I saw the most famous people amongst the companions of the Prophet hurrying towards the pillars at the Maghrib prayer before the Prophet came for the prayer.

A man came to the Prophet asking his permission to take part in Jihad. The Prophet asked him, "Are your parents alive?" He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet said to him, "Then exert yourself in their service."

Whenever the Prophet intended to go to bed, he would recite: "Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya (With Your name, O Allah, I die and I live)." And when he woke up from his sleep, he would say: "Al-hamdu lil-lahil-ladhi ahyana ba'da ma amatana; wa ilaihi an-nushur (All the Praises are for Allah Who has made us alive after He made us die (sleep) and unto Him is the Resurrection). "

(the clerk of Al-Mughira bin Shu`ba) Once Al-Mughira dictated to me in a letter addressed to Muawiya that the Prophet used to say after every compulsory prayer, "La ilaha illa l-lahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahu l-mulku wa lahu l-hamdu, wa huwa `ala kulli shay'in qadir. Allahumma la mani`a lima a`taita, wa la mu`tiya lima mana`ta, wa la yanfa`u dhal-jaddi minka l-jadd. [There is no Deity but Allah, Alone, no Partner to Him. His is the Kingdom and all praise, and Omnipotent is he. O Allah! Nobody can hold back what you gave, nobody can give what You held back, and no struggler's effort can benefit against You]." And Al-Hasan said, "Al-jadd' means prosperity [??]."

Allah's Apostle sent some horse men to Najd and they brought a man called Thumama bin Uthal from Bani Hanifa. They fastened him to one of the pillars of the mosque.

The Prophet sent some horsemen to Najd and they arrested and brought a man called Thumama bin Uthal from the tribe of Bani Hanifa, and they fastened him to one of the pillars of the Mosque.

Allah's Apostle used to keep silent between the Takbir and the recitation of Qur'an and that interval of silence used to be a short one. I said to the Prophet "May my parents be sacrificed for you! What do you say in the pause between Takbir and recitation?" The Prophet said, "I say, 'Allahumma, baa`id baini wa baina khatayaya kama baa`adta baina l-mashriqi wa l-maghrib. Allahumma, naqqini min khatayaya kama yunaqqa th-thawbu l-abyadu mina d-danas. Allahumma, ighsil khatayaya bi l-maa'i wa th-thalji wa l-barad (O Allah! Set me apart from my sins (faults) as the East and West are set apart from each other and clean me from sins as a white garment is cleaned of dirt (after thorough washing). O Allah! Wash off my sins with water, snow and hail.)"

I asked `Aisha "Did Allah s Apostle, use to choose some special days (for fasting)?" She replied, "No, but he used to be regular (constant) (in his service of worshipping). Who amongst you can endure what Allah's Apostle used to endure?"

Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever after listening to the Adhan says, 'Allahumma Rabba hadhihi-dda` watit-tammah, was-salatil qa'imah, ati Muhammadan al-wasilata wal-fadilah, wa b`ath-hu maqaman mahmudan-il-ladhi wa`adtahu' [O Allah! Lord of this perfect call (perfect by not ascribing partners to You) and of the regular prayer which is going to be established, give Muhammad the right of intercession and illustriousness, and resurrect him to the best and the highest place in Paradise that You promised him (of)], then my intercession for him will be allowed on the Day of Resurrection".

Somebody came to the house of Ibn `Umar and told him that Allah's Apostles had entered the Ka`ba. Ibn `Umar said, "I went in front of the Ka`ba and found that Allah's Apostle had come out of the Ka`ba and I saw Bilal standing by the side of the gate of the Ka`ba. I said, 'O Bilal! Has Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) prayed inside the Ka`ba?' Bilal replied in the affirmative. I said, 'Where (did he pray)?' He replied, '(He prayed) Between these two pillars and then he came out and offered a two rak`at prayer in front of the Ka`ba.' " Abu `Abdullah said: Abu Huraira said, "The Prophet (p.b.u.h) advised me to offer two rak`at of Duha prayer (prayer to be offered after sunrise and before midday). " Itban (bin Malik) said, "Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) and Abu Bakr, came to me after sunrise and we aligned behind the Prophet (p.b.u.h) and offered two rak`at."

