My father and I went to Abu Barza-al-Aslami to ask him about the stated times for the prayers. He replied, "The Prophet used to offer the Zuhr prayer when the sun just declined from its highest position at noon; the `Asr at a time when if a man went to the farthest place in Medina (after praying) he would find the sun still hot (bright). (The sub narrator said: I have forgotten what Abu Barza said about the Maghrib prayer). The Prophet never found any harm in delaying the `Isha' prayer to the first third of the night and he never liked to sleep before it and to talk after it. He used to offer the morning prayer at a time when after finishing it one could recognize the person sitting beside him and used to recite between 60 to 100 verses in one or both the rak`at."

Once in the middle of the night Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) went out and prayed in the mosque and some men prayed with him. The next morning the people spoke about it and so more people gathered and prayed with him (in the second night). They circulated the news in the morning, and so, on the third night the number of people increased greatly. Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) came out and they prayed behind him. On the fourth night the mosque was overwhelmed by the people till it could not accommodate them. Allah's Apostle came out only for the Fajr prayer and when he finished the prayer, he faced the people and recited "Tashah-hud" (I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is His Apostle), and then said, "Amma ba'du. Verily your presence (in the mosque at night) was not hidden from me, but I was afraid that this prayer (Prayer of Tahajjud) might be made compulsory and you might not be able to carry it out."

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 Apostle said, "A person is considered in prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer in the mosque as long as he does not do Hadath." A non-Arab man asked, "O Abu Huraira! What is Hadath?" I replied, "It is the passing of wind (from the anus) (that is one of the types of Hadath).

`Aisha had a Qiram (a thin marked woolen curtain) with which she had screened one side of her home. The Prophet said, "Take away this Qiram of yours, as its pictures are still displayed in front of me during my prayer (i.e. they divert my attention from the prayer).

I heard my father saying, "The Prophet led us, and prayed a two-rak`at Zuhr prayer and then a tworak` at `Asr prayer at Al-Batha' [??] with a short spear (planted) in front of him (as a Sutra) while women and donkeys were passing in front of him (beyond that stick).

When the number of Muslims increased they discussed the question as to how to know the time for the prayer by some familiar means. Some suggested that a fire be lit (at the time of the prayer) and others put forward the proposal to ring the bell. Bilal was ordered to pronounce the wording of Adhan twice and of the Iqama once only.

Once Iqama was pronounced and the people had straightened the rows, Allah's Apostle went forward (to lead the prayer) but he was Junub, so he said, "Remain in your places." And he went out, took a bath and returned with water trickling from his head. Then he led the prayer.

I prayed with the Prophet one night and stood on his left side. Allah's Apostle caught hold of my head from behind and drew me to his right and then offered the prayer and slept. Later the Mu'adh-dhin came and the Prophet stood up for prayer without performing ablution.

Allah's Apostle said to me, "The most beloved fasting to Allah was the fasting of (the Prophet) David who used to fast on alternate days. And the most beloved prayer to Allah was the prayer of David who used to sleep for (the first) half of the night and pray for 1/3 of it and (again) sleep for a sixth of it."

Abu Dawud said: This version narrated by Mushir on the authority of Sa’id has: He cut off our prayer.

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."

Once the Prophet led us in the `Isha' prayer during the last days of his life and after finishing it (the prayer) (with Taslim) he said: "Do you realize (the importance of) this night?" Nobody present on the surface of the earth tonight will be living after the completion of one hundred years from this night."

Prophet said, "If anyone of you stands for prayer, he should not spit in front of him because in prayer he is speaking in private to Allah and he should not spit on his right as there is an angel, but he can spit either on his left or under his left foot and bury it (i.e. expectoration).

"The Prophet went out to the Musalla to offer the Istisqa' prayer, faced the Qibla and offered a two rak`at prayer and turned his cloak inside out." Narrated Abu Bakr, "The Prophet put the right side of his cloak on his left side."

Anas was asked, "Did the Prophet wear a ring?" Anas said, "Once he delayed the: `Isha' prayer till midnight. Then he came, facing us ..... as if l am now Looking at the glitter of his ring ..... and said, "The people have offered their prayers and slept but you have been in prayer as you have been waiting for it."

(the wife of the Prophet (p.b.u.h) In the lifetime of the Prophet the sun eclipsed and he went to the Mosque and the people aligned behind him. He said the Takbir (starting the prayer) and prolonged the recitation (from the Qur'an) and then said Takbir and performed a prolonged bowing; then he (lifted his head and) said, "Sami allahu liman hamidah" (Allah heard him who sent his praises to Him). He then did not prostrate but stood up and recited a prolonged recitation which was shorter than the first recitation. He again said Takbir and then bowed a prolonged bowing but shorter than the first one and then said, "Sami`a l-lahu Lyman hamidah Rabbana walak-lhamd, (Allah heard him who sent his praises to Him. O our Sustainer! All the praises are for You)" and then prostrated and did the same in the second rak`a; thus he completed four bowing and four prostrations. The sun (eclipse) had cleared before he finished the prayer. (After the prayer) he stood up, glorified and praised Allah as He deserved and then said, "The sun and the moon are two of the signs of Allah. They do not eclipse because of the death or the life (i.e. birth) of someone. When you see them make haste for the prayer." Narrated Az-Zuhri: I said to 'Urwa, "When the sun eclipsed at Medina your brother (`Abdullah bin Az-Zubair) offered only a two-rak`at prayer like that of the morning (Fajr) prayer." 'Urwa replied, "Yes, for he missed the Prophet's tradition (concerning this matter)."

