Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever does not recite Al-Fatiha in his prayer, his prayer is invalid."

By Allah, Al-Hasan bin `Ali led large battalions like mountains against Muawiya. `Amr bin Al-As said (to Muawiya), "I surely see battalions which will not turn back before killing their opponents." Muawiya who was really the best of the two men said to him, "O `Amr! If these killed those and those killed these, who would be left with me for the jobs of the public, who would be left with me for their women, who would be left with me for their children?" Then Muawiya sent two Quraishi men from the tribe of `Abd-i-Shams called `Abdur Rahman bin Sumura and `Abdullah bin 'Amir bin Kuraiz to Al-Hasan saying to them, "Go to this man (i.e. Al-Hasan) and negotiate peace with him and talk and appeal to him." So, they went to Al-Hasan and talked and appealed to him to accept peace. Al-Hasan said, "We, the offspring of `Abdul Muttalib, have got wealth and people have indulged in killing and corruption (and money only will appease them)." They said to Al-Hasan, "Muawiya offers you so and so, and appeals to you and entreats you to accept peace." Al-Hasan said to them, "But who will be responsible for what you have said?" They said, "We will be responsible for it." So, whatever Al- Hasan asked they said, "We will be responsible for it for you." So, Al-Hasan concluded a peace treaty with Muawiya. Al-Hasan (Al-Basri) said: I heard Abu Bakr saying, "I saw Allah's Apostle on the pulpit and Al-Hasan bin `Ali was by his side. The Prophet was looking once at the people and once at Al-Hasan bin `Ali saying, 'This son of mine is a Saiyid (i.e. a noble) and may Allah make peace between two big groups of Muslims through him."

When Al-Hasan bin `Ali moved with army units against Muawiya, `Amr bin AL-As said to Muawiya, "I see an army that will not retreat unless and until the opposing army retreats." Muawiya said, "(If the Muslims are killed) who will look after their children?" `Amr bin Al-As said: I (will look after them). On that, `Abdullah bin 'Amir and `Abdur-Rahman bin Samura said, "Let us meet Muawaiya and suggest peace." Al-Hasan Al-Basri added: No doubt, I heard that Abu Bakra said, "Once while the Prophet was addressing (the people), Al-Hasan (bin `Ali) came and the Prophet said, 'This son of mine is a chief, and Allah may make peace between two groups of Muslims through him."

Abu Sa`id who participated in twelve Ghazawat with the Prophet said, "I heard four things from Allah's Apostle (or I narrate them from the Prophet ) which won my admiration and appreciation. They are: -1. "No lady should travel without her husband or without a Dhu-Mahram for a two-days' journey. -2. No fasting is permissible on two days of `Id-ul-Fitr, and `Id-al-Adha. -3. No prayer (may be offered) after two prayers: after the `Asr prayer till the sun set and after the morning prayer till the sun rises. -4. Not to travel (for visiting) except for three mosques: Masjid-al-Haram (in Mecca), my Mosque (in Medina), and Masjid-al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).

Abu Dawud said: Ibn al-Muthanna said: Ibn 'Adi narrated this tradition from his memory on the authority of 'Urwah from 'Aishah.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been transmitted by al-'Ala b. al-Musayyab and Shu'bah from al-Hakam on the authority of Abu Ja'far. Al-'Ala reported it as a statement of the Prophet (saws), and Shu'bah as a statement of Abu Ja'far, saying: She should perform ablution for every prayer.

I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Which mosque was first built on the surface of the earth?" He said, "Al- Masjid-ul-,Haram (in Mecca)." I said, "Which was built next?" He replied "The mosque of Al-Aqsa ( in Jerusalem) ." I said, "What was the period of construction between the two?" He said, "Forty years." He added, "Wherever (you may be, and) the prayer time becomes due, perform the prayer there, for the best thing is to do so (i.e. to offer the prayers in time).

