"When the Mu'adh-dhin pronounced the Adhan, some of the companions of the Prophet would proceed to the pillars of the mosque (for the prayer) till the Prophet arrived and in this way they used to pray two rak`at before the Maghrib prayer. There used to be a little time between the Adhan and the Iqama." Shu`ba said, "There used to be a very short interval between the two (Adhan and Iqama).

Allah's Apostle proceeded from `Arafat and dismounted at the mountainous pass and then urinated and performed a light ablution. I said to him, "(Shall we offer) the prayer?" He replied, "The prayer is ahead of you (i.e. at Al-Muzdalifa)." When he came to Al-Muzdalifa, he performed a perfect ablution. Then Iqama for the prayer was pronounced and he offered the Maghrib prayer and then every person made his camel kneel at his place; and then Iqama for the prayer was pronounced and he offered the (`Isha') prayer and he did not offer any prayer in between them (i.e. Maghrib and `Isha' prayers).

The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to prolong the recitation of the Qur'an in the two rak'ahs after the sunset prayer until the people praying in the mosque dispersed.

Abu Dawud said: This has been reported by Nasr al-Mujaddir from Ya'qub al-Qummi with the same chain of narrators.

Abu Dawud said: Muhammad b. 'Isa b. al-tabba' transmitted from Nasr al-Mujaddir from Ya'qub in like manner.

This hadith has been narrated by Abu Basra Ghifari through another chain of transmitters.

Once Allah's Apostle remained behind us in a journey. He joined us while we were performing ablution for the `Asr prayer which was over-due. We were just passing wet hands over our feet (not washing them properly) so the Prophet addressed us in a loud voice and said twice or thrice, "Save your heels from the fire."

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "There is no prayer after the morning prayer till the sun rises, and there is no prayer after the `Asr prayer till the sun sets."

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

Some reliable people testified before me, and among them was Umar ibn al-Khattab, and most reliable in my eyes was Umar: The Prophet of Allah (saws) said: There is no prayer after the dawn prayer until the sun rises; and there is no prayer after the 'Asr prayer until the sun sets.

The Prophet said, "The call (or the Adhan) of Bilal should not stop you from taking the Suhur-meals for Bilal calls (or pronounces the Adhan) so that the one who is offering the night prayer should take a rest, and he does not indicate the daybreak or dawn." The narrator, Yazid, described (how dawn breaks) by stretching out his hands and then separating them wide apart.

A man came and said, "O Allah's Apostle! I keep away from the morning prayer because so-and-so (Imam) prolongs it too much." Allah's Apostle became furious and I had never seen him more furious than he was on that day. The Prophet said, "O people! Some of you make others dislike the prayer, so whoever becomes an Imam he should shorten the prayer, as behind him are the weak, the old and the needy.''

While the Prophet was offering the `Isha' prayer, he said, "Allah hears him who sends his praises to Him," and then said before falling in prostration, "O Allah, save `Aiyash bin Rabi`a. O Allah, save Salama bin Hisham. O Allah, save Al-Walid bin Al-Wahd. O Allah, save the weak ones among the believers. O Allah, let Your punishment be severe on the tribe of Mudar. O Allah, inflict upon them years (of famine) like the years of Joseph."

Jabir bin `Abdullah said, "Mu`adh bin Jabal used to pray with the Prophet and then go to lead his people in prayer Once he led the `Isha' prayer and recited Surat "Al-Baqara." Somebody left the prayer and Mu`adh criticized him. The news reached the Prophet and he said to Mu`adh, 'You are putting the people to trial,' and repeated it thrice (or said something similar) and ordered him to recite two medium Suras of Mufassal." (`Amr said that he had forgotten the names of those Suras).

We went out with Allah's Apostle to Khaibar, and when we were at As-Sahba', (Yahya, a sub-narrator said, "As-Sahba' is a place at a distance of one day's journey to Khaibar)." Allah's Apostle asked the people to bring their food, but there was nothing with the people except Sawiq. So we all chewed and ate of it. Then the Prophet asked for some water and he rinsed his mouth, and we too, rinsed our mouths. Then he led us in the Maghrib prayer without performing ablution (again).

