsewhere uses the first-person pronoun when making reference to himself, Muslim transmitted it thus in his Sahih, and it is told similarly in al-Humaidi's book and in Jami' al-usul. In al-Masabih the words "in drinking" are added after "comes last."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar used to say the tashahhud saying, "In the name of Allah. Greetings belong to Allah. Prayers belong to Allah. Pure actions belong to Allah. Peace be on the Prophet and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be on us and on the slaves of Allah who are salihun. I testify that there is no god except Allah. I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."

"Bismillah, at-tahiyatu lillah, as-salawatu lillah, az-zakiyatu lillah. As-salamu ala'n-nabiyyi wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. As-salamu alayna wa ala ibadi'llahi's-salihin. Shahidtu an la ilaha illallah. Shahidtu anna Muhammadu'r-rasulu'llah."

He used to say this after the first two rakas and he would make supplication with whatever seemed fit to him when the tashahhud was completed. When he sat at the end of the prayer, he did the tashahhud in a similar manner, except that after the tashahhud he made supplication with whatever seemed fit to him. When he had completed the tashahhud and intended to say the taslim, he said, "Peace be on the Prophet and His mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and on the slaves of Allah who are salihun."

"As- salamu ala'n-nabiyyi wa rahmatu'llahi wa barakatuhu. As-salamu alayna wa ala ibadi'llahi'ssalihin ."

He then said, "Peace be upon you" to his right, and would return the greeting to the imam, and if anyone said "Peace be upon you" from his left he would return the greeting to him.

`Umar said: My opinion coincided with that of my Lord in three matters and my Lord confirmed my opinion in three matters. I said: O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), why don`t you take Maqam Ibraheem as a place of prayer? Then Allah revealed the words: “And take you (people) the Maqam (place) of Ibraheem (Abraham) [or the stone on which Ibraheem (Abraham) to stood while he was building the Ka`bah] as a place of prayer” [al-Baqarah 2:125]. And I said: O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), both righteous and immoral people enter upon you; why don`t you tell the Mothers of the Believers to observe hijab? Then Allah revealed the verse of hijab. And I heard that the Prophet (ﷺ) had rebuked some of his wives, so I sought permission to speak to the Mothers of the Believers, then I entered upon them and said to each one of them: By Allah, either you stop, or Allah will give His Messenger (wives) who are better than you. I went to one of his wives and she said: O ‘Umar, don`t you think that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) is able to exhort his wives? Why are you exhorting them? Then Allah revealed the words. It may be if he divorced you (all) that his Lord will give him instead of you, wives better than you` [at-Tahreem 66:5]

God’s messenger relieved himself beside some low ground before the morning prayer, and I went with him carrying a small water-skin. When he came back I began to pour water from the skin over his hands, and he washed his hands and face. He was wearing a long-sleeved woollen gown, and tried to get his forearms out, but the sleeve of the gown was too narrow, so he brought his hands out from under the gown, and throwing it over his shoulders, he washed his forearms. Then he wiped his forelock and over his turban. I was then about to remove his shoes when he said, “Leave them, for my feet were pure when I put them in”; so he rubbed over them, and he and I mounted our beasts and came to the people. They had begun the prayer with ‘Abd ar-Rahman b. ‘Auf leading them, and he had performed a rak'a with them, but when he was aware of the Prophet’s presence he began to retire. The Prophet, however, signed to him to continue and performed one of the rak'as along with him. Then when he had pronounced the salutation the Prophet got up, and I got up along with him, and we performed the rak‘a which had been finished before we came. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone observes a prayer in which he does not recite Umm al-Qur’an, it is deficient (he said this three times) and incomplete.” When someone asked Abu Huraira [what he should do] if he were led by an imam, he told him to recite it inwardly, for he had heard God’s Messenger declare that God most high had said, “I have divided the prayer into two halves between me and my servant, and my servant will receive what he asks.” When the servant says, “Praise be to God the Lord of the universe,” God most high says, “My servant has praised me.” When he says, “The Compassionate the Merciful,” God most high says, “My servant has lauded me.” When he says, “Possessor of the day of judgment,” He says, “My servant has glorified me.” When he says, “Thee do we worship and of Thee do we ask help,” He says, “This is between me and my servant, and my servant will receive what he asks.” Then when he says, “Guide us in the straight path, the path of those to whom Thou art generous, not of those with whom Thou art angry nor of those who go astray,” He says. “This is for my servant, and my servant will receive what he asks.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told of the poor Emigrants coming to God’s Messenger and saying, “The possessors of great wealth have obtained all the highest grades and lasting bliss.” When he asked what they meant they replied, “They pray as we do, they fast as we do, they give alms but we do not, and they set slaves free but we do not.” So God’s Messenger said, “Shall I not teach you something by which you will catch up on those who have preceded you and get ahead of those who come after you, only those who do as you do being more excellent than you?” On their replying, “Certainly, Messenger of God,” he said, “Extol God, declare His greatness, and praise Him thirty-three times after every prayer.” Abu Salih said that the poor Emigrants returned to God’s Messenger saying, “Our brethren, the possessors of property, have heard what we have done, and they have done the same,” to which he replied, “That is God’s grace, which He gives to whom He wishes.” (Al-Qur’an; 5:54; 57:21; 62:4.) (Bukhari and Muslim) What Abu Salih said is given up to the end only by Muslim. A version has, “Extol God ten times after every prayer, praise Him ten times, and declare His greatness ten times,” instead of thirty-three times given by Bukhari.