Abu Dawud said: Al-Laith b. Sa'd, al-Awza'i, Mansur b. al-Mu'tamir and 'Irak b. Malik have narrated this tradition like the one narrated by Ibn 'Uyainah. Al-Awza'i narrated in his version the words: Beg pardon of Allah.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that al-Qasim ibn Muhammad said that al-Furafisa ibn Umayr al-Hanafi saw Uthman ibn Affan at al-Arj, and he was covering his face while in ihram.

I rode behind Allah's Apostle from `Arafat and when Allah's Apostle reached the mountain pass on the left side which is before Al-Muzdalifa he made his camel kneel and then urinated, and then I poured water for his ablution. He performed light ablution and then I said to him: (Is it the time for) the prayer, O Allah's Apostle!" He replied, "The (place of) prayer is ahead of you (i.e. at Al- Muzdalifa)." So Allah's Apostle rode till he reached Al-Muzdalifa and then he offered the prayer (there) . Then in the morning (10th Dhul-Hijja) Al-Faql (bin `Abbas) rode behind Allah's Apostle. Kuraib, (a sub-narrator) said that `Abdullah bin `Abbas narrated from Al-Fadl, "Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) kept on reciting Talbiya (during the journey) till he reached the Jamra." (Jamrat-Al-`Aqaba)

I asked Anas bin Malik regarding Al-Qunut during the prayer. Anas replied, "Yes (Al-Qunut was said by the Prophet in the prayer)." I said, "Is it before Bowing or after Bowing?" Anas replied, "(It was said) before (Bowing)." I said, "So-and-so informed me that you told him that it was said after Bowing." Anas replied, "He was mistaken, for Allah's Apostle said Al-Qunut after Bowing for one month. The Prophet had sent some people called Al-Qurra who were seventy in number, to some pagan people who had concluded a peace treaty with Allah's Apostle . But those who had concluded the treaty with Allah's Apostle violated the treaty (and martyred all the seventy men). So Allah's Apostle said Al-Qunut after Bowing (in the prayer) for one month, invoking evil upon them.

The Prophet said, "The prayer in congregation is twenty five times superior to the prayer offered by person alone."

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.' "

The Prophet forbade two kinds of dresses and two kinds of bargains; Ishtimal As-Samma and Al- Ihtiba in one garment with no part of it covering one's private parts. (The two kinds of bargains were:) Al-Mulamasa and Al-Munabadha.

My father said, "The Prophet uses to recite Al-Fatiha followed by another Sura in the first two rak`at of the prayer and used to recite only Al-Fatiha in the last two rak`at of the Zuhr prayer. Sometimes a verse or so was audible and he used to prolong the first rak`a more than the second and used to do the same in the `Asr and Fajr prayers."

Ziyad ibn Ilaqah said: Al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah led us in prayer and he stood up at the end of two rak'ahs. We said: Glory be to Allah; he also said: Glory be to Allah, and he proceeded. When he finished the prayer and gave the salutation, he made two prostrations of forgetfulness. When he turned (to us) he said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (saws) doing so as I did.

Abu Dawud said: Ibn Abi Laila narrated this tradition in a similar manner from al-Shaibi from al-Mughirah b. Shu'bah. Abu 'Umais narrated it from Thabit b. 'Ubaid saying: "Al-Mughirah b. Shu'bah led us in prayer, like the tradition reported by Ziyad b. 'Illaqah.

Abu Dawud said: Abu 'Umais is the brother of al-Mas'udi. And Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas did the same as done by al-Mughirah, 'Imran b. Husain, Dahhak b. Qais and Mu'awiyah b. Abi Sufyan. Ibn 'Abbas and 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz issued legel verdict to the same effect.

Abu Dawud said: This applies to a person who stands up at the end of two rak'ahs and males prostration after giving the salutation.

Uthman offered complete prayer at Mina for the sake of bedouins who attended (hajj) in large numbers that year. He led the people four rak'ahs in prayer in order to teach them that the prayer (i.e. noon or afternoon prayer) essentially contained four rak'ahs.

Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever could get one rak`a (of the Fajr prayer) before sunrise, he has got the (morning) prayer and whoever could get one rak`a of the `Asr prayer before sunset, he has got the (`Asr) prayer."

A dead person was brought to the Prophet so that he might lead the funeral prayer for him. He asked, "Is he in debt?" When the people replied in the negative, he led the funeral prayer. Another dead person was brought and he asked, "Is he in debt?" They said, "Yes." He (refused to lead the prayer and) said, "Lead the prayer of your friend." Abu Qatada said, "O Allah's Apostle! I undertake to pay his debt." Allah's Apostle then led his funeral prayer.

Abu Dawud said: In this way Hashim al-dastawa’I transmitted it from Qatadah, but he said : “If anyone memorizes the closing verses of surat al-Kahf.” Shu’bah narrated from Qatadah the words “from the end of al-Kahf.

`Umar came cursing the disbelievers (of Quraish) on the day of Al-Khandaq (the battle of Trench) and said, "I could not offer the `Asr prayer till the sun had set. Then we went to Buthan and he offered the (`Asr) prayer after sunset and then he offered the Maghrib prayer.

The Prophet used to offer the prayer earlier if it was very cold; and if it was very hot he used to delay the prayer, i.e. the Jumua prayer.

I saw Rifa`a bin Rafi` Al-Ansari who was a Badr warrior.

The Messenger of Allah (saws), AbuBakr and Umar burned the belongings of anyone who had been dishonest about booty and beat him.

Abu Dawud said: 'Ali b. Bahr added on the authority of al-Walid, and I did not hear (a tradition) from him: And they denied him his share."

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been transmitted by al-Walid b. 'Utbah from 'Abd al-Wahhab b. Najdah; They said: This has been transmitted by al-Walid, from Zuhair b. Muhammad, from 'Amr b. Shu'aib. 'Abd al-Wahhab b. Najdah al-Huti did not mention the words "He denied him his share" (as narrated by 'Ali b. Bahr from al-Walid).

Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Marwazi said: The correct chain of this tradition is: 'Ali b. al-Mubarak, from Yahya b. Abi Kathir, from Muhammad b. al-Zubair, from his father, on the authority of 'Imran b. Husain from the Prophet (saws)

Abu Dawud said: By this he (al-Marwazi) means that the narrator Sulaiman b. Arqam had some misunderstanding about this tradition. Al-Zuhri narrated it from him and then transmitted it (omitting his name) from Abu Salamah on the authority of 'Aishah.

Abu Dawud said: Baqiyyah has transmitted it from al-Auza'i from Yahya, from Muhammad b. al-Zubair with a similar chain of Ibn al-Mubarak.

Abu Dawud said: Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, Ibn al-Zubair and Ibn ‘Umar hold the opinion that whoever gets an odd number of the rak’ahs of prayer, he should perform two prostrations on account of forgetfulness.

Abu Dawud said: It has also been narrated by Abu al-Walid al-Tayalisi, but I did not hear him. He reported it from 'Aishah through a different chain of narrators. 'Aishah said: Zainab daughter of Jahsh had a prolonged flow of blood. The Prophet (saws) said to her: Take bath for every prayer. The narrator then reported the tradition (in full).

Abu Dawud said: The version transmitted by 'Abd al-Samad from Sulaiman b. Kathir has: "Perform ablution for every prayer." This is a misunderstanding on the part of 'Abd al-Samad. The correct version is the one narrated by Abu al-Walid.

Allah's Apostle said, "If anyone of you can get one rak`a of the `Asr prayer before sunset, he should complete his prayer. If any of you can get one rak`a of the Fajr prayer before sunrise, he should complete his prayer."

Some people performed Tawaf (of the Ka`ba) after the morning prayer and then sat to listen to a preacher till sunrise, and then they stood up for the prayer. Then Aisha commented, "Those people kept on sitting till it was the time in which the prayer is disliked and after that they stood up for the prayer."