When `Abdullah bin 'Ubai died, his son `Abdullah bin `Abdullah came to Allah's Apostle and asked him to give him his shirt in order to shroud his father in it. He gave it to him and then `Abdullah asked the Prophet to offer the funeral prayer for him (his father). Allah's Apostle got up to offer the funeral prayer for him, but `Umar got up too and got hold of the garment of Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle Will you offer the funeral prayer for him though your Lord has forbidden you to offer the prayer for him" Allah's Apostle said, "But Allah has given me the choice by saying: '(Whether you) ask forgiveness for them, or do not ask forgiveness for them; even if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times..' (9.80) so I will ask more than seventy times." `Umar said, "But he (`Abdullah bin 'Ubai) is a hypocrite!" However, Allah's Apostle did offer the funeral prayer for him whereupon Allah revealed: 'And never (O Muhammad) pray for anyone of them that dies, nor stand at his grave.' (9.84)

When `Abdullah bin Ubai died, his son `Abdullah bin `Abdullah came to Allah's Apostle who gave his shirt to him and ordered him to shroud his father in it. Then he stood up to offer the funeral prayer for the deceased, but `Umar bin Al-Khattab took hold of his garment and said, "Do you offer the funeral prayer for him though he was a hypocrite and Allah has forbidden you to ask forgiveness for hypocrites?" The Prophet said, "Allah has given me the choice (or Allah has informed me) saying: "Whether you, O Muhammad, ask forgiveness for them, or do not ask forgiveness for them, even if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will not forgive them," (9.80) The he added, "I will (appeal to Allah for his sake) more than seventy times." So Allah's Apostle offered the funeral prayer for him and we too, offered the prayer along with him. Then Allah revealed: "And never, O Muhammad, pray (funeral prayer) for anyone of them that dies, nor stand at his grave. Certainly they disbelieved in Allah and His Apostle and died in a state of rebellion." (9.84)

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).

I stayed overnight in the house of my aunt Maimuna. Allah's Apostle talked with his wife for a while and then went to bed. When it was the last third of the night, he got up and looked towards the sky and said: "Verily! In the creation of the Heavens and the Earth and in the alteration of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding." (3.190) Then he stood up, performed ablution, brushed his teeth with a Siwak, and then prayed eleven rak`at. Then Bilal pronounced the Adhan (i.e. call for the Fajr prayer). The Prophet then offered two rak`at (Sunna) prayer and went out (to the Mosque) and offered the (compulsory congregational) Fajr prayer.

An uncle of mine called Abu Burda, slaughtered his sacrifice before the `Id prayer. So Allah's Apostle said to him, "Your (slaughtered) sheep was just mutton (not a sacrifice)." Abu Burda said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have got a domestic kid goat." The Prophet said, "Slaughter it (as a sacrifice) but it will not be permissible for anybody other than you" The Prophet added, "Whoever slaughtered his sacrifice before the (`Id) prayer, he only slaughtered for himself, and whoever slaughtered it after the prayer, he offered his sacrifice properly and followed the tradition of the Muslims."

One day Allah's Apostle offered the `Id prayer and said, "Whoever offers our prayer and faces our Qibla should not slaughter the sacrifice till he finishes the `Id prayer." Abu Burda bin Niyar got up and said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have already done it. The Prophet said, "That is something you have done before its due time." Abu Burda said, "I have a Jadha'a which is better than two old sheep; shall I slaughter it?" The Prophet said, "Yes, but it will not be sufficient for anyone after you."

that Allah's Prophet led them in the Zuhr prayer and he offered either more or less rak`at, and it was said to him, "O Allah's Apostle ! Has the prayer been reduced, or have you forgotten?" He asked, "What is that?" They said, "You have prayed so many rak`at." So he performed with them two more prostrations and said, "These two prostrations are to be performed by the person who does not know whether he has prayed more or less (rak`at) in which case he should seek to follow what is right. And then complete the rest (of the prayer) and perform two extra prostrations."

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."

Urwah reported on the authority of his father that Abdullah ibn al-Arqam travelled for performing hajj (pilgrimage) or umrah. He was accompanied by the people whom he led in prayer. One day when he was leading them in the dawn (fajr) prayer, he said to them: One of you should come forward. He then went away to relieve himself. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: When any of you feels the need of relieving himself while the congregational prayer is ready, he should go to relieve himself.

I witnessed the Prophet offering the `Id prayer (and after finishing it) he delivered a sermon and said, "Whoever has slaughtered his sacrifice (before the prayer) should make up for it (i.e. slaughter another animal) and whoever has not slaughtered his sacrifice yet, should slaughter it by mentioning Allah's Name over it."