"The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: 'I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify to La ilaha ill-allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah) and that I am the Messenger of Allah, and establish regular prayers and pay Zakat.'"

"The Messenger of Allah would fall asleep until he was breathing deeply, then he would get up and offer the prayer, and he did not perform ablution." (Hasan) Tanafisi said: "Waki` said: 'She meant while he was prostrating (he would sleep).'"

"I heard the Messenger of Allah (SAW) saying: 'Whoever goes to the Morning prayer first thing in the morning, he goes out with the banner of faith but whoever goes out to the marketplace first thing in the morning, he goes out under the banner of Iblis (Satan).' "

“I stayed overnight with my maternal aunt Maimunah, and the Prophet (saw) got up during the night to perform prayer. So I got up and stood on his left. He took me by the hand and made me stand on his right.”

‘By the One Who took his soul (i.e., the soul of the Prophet (saw)), he did not die until he offered most of his prayers sitting down. And the dearest of the actions to him was the righteous action that the person does regularly, even if it were a little.”

“Two ‘Eid have come together on this day of yours. So whoever wants, that (the ‘Eid prayer) will suffice him, and he will not have to pray Friday, but we will pray Friday if Allah wills.” Another chain with similar wording.

“Zaid bin Arqan used to say the Takbir four times in the funeral prayer, and he said the Takbir five times for one funeral. I asked him (about that) and he said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to do that.’”

Allah's Messenger (SAW) used to offer the 'Asr prayer (and after the prayer) one of us would return to his house at the furthest end of al-Madinah and arrive while the sun was still hot and bright. And he (SAW) loved to delay the 'Isha' prayer, and he disliked sleeping before it and conversation after it. After the Fajr prayer he used to leave when a man could recognize the one sitting beside him and he used to recite between 60 to 100 Verse of Qur'an in the Fajr prayer. [Agreed upon].

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yazid ibn Ziyad that Abdullah ibn Rafi, the mawla of Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked Abu Hurayra about the time of the prayer. Abu Hurayra said, "Let me tell you. Pray dhuhr when the length of your shadow matches your height, asr when your shadow is twice your height, maghrib when the sun has set, isha in the first third of the night, and subh in the very first light of dawn," i.e. when the dawn has definitely come.

Yahya related to me from Abdullah ibn Abd ar-Rahman ibn Mamar al- Ansari that Ata ibn Yasar said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Shall I tell you who has the best degree among people? A man who takes the rein of his horse to do jihad in the way of Allah. Shall I tell you who has the best degree among people after him? A man who lives alone with a few sheep, performs the prayer, pays the zakat, and worships Allah without associating anything with him."

the Messenger of Allah sent Mu'adh to Yemen and said to him: "You are going to a people from the People of the Book, so invite them to testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and that I am the Messenger of Allah. If they comply with that, then inform them that Allah has made five prayers obligatory upon them in a day and a night. If they comply with that, then inform then that Allah has ordained a charity upon their wealth, which is to be taken from the rich among them and given to the poor among them. If they comply with that, then beware of their most precious wealth, and protect yourself from the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allah."