Allah's Apostle said, "The Prophet Abraham migrated with Sarah. The people (of the town where they migrated) gave her Ajar (i.e. Hajar). Sarah returned and said to Abraham, "Do you know that Allah has humiliated that pagan and he has given a slave-girl for my service?"

The Prophet used to invoke Allah with the following invocation: 'Rabbi-ghfir-li Khati 'ati wa jahli wa israfi fi `Amri kullihi, wa ma anta a'lamu bihi minni. Allahumma ighfirli khatayaya wa 'amdi, wa jahli wa jiddi, wa kullu dhalika'indi. Allahumma ighrifli ma qaddamtu wa ma akhartu wa ma asrartu wa ma a'lantu. Anta-l-muqaddimu wa anta-l-mu'akh-khiru, wa anta 'ala kulli shai'in qadir.'

Abu Dawud said: Al-Qassah means lime used as mortar.

When the Prophet got up at night to offer the night prayer, he used to say: "Allahumma laka l-hamdu; Anta nuras-samawati wal ardi wa man fihinna. wa laka l-hamdu; Anta qaiyim as-samawati wal ardi wa man flhinna. Wa lakaI-hamdu; Anta-l-,haqqun, wa wa'daka haqqun, wa qauluka haqqun, wa liqauka haqqun, wal-jannatu haqqun, wannaru haqqun, was-sa atu haqqun, wan-nabiyyuna huqqun, Mahammadun haqqun, Allahumma laka aslamtu, wa Alaika tawakkaltu, wa bika amantu, wa ilaika anabtu, wa bika Khasamtu, wa ilaika hakamtu, faghfirli ma qaddamtu wa ma akh-khartu, wa ma asrartu, wa ma a'lantu. Anta al-muqaddimu, wa anta al-mu-'akhkhiru. La ilaha il-la anta (or La ilaha ghairuka)"

The Prophet (p.b.u.h) used to teach us the way of doing Istikhara (Istikhara means to ask Allah to guide one to the right sort of action concerning any job or a deed), in all matters as he taught us the Suras of the Qur'an. He said, "If anyone of you thinks of doing any job he should offer a two rak`at prayer other than the compulsory ones and say (after the prayer): -- 'Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi'ilmika, Wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratika, Wa as'alaka min fadlika Al-`azlm Fa-innaka taqdiru Wala aqdiru, Wa ta'lamu Wala a'lamu, Wa anta 'allamu l-ghuyub. Allahumma, in kunta ta'lam anna hadha-lamra Khairun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa'aqibati `Amri (or 'ajili `Amri wa'ajilihi) Faqdirhu wa yas-sirhu li thumma barik li Fihi, Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha-lamra shar-run li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa'aqibati `Amri (or fi'ajili `Amri wa ajilihi) Fasrifhu anni was-rifni anhu. Waqdir li al-khaira haithu kana Thumma ardini bihi.' (O Allah! I ask guidance from Your knowledge, And Power from Your Might and I ask for Your great blessings. You are capable and I am not. You know and I do not and You know the unseen. O Allah! If You know that this job is good for my religion and my subsistence and in my Hereafter--(or said: If it is better for my present and later needs)--Then You ordain it for me and make it easy for me to get, And then bless me in it, and if You know that this job is harmful to me In my religion and subsistence and in the Hereafter--(or said: If it is worse for my present and later needs)--Then keep it away from me and let me be away from it. And ordain for me whatever is good for me, And make me satisfied with it). The Prophet added that then the person should name (mention) his need.

The Prophet used to invoke Allah, saying, "Allahumma ighfirli khati'ati wa jahli wa israfi fi `Amri, wa ma anta a-'lamu bihi minni. Allahumma ighfirli hazali wa jiddi wa khata'i wa amdi, wa kullu dhalika 'indi."