I entered the mosque while Allah's Apostle was sitting there. When the sun had set, the Prophet said, "O Abu Dharr! Do you know where this (sun) goes?" I said, "Allah and His Apostle know best." He said, "It goes and asks permission to prostrate, and it is allowed, and (one day) it, as if being ordered to return whence it came, then it will rise from the west." Then the Prophet recited, "That: "And the sun runs on its fixed course (for a term decreed)," (36.38) as it is recited by `Abdullah.

Once the Prophet offered the `Asr prayer and then hurriedly went to his house and returned immediately. I (or somebody else) asked him (as to what was the matter) and he said, "I left at home a piece of gold which was from the charity and I disliked to let it remain a night in my house, so I got it distributed . "

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

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.' "

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that Umar ibn al-Khattab refused to let one man who had not taken leave of the House pass adh-Dhahran, (a valley eighteen miles from Makka) until he had taken leave of it.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam that Ata ibn Yasar said, "A man came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and asked him about the time of the subh prayer. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not answer him, but in the morning he prayed subh at first light. The following morning he prayed subh when it was much lighter, and then said, 'Where is the man who was asking about the time of the prayer?' The man replied, 'Here I am, Messenger of Allah.' He said,'The time is between these two.' "

While the Muslims were offering the Fajr prayer, Allah's Apostle suddenly appeared before them by living the curtain of the dwelling place of `Aisha, looked towards the Muslims who were standing in rows. He smiled with pleasure. Abu Bakr started retreating to join the row on the assumption that the Prophet wanted to come out for the prayer. The Muslims intended to leave the prayer (and were on the verge of being put to trial), but the Prophet beckoned them to complete their prayer and then he let the curtain fall. He died in the last hours of that day.

We were behind the Messenger of Allah (saws) at the dawn prayer, and he recited (the passage), but the recitation became difficult for him. Then when he finished, he said: Perhaps you recite behind your imam? We replied: Yes, it is so, Messenger of Allah. He said: Do not do so except when it is Fatihat al-Kitab, for he who does not recite it is not credited with having prayed.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Rabia ibn Abi Abd ar-Rahman that al Qasim ibn Muhammad said, "None of the companions that I met prayed dhuhr until well after noon,"(i.e.until when the sun had lost its fierceness).

While Allah's Apostle was prostrating (as stated below).

Narrated `Abdullah bin Mas`ud:

Once the Prophet was offering prayers at the Ka`ba. Abu Jahl was sitting with some of his companions. One of them said to the others, "Who amongst you will bring the Abdominal contents (intestines, etc.) of a camel of Bani so and so and put it on the back of Muhammad, when he prostrates?" The most unfortunate of them got up and brought it. He waited till the Prophet prostrated and then placed it on his back between his shoulders. I was watching but could not do any thing. I wish I had some people with me to hold out against them. They started laughing and falling on one another. Allah's Apostle was in prostration and he did not lift his head up till Fatima (Prophet's daughter) came and threw that (camel's Abdominal contents) away from his back. He raised his head and said thrice, "O Allah! Punish Quraish." So it was hard for Abu Jahl and his companions when the Prophet invoked Allah against them as they had a conviction that the prayers and invocations were accepted in this city (Mecca). The Prophet said, "O Allah! Punish Abu Jahl, `Utba bin Rabi`a, Shaiba bin Rabi`a, Al-Walid bin `Utba, Umaiya bin Khalaf, and `Uqba bin Al Mu'it [??] (and he mentioned the seventh whose name I cannot recall). By Allah in Whose Hands my life is, I saw the dead bodies of those persons who were counted by Allah's Apostle in the Qalib (one of the wells) of Badr.