"The Messenger of Allah (saws) cae out from the toilet and some food was brought to him. They said: 'Shall we bring you some water for Wudu'?' He said: 'I have only been ordered to perform Wudu' when standing for Salat.'"

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan [Sahih]. 'Amr bin Dinar has reported it from Sa'eed bin Al-Huwairith, from Ibn 'Abbas. 'Ali bin Al-Madini said: 'Sufyan Ath-Thawri disliked washing the hands before eating food, and he disliked placing the bread under the bowl.'"

“O Messenger of Allah, teach me a supplication that I may supplicate with in my Salat.” He (saws) said: “Say: ‘O Allah, I have wronged myself much, and none forgives sins except You. So forgive me with forgiveness from You, and have mercy upon me, indeed, You are the Forgiving, the Merciful (Allāhumma innī ẓalamtu nafsī ẓulman kathīran wa lā yaghfirudh-dhunūba illā anta faghfirlī maghfiratan min `indika warḥamnī innaka antal-Ghafūrur-Raḥīm).’”

The Prophet (PBUH) noticed spittle in the mosque in the direction of the Qiblah. The signs of disgust were perceived on his face. Then, he stood up and scraped it away with his own hand and said, "When you stand in Salat, you hold communion with your Rubb and He is between you and the Qiblah. Let no one therefore cast out his spittle in that direction, but only to his left or under his foot." Then he caught hold a corner of his sheet, spat into it and folded it up and said, "Or he should do like this."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to seek (Allah's) protection after prayers in these words: "Alla-humma inni a'udhu bika minal-jubni wal- bukhl, wa a'udhu bika min an uradda ila ardhalil-'umur, wa a'udhu bika min fitnatid-dunya, wa a'udhu bika min fitnatil-qabr (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from cowardice, miserliness and from being sent back to a feeble age; and, seek refuge with You from the trials of this life and those of the grave)."

[Al- Bukhari].

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "In the morning, charity is due on every joint bone of the body of everyone of you. Every utterance of Allah's Glorification (i.e., saying Subhan Allah) is an act of charity, and every utterance of His Praise (i.e., saying Al-hamdu lillah) is an act of charity and every utterance of declaration of His Greatness (i.e., saying La ilaha illAllah) is an act of charity; and enjoining M'aruf (good) is an act of charity, and forbidding Munkar (evil) is an act of charity, and two Rak'ah Duha prayers which one performs in the forenoon is equal to all this (in reward)."

[Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to recite during the two Rak'ah of Fajr prayer: "Say (O Muslims): We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us..." (2:136) which is in Surat Al-Baqarah in the first Rak'ah and the Verse: "We believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims (i.e., we submit to Allah." (3:52) in the second Rak'ah.

According to another narration, he (PBUH) recited from Surat Al-'Imran the Verses: "Come to a word which is just between us and you..." (3:64).

[Muslim].

A woman belonging to the Juhainah tribe came to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) after having conceived from Zina. She submitted: "O Messenger of Allah! I am liable to Hadd (punishment ordained by Allah), so execute it.'' The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) called her guardian and said, "Treat her well and bring her to me after delivery.'' He acted accordingly. Then the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) commanded to tie her clothes firmly around her and then stoned her to death. He (PBUH) then offered funeral prayer for her.

[Muslim].

I asked him about how they came to swear allegiance to Abu Bakr and he said - when telling him about what the Ansar said and what Abu Bakr said to them and what `Umar bin al-Khattab said to the Ansar when he reminded them that he had led them in prayer on the instructions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he was sick. They swore allegiance to me because of that and I Accepted it from them, but I was concerned that there would be turmoil that would lead to apostasy,

“I have been commanded to fight the people until they say La ilaha illallah, and if they say it then their blood and wealth are safe from me, except in cases dictated by sharee'ah, and their reckoning is with Allah.” When some people apostatized, ʼUmar said to Abu Bakr: Will you fight them when you heard the Messenger of Allah is say such and such? Abu Bakr said: By Allah, I will not separate prayer and zakah, and I shall certainly fight anyone who separates them. So we fought them alongside him and we realised that that was the right thing to do.