The Prophet arrived (at Mecca) in the year of the Conquest (of Mecca) while Usama was riding behind him on (his she-camel)'. Al-Qaswa.' Bilal and `Uthman bin Talha were accompanying him. When he made his she-camel kneel down near the Ka`ba, he said to `Uthman, "Get us the key (of the Ka`ba). He brought the key to him and opened the gate (of the Ka`ba), for him. The Prophet, Usama, Bilal and `Uthman (bin Talha) entered the Ka`ba and then closed the gate behind them (from inside). The Prophet stayed there for a long period and then came out. The people rushed to get in, but I went in before them and found Bilal standing behind the gate, and I said to him, "Where did the Prophet pray?" He said, "He prayed between those two front pillars." The Ka`ba was built on six pillars, arranged in two rows, and he prayed between the two pillars of the front row leaving the gate of the Ka`ba at his back and facing (in prayer) the wall which faces one when one enters the Ka`ba. Between him and that wall (was the distance of about three cubits). But I forgot to ask Bilal about the number of rak`at the Prophet had prayed. There was a red piece of marble at the place where he (i.e. the Prophet) had offered the prayer.

The Prophet said, "The people will fall unconscious on the Day of Resurrection, then suddenly I will see Moses holding one of the pillars of the Throne." Abu Huraira said: The Prophet said, "I will be the first person to be resurrected and will see Moses holding the Throne."

When the Prophet said, "Sami`a l-lahu liman hamidah," (Allah heard those who sent praises to Him), he would say, "Rabbana wa laka l-hamd." On bowing and raising his head from it the Prophet used to say Takbir. He also used to say Takbir on rising after the two prostrations. (See Hadith No. 656).

(the clerk of Al-Mughira bin Shu`ba) Muawiya wrote to Al-Mughira: "Write to me a narration you have heard from Allah's Apostle." So Al-Mughira wrote to him, "I heard him saying the following after each prayer: 'La ilaha illal-lahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahu-l-mulk wa lahuI-hamd, wa huwa 'ala kulli Shai-in qadir.' He also used to forbid idle talk, asking too many questions (in religion), wasting money, preventing what should be given, and asking others for something (except in great need), being undutiful to mothers, and burying one's little daughters (alive).

I offered the Friday prayer along with Anas ibn Malik. We were pushed to the pillars (due to the crowd of people). We, therefore, stopped forward and backward. Anas then said: We used to avoid it (setting a row between the pillars) during the time of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

The Prophet used to teach us the Istikhara for each and every matter as he used to teach us the Suras from the Holy Qur'an. (He used to say), "If anyone of you intends to do something, he should offer a two-rak`at prayer other than the obligatory prayer, and then say: 'Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi'ilmika, wa astaqdiruka biqudratika, wa as'aluka min fadlika-l-'azim, fa innaka taqdiru wala aqdiru, wa ta'lamu wala a'lamu, wa anta'allamu-l-ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha-lamra khairun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati `Amri (or said, fi 'ajili `Amri wa ajilihi) fa-qdurhu li, Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna ha-dha-l-amra sharrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati `Amri (or said, fi ajili `Amri wa ajilihi) fasrifhu 'anni was-rifni 'anhu wa aqdur li alkhaira haithu kana, thumma Raddani bihi," Then he should mention his matter (need).

The Prophet entered the Ka`ba along with Usama bin Zaid, `Uthman bin Talha and Bilal and remained there for a long time. When they came out, I was the first man to enter the Ka`ba. I asked Bilal "Where did the Prophet pray?" Bilal replied, "Between the two front Pillars."

The people said, "O Allah's Apostle ! How may we send Salat on you?" He said, "Say: Allahumma Salli 'ala- Muhammadin wa azwajihi wa dhurriyyatihi kama sal-laita 'ala `Ali Ibrahim; wa barik 'ala Muhammadin wa azwajihi wa dhurriyyatihi kamabarakta 'ala `Ali Ibrahim innaka hamidun majid."

When we prayed with the Prophet we used to say, "Peace be on Allah from His slaves and peace be on so and so." The Prophet said, "Don't say As-Salam be on Allah, for He Himself is As-Salam, but say, at-tahiyatu li l-lahi wa s-salawatu wa t-taiyibat. As-salamu `alaika aiyuha n-Nabiyu wa rahmatu l-lahi wa barakatuh. As-salamu `alaina wa `ala `ibadi l-lahi s-salihin. (If you say this then it will reach all the slaves in heaven or between heaven and earth). Ash-hadu al la-ilaha illa l-lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan `Abduhu wa Rasuluh.' Then select the invocation you like best and recite it." (See Hadith No. 794, 795 & 796).