I saw that Walid was brought to Uthmin b. 'Affan as he had prayed two rak'ahs of the dawn prayer, and then he said: I make an increase for you. And two men bore witness against him. One of them was Humran who said that he had drunk wine. The second one gave witness that he had seen him vomiting. Uthman said: He would not have vomited (wine) unless he had drunk it. He said: 'Ali, stand up and lash him. 'Ali said: Hasan, stand up and lash him. Thereupon Hasan said: Let him suffer the heat (of Caliphate) who has enjoyed its coolness. ('Ali felt annoyed at this remark) and he said: 'Abdullah b. Ja'far, stand up and flog him, and he began to flog him and 'Ali counted the stripes until these were forty. He (Hadrat 'Ali) said: Stop now, and then said: Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) gave forty stripes, and Abu Bakr also gave forty stripes, and Umar gave eighty stripes, and all these fall under the category of the Sunnab, but this one (forty stripes) is dearer to me.

The Prophet (saws) intended to do many things for calling (the people) to prayer, but he did not do any of them. Then Abdullah ibn Zayd was taught in a dream how to pronounce the call to prayer. He came to the Prophet (saws) and informed him. He said: Teach it to Bilal. He then taught him, and Bilal made a call to prayer. Abdullah said: I saw it in a dream and I wished to pronounce it, but he (the Prophet) said: You should pronounce iqamah.

I offered prayer behind the Messenger of Allah (saws). Rifa'ah sneezed. The narrator Qutaybah did not mention the name Rifa'ah (but he said: I sneezed). So I said: Praise be to Allah, praise much, good and blessed therein, blessed thereupon, as our Lord likes and is pleased. When the Messenger of Allah (saws) finished his prayer, he turned and said: Who was the speaker in prayer? He then narrated the rest of the tradition like that of Malik and completed it.

Ilyas ibn AbuRamlah ash-Shami said: I witnessed Mu'awiyah ibn AbuSufyan asking Zayd ibn Arqam: Did you offer along with the Messenger of Allah (saws) the Friday and 'Id prayers synchronised on the same day? He said: Yes. He asked: How did he do? He replied: He offered the 'Id prayer, then granted concession to offer the Friday prayer, and said: If anyone wants to offer it, he may offer.

The Prophet (saws) said: Prayer is to be offered in two rak'ahs; and you should recite the tashahhud at the end of two rak'ahs, and express your distress and humility and raise your hands and say praying: O Allah, O Allah. He who does not do so does not offer a perfect prayer.

Abu Dawud was asked about offering prayer at night in two rak'ahs. He said: They may be two if you like and four if you like.

The Prophet (saws) said: The key of prayer is purification; takbir (saying "Allah is most great") makes (all acts which break prayer) unlawful and taslim (uttering the salutation) makes (all such acts) lawful.

(the Prophet, sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam ) as saying : Were it not that I might oeverburdern the believers, I would order them to delay the night ('isha ) prayer and use the tooth-stick at the time of every prayer.

We used to think that the middle prayer was Fajr prayer. Then `Ali (رضي الله عنه) told us that on the day of al-Ahzab they fought and were distracted from ‘Asr prayer. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: `O Allah, fill their graves with fire - or fill their bellies with fire - as they kept us from the middle prayer.` Then on that day we realised that the middle prayer was ’Asr prayer.

We used to estimate how long the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) stood in the noon and the afternoon prayer, and we estimated that he stood in the first two rak’ahs of the noon prayer as long as it takes to recite thirty verses (of the Qur’an), such as A-L-M Tanzil al-Sajdah. And we estimated that he stood in the last two rak’ahs half the time he stood in the first two rak’ahs. We estimated that he stood in the first two rak’ahs of the afternoon prayer as long as he did in the last two at noon; and we estimated that he stood in the last two rak’ahs of the afternoon prayer half the time he did in first two.

Another version of the above tradition adds: The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Go away from this place of yours where inadvertence took hold of you. He then commanded Bilal who called for prayer and announced that the prayer in congregation was ready (i.e. he uttered the iqamah) and he observed prayer.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Malik, Sufyan b. 'Uyainah, al-Awza'i, and 'Abd al-Razzaq from Ma'mar and Ibn Ishaq, none of them made a mention of the call for prayer (adman) in this version of the tradition narrated by al-Zuhri, and none of them attribute (this tradition) to him except al-Awza'i and Aban al-'Attar on the authority of Ma'mar.

The Prophet (PBUH) used to perform his voluntary prayer at night (i.e., Tahajjud prayer) while she was sleeping in front of him; and when the Witr prayer was yet to be observed, he would awaken her to perform her Witr prayer.

[Muslim].

Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Habban asked Abdullah ibn Abdullah ibn Umar about the reason for Ibn Umar's performing ablution for every prayer, whether he was with or without ablution.