While the Prophet was prostrating, surrounded by some of Quraish, `Uqba bin Abi Mu'ait brought the intestines (i.e. Abdominal contents) of a camel and put them over the back of the Prophet. The Prophet did not raise his head, (till) Fatima, came and took it off his back and cursed the one who had done the harm. The Prophet said, "O Allah! Destroy the chiefs of Quraish, Abu Jahl bin Hisham, `Utba bin Rabi`al, Shaba bin Rabi`a, Umaiya bin Khalaf or Ubai bin Khalaf." (The sub-narrator Shu`ba, is not sure of the last name.) I saw these people killed on the day of Badr battle and thrown in the well except Umaiya or Ubai whose body parts were mutilated but he was not thrown in the well.

Ibn 'Abbas reported that Nabidh was prepared for Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) in the beginning of the night and he would drink it in the morning and the following night and the following day and the night after that up to the afternoon. If anything was left out of that he gave it to his servant, or gave orders for it to be poured out.

Once I passed the night in the house of my aunt Maimuna. Allah's Apostle offered the `Isha' prayer and then came to the house and offered four rak`at an slept. Later on, he woke up and stood for the prayer and I stood on his left side. He drew me to his right and prayed five rak`at and then two. He then slept till I heard him snoring (or heard his breath sounds). Afterwards he went out for the morning prayer.

The Prophet said, "When nightfalls, then keep your children close to you, for the devil spread out then. An hour later you can let them free; and close the gates of your house (at night), and mention Allah's Name thereupon, and cover your utensils, and mention Allah's Name thereupon, (and if you don't have something to cover your utensil) you may put across it something (e.g. a piece of wood etc.).

The Prophet used to say, "O Allah! I seek refuge with You from laziness from geriatric old age, from being in debt, and from committing sins. O Allah! I seek refuge with You from the punishment of the Fire, the afflictions of the grave, the punishment in the grave, and the evil of the affliction of poverty and from the evil of the affliction caused by Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal. O Allah! Wash away my sins with the water of snow and hail, and cleanse my heart from the sins as a white garment is cleansed of filth, and let there be a far away distance between me and my sins as You have set far away the East and the West from each other."

The Prophet said, "The people of Paradise will look at the dwellers of the lofty mansions (i.e. a superior place in Paradise) in the same way as one looks at a brilliant star far away in the East or in the West on the horizon; all that is because of their superiority over one another (in rewards)." On that the people said, "O Allah's Apostle! Are these lofty mansions for the prophets which nobody else can reach? The Prophet replied," No! "By Allah in whose Hands my life is, these are for the men who believed in Allah and also believed in the Apostles."

Malik related to me from Yahya ibn Said from Said ibn al-Musayyab that Umar ibn al-Khattab said while he was leaning his back against the Kaba, "Whoever takes a stray is astray."

The Prophet said, "Straighten your rows, for I see you from behind my back.'

The Prophet said, "The Adhan pronounced by Bilal should not stop you from taking Suhur, for he pronounces the Adhan at night, so that the one offering the late night prayer (Tahajjud) from among you might hurry up and the sleeping from among you might wake up. It does not mean that dawn or morning has started." Then he (the Prophet) pointed with his fingers and raised them up (towards the sky) and then lowered them (towards the earth) like this (Ibn Mas`ud imitated the gesture of the Prophet). Az-Zuhri gestured with his two index fingers which he put on each other and then stretched them to the right and left. These gestures illustrate the way real dawn appears. It spreads left and right horizontally. The dawn that appears in the high sky and lowers down is not the real dawn) .

`Abdullah bin `Umar used to send the weak among his family early to Mina. So they used to depart from Al-Mash'ar Al-Haram (that is Al-Muzdalifa) at night (when the moon had set) and invoke Allah as much as they could, and then they would return (to Mina) before the Imam had started from Al- Muzdalifa to Mina. So some of them would reach Mina at the time of the Fajr prayer and some of them would come later. When they reached Mina they would throw pebbles on the Jamra (Jamrat-Al- `Aqaba) Ibn `Umar used to say, "Allah's Apostle gave the permission to them (weak people) to do so."