What time is this? He said:O Ameer al-Mu’mineen, I came back from the market and as soon as I heard the call to prayer, I did no more than wudoo,’ and came here. ‘Umar said: Just wudooʻ. when you know that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to enjoin us to do ghusl?

what do you think if a man has intercourse with his wife but does not ejaculate? `Uthman (رضي الله عنه) said: Let him do wudoo’ as for prayer, and wash his private part. And `Uthman (رضي الله عنه) said: I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) I asked ‘Ali bin Abi Talib (رضي الله عنه), az-Zubair, Talhah and Ubayy bin Ka`b about that and they told him to do the same thing.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr told of God’s messenger coming upon two groups in his mosque and saying, “They are both engaged in what is good, but one of them is superior to the other. These ones are praying and supplicating God who, if He wills, may answer their prayers but, if He wills, may refuse them. Those ones are learning knowledge* and teaching the ignorant, so they are superior. I was sent only as a teacher.” He then sat down among them. Darimi transmitted it. *The text has al-fiqh au al-'ilm, fiqh and ‘ilm having the same meaning, but the transmitter of the tradition was not sure which word was used by the Prophet on this occasion.

‘A'isha said that when God’s messenger washed because of a seminal emission he first washed his hands, then performed ablution as he did for prayer, then put his fingers into the water and moved them through the roots of his hair, then poured three handfuls on his head with both hands, then poured the water over all his skin. (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Muslim he first washed his hands before putting them into the vessel, then poured water over his left hand with his right hand, then washed his private parts, after which he performed ablution.

‘Uthman b. Mazun said, “Messenger of God, grant us permission to become eunuchs." God’s Messenger replied, “He who makes another a eunuch or becomes one himself does not belong to us; fasting serves that purpose among my people." He then said, "Grant us permission to lead the wandering life of the devotee." He replied, "The wandering life of the devotee among my people is jihad in God’s path." He said, "Grant us permission to adopt monkery.” He replied, "Monkery among my people consists of sitting in mosques waiting for the time of prayer." Baghawi transmitted it in Sharh as-sunna.

Wa’il b. Hujr said that he saw the Prophet raise his hands when he began prayer. He said the takbir, then pulled his garment round him, then placed his right hand on his left. When he was about to bow he took his hands out of his garment, and after he had raised (them and said the takbir he bowed. When he said, “God listens to him who praises Him” he raised his hands, and when he prostrated himself he did it between his hands. Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn 'Abbas reported God's messenger as saying when he sent Mu'adh to the Yemen, “You will come to folk who are people of a book, so invite them to testify that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is God's messenger. If they obey that, tell them God has made obligatory for them five times of prayer every twenty-four hours. If they obey that, tell them God has made obligatory for them sadaqa to be taken from their rich and handed over to their poor. If they obey that, avoid taking the best parts of their property; and regard the claim of him who is wronged, for there is no veil between it and God." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

'Abdallah b. Busr told that the Prophet had a dish called al-gharra' 1 which was carried by four men, and when they had offered the forenoon prayer that dish in which tharid had been prepared was brought and the people gathered round it. When they were numerous God's messenger knelt down, and when a nomadic Arab asked what kind of sitting that was, God’s messenger replied, "God has made me a kindly servant and not a refractory tyrant." He then said, "If you eat from its sides and leave the top a blessing will be conferred on it." 1. Meaning the white one. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Jarir b. 'Abdallah reported God's messenger as saying, "You will have ocular vision of your Lord." In a version he told that when they were sitting with God's messenger, he looked at the moon on the night when it was full and said, "You will see your Lord as you see this moon and have no doubts about seeing Him. If, therefore, you can keep from being prevented from prayer before the sun rises and before it sets, do so." He then recited, "Celebrate the praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting[*]." *Quran; 20:130 (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Then Bilal proclaimed the Adhan and the Prophet (SAW) offered the prayer (while leading the Companions) as he used to do every day. [Reported by Muslim].

When Allah's Messenger (SAW) (while on a journey) proceeded before the sun had declined from the centre of the sky, he (SAW) delayed the Zuhr prayer till the time of the 'Asr prayer; he (SAW) would then alight and combine the two prayers. If the sun declined before he (SAW) moved off, he (SAW) would offer the Zuhr prayer and ride (i.e. travel). [Agreed upon].