He replied: Asma', daughter of Zayd ibn al-Khattab, reported to me that Abdullah ibn Hanzalah ibn AbuAmir narrated to her that the Messenger of Allah (saws) was earlier commanded to perform ablution for every prayer whether or not he was with ablution.

When it became a burden for him, he was ordered to use tooth-stick for every prayer. As Ibn Umar thought that he had the strength (to perform the ablution for every prayer), he did not give up performing ablution for every prayer.

Abu Dawud said: Ibrahim b. Sa'd narrated this tradition on the authority of Muhammad b. Ishaq, and there he mentions the name of 'Ubaid Allah b. 'Abd Allah (instead of 'Abd Allah b. 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar)

Sa'd ibn Hisham said: I came to Medina and called upon Aisha, and said to her: Tell me about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

She said: The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to lead the people in the night prayer, and then go to his bed and sleep. When midnight came he got up, went to answer the call of nature and to perform ablution with water. Having performed ablution, he entered the mosque and prayed eight rak'ahs.

To my mind he performed the recitation of the Qur'an, bowing and prostrating equally. He then observed witr with one rak'ah and prayed two rak'ahs sitting. Then he lay down on the ground. Sometimes Bilal came to him and called him for prayer. He then dozed, and sometimes I doubted whether he dozed or not, till he (Bilal) called him for prayer.

This is the prayer he offered till he grew old or put on weight. She then mentioned how he put on weight as Allah wished.

Prayer said by a man in congregation is twenty five degrees more excellent than prayer said by him alone in his house or in the market. This is because when any of you performs ablution and does it perfectly, and goes out to the mosque having no intention except praying, and nothing moves him except prayer, then at every step which he takes his rank is elevated by one degree on account of this (walking), and one sin is remitted from him for this (walking), till he enters the mosque. When he enters the mosque, he will be reckoned as praying as long as he will be detained by the prayer. The angels keep on invoking blessing on any of you so long as he remains seated in the place he prayer, saying: O Allah, forgive him; O Allah, have mercy on him; O Allah, accept his repentance so long as he does not harm anyone, or breaks his ablution.

"While the Messenger of Allah (SAW) was sitting with us around him, a man came in, turned towards the Qiblah and prayed. When he had finished his prayer, he came and greeted the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and the people with Salam. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said to him: 'And also to you. Go and pray, for you have not prayed.' So he went and prayed, and the Messenger of Allah (SAW) started watching him, and he (the man) did not know what was wrong with it. When he had finished the prayer, he came and greeted the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and the people with salam. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said to him: 'And also to you. Go and pray, for you have not prayed.' He repeated it two or three times, then the man said: 'O Messenger of Allah, what is wrong with my prayer?' The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: 'The prayer of any of you is not complete unless he performs wudu properly as enjoined by Allah, the Mighty and Sublime. So he should wash his face, his arms up to the elbows, and wipe his head, and (wash) his feet up to the ankles. Then he should magnify Allah (SWT) and praise Him and glorify Him.'" - (One of the narrators) Hammam said: "I heard him say: 'He should praise Allah and glorify Him and magnify Him." He said: "I heard both of them." -"He (the Prophet (SAW)) said: 'He should recite whatever is easy for him of the Quran that Allah has taught him and permitted him in it (the prayer). Then he should say the Takbir and bow until his joints settle and he is relaxed. Then he should say: 'Sami Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears the one who praises Him)' and stand up straight until his backbone is straight (and at ease). Then he should say Takbir and prostrate until he has placed his face firmly on the ground." "I heard him say: his forehead, until his joints settle and he is relaxed. Then he should say the Takbir and sit up until his backbone is straight (and at ease). Then he should prostrate until he has placed his face firmly on the ground and he is relaxed. If he does not do that then he has not completed his prayer."

"I entered upon Aisha and said: 'Will you not tell me about the sickness of the Messenger of Allah (saws)?' She said: 'When the Messenger of Allah (saws), became seriously ill, he said: "Have the people prayed?" We said: "No, they are waiting for you, 0 Messenger of Allah (saws)" He said: "Put some water in a tub for me." We did that and he performed Ghusl, then he tried to get up but he fainted. Then he came to us and said: "Have the people prayed?" We said: "No, they are waiting for you, 0 Messenger of Allah (saws)." He said: "Put some water in a tub for me." We did that and he performed Ghusl, then he tried to get up but he fainted. Then for the third time he said the same thing. She said: The people were in the Masjid, waiting for the Messenger of Allah (saws) to lead the prayer. The Messenger of Allah (saws) sent word to Abu Bakr, telling him to lead the people in prayer, so the messenger came to him and said: "The Messenger of Allah (saws) is telling you to lead the people in prayer." Abu Bakr was a tenderhearted man, he said: "0 'Umar. lead the in prayer." But ('Umar) said: "You have more right to that." So Abu Bakr led them in prayer during those days. When the Messenger of Allah (saws) felt a little better, he came with the help of two men, one of whom was Al-'Abbas, to pray Zuhr. When Abu Bakr saw him, he wanted to step back, but the Messenger of Allah (saws) gestured to him not to step back. He told them (the two men) to seat him beside Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr started to pray standing. The people were following the prayer of Abu Bakr and the Messenger of Allah (saws) was praying sitting."' "I ('Ubaidullah) entered upon Ibn Abbas and said 'Shall I not tell you what Aisha narrated to me about the sickness of the Messenger of Allah (saws)?' He said: 'Yes.' So I told him and he did not deny any of it, but he said: 'Did she tell you the name of the man who was with Al-'Abbas?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'That was Ali, may Allah honor his face."'

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: "Whoever has doubt during his prayer, let him prostrate twice after he said the taslim."

"Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, enjoined the prayer on the tongue of your Prophet (SAW): While a resident four (rak'ahs), while traveling two, and at times of fear one."

"Ibn Umar said: "A man asked the Messenger of Allah (SAW) about prayer at night. He said: "Two by two, and if you fear that dawn will come, then one.'"

"Whoever prays twelve rak'ahs during the night and day apart from the prescribed prayers, Allah (SWT), the Mighty and Sublime, will build for him a house in Paradise."

"I do not know that the Messenger of Allah recited the whole Quran in one night, or prayed Qiyam until morning, or ever fasted an entire month, except Ramadan."

"I do not know that the Messenger of Allah recited the whole Quran in one night, or prayed Qiyam until morning, or ever fasted an entire month except Ramadan." '

"I had Sahur with Hudhaifah, then we went out to the Masjid. We prayed the two Rakahs of Fajr, then the Iqamah for prayer was made, and we prayed."

"I offered the funeral prayer with the Messenger of Allah for Umm kab who had died in childbirth, and the Messenger of Allah stood in line at her mid-section to pray."

the Messenger of Allah said: "Your brother has died, so get up and offer the funeral prayer for him." So we formed two rows for him."

The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: "Whoever stands (in he voluntary night prayer of) the Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven."

"The Messenger of Allah (saws) led me and a woman from my family in prayer. He made me to stand on his right and the woman to stand behind us."

"I never saw the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) combine any two prayers except in Al-Muzdalifah, and on that day he prayed Subh before its time."

It was narrated from 'Amr bin Shu'aib, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Prophet (PBUH) forbade sitting in circles on Friday before Jumu'ah prayer, and buying and selling in the Masjid.

' The time between these two is the time for prayer.'" [1] Meaning Fajr, the morning prayer. [2] The Fajr prayer was elongated because the Prophet recited at length during the prayer, so that it ended just before sunrise. That defined the end of the time for Fajr, as the beginning of the time was defined by the moment when he started the first Rak'ah.

"Words were exchanged between two clans of the Ansar, to the point that they began to throw rocks at one another. The Prophet [SAW] went to reconcile between them. The time for prayer came, so Bilal called Adhan and waited for the Messenger of Allah [SAW], but he was delayed. He said the Iqamah and Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, went forward (to lead the prayer). Then the Prophet [SAW] came while Abu Bakr was leading the people in prayer, and when the people saw him they clapped. Abu Bakr would not turn around when he was praying, but when he heard them clapping, he turned around and saw the Messenger of Allah [SAW]. He wanted to step back but (the Prophet [SAW]) gestured to him to stay where he was. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, raised his hands, then he moved backward and the Messenger of Allah [SAW] came forward and led (the rest of) the prayer. When the Messenger of Allah [SAW] finished praying, he said: 'What prevented you from staying where you were?' He said: 'I would not like Allah to see the son of Abu Quhafah standing in front of His Prophet.' Then he (the Prophet [SAW]) turned to the people and said: 'If you noticed something while you were praying, why did you clap? That is for women. Whoever notices something while he is praying, let him say: "Subhan Allah."

I was in the company of the Messenger of Allah (saws) in the expedition of Tabuk. He abandoned the main road before the dawn prayer, and I also did the same along with him. The Prophet (saws) made his camel kneel down and (went to ) relieve himself. He then came back and I poured water upon his hands from the skin-vessel. He then washed his hands and face. He tried to get his forearms out (of the gown), but the sleeves of the gown were too narrow, so he entered back both his hands, and brought them out from beneath the gown. He washed his forearms up to the elbows and wiped his head and wiped over his socks.80 He then mounted (his camel) and we began to proceed until we found people offering the prayer. They brought forward ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Awf who was leading them in prayer. The Prophet(saws) stood in the row side by side with other Muslims. He performed the second rak’ah of the prayer behind ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Awf. Then ‘Abd al-Rahman uttered salutation. The Prophet(saws) stood to perform the remaining rak’ah of the prayer. The Muslims were alarmed. They began to utter tasbih (Subhan Allah) presuming that they had offered prayer before the Prophet (saws) had done. When he uttered the salutation (i.e. finished his prayer), he said: You were right, or (he said) you did well.

The Prophet (saws) saw a person offering prayer, and on the back of his foot a small part equal to the space of a dirham remained unwashed; the water did not reach it. The Prophet (saws) commanded him to repeat the ablution and prayer.

I saw that the Messenger of Allah (saws) raised his hands when he began prayer, but he did not raise them until he finished (prayer).

Abu Dawud said: This tradition is not sound.

Nafi' said: Ibn Umar used to lengthen his prayer before the Friday prayer and would offer two rak'ahs after it in his house. He used to say that the Messenger of Allah (saws) would do that.

"A poor woman in Al-Awali fell sick and the Prophet used to ask them about her. He said: 'If she dies, do not bury her until I have offered the funeral prayer for her. She died and they brought her to Al-Madinah after dark, and they found that the Messenger of Allah had gone to sleep. They did not like to wake him up, so they offered the funeral prayer for her and buried her in Baqi' Al-Gharqab. The next morning they came and the Messenger of Allah asked them about her. They said: 'She has been buried, O Messenger of Allah. We came to you and found you sleeping, and we did not like to wake you up.' He said: 'let's go.' He set out walking and they went with him and showed him her grave. The Messenger of Allah stood and they formed rows behind him, and he offered the funeral prayer for her, saying the Takbir four times."

"We were with the Messenger of Allah (saws) when some of the people said: 'Why do you not stop with us to rest awhile, 0 Messenger of Allah (saws)?' He said: 'I am afraid that you will sleep and miss the prayer.' Bilal said:'I will wake you up.' So they lay down and slept, and Bilal leaned back on his mount. Then the Messenger of Allah (saws) woke up when the sun had already started to rise, and he said: '0 Bilal, what about what you told us?' He said: 'I have never slept like that before.' The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: 'Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, takes your souls when He wills and sends them back when He wills.' Stand up 0 Bilal and call the people to prayer.' Then Bilal stood up and & called the Adhan, and they performed Wudu' - that is, when the sun had risen (fully) - "then he stood and lead them in prayer."

The Prophet (PBUH) never omitted four Rak'ah prayer before the Zuhr prayer and two Rak'ah prayers before dawn (Fajr) prayer.

[Al- Bukhari].

"The Messenger of Allah (SAW) led us in praying 'Asr, and he said the salam after two rak'ahs. Dhul-Yadain stood up and said: 'Has the prayer been shortened, O Messenger of Allah (SAW) or did you forget?' The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: 'Neither.' He said: 'One of them happened, O Messenger of Allah (SAW).' The Messenger of Allah (SAW) turned to the people and said: 'Is Dhul-Yadain speaking the truth?' They said: 'Yes.' So the Messenger of Allah (SAW) completed what was left of the prayer, then he prostrated twice when he was sitting after the taslim."

"The Prophet (SAW) delivered a Khutbah on the day of An-Nahr and said: 'The first thing we start with on this day of ours is the prayer, then we offer sacrifice. Whoever does that, he has followed our sunnah, but whoever slaughtered (his sacrifice) before the (prayer), that is just meat that he gave to his family. Abu Burdah bin Niyar had slaughtered his sacrifice and he said: 'O Messenger of Allah (SAW), I have a Jadha'ah that is better than a Musinnah.' He said: 'Slaughter it (as a sacrifice), but that will not be sufficient for anyone else (as a sacrifice) after you.'"

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to go out to the prayer place on the day of Al-Fitr and the day of Al-Adha and lead the people in prayer. When he sat during the second rak'ah and said the taslim, he stood up and turned to face the people while the people were sitting. If he needed to mention something concerning the dispatch of an army he would tell the people, otherwise he would enjoin the people to give charity. He said: "Give charity" three times, and among those who gave the most charity were the women.

"Whoever spends on a pair (of things) in the cause of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, he will be called in Paradise: 'O slave of Allah, here is prosperity, Whoever is one of the people of Salah, he will be called from the gate of salah. Whoever is on of the people of charity, he will be called from the gate of Ar-Rayyan.' Abu Bakr As-Siddiq said: 'O Messenger of Allah, no distress or need will befall the one who is called from those gates. Will there be anyone who will be called from all these gates?' The Messenger of Allah said: 'Yes, and I hope that you will be one of them."'

"Tell me of the best thing you heard about the month of Ramadan." Abu Salamah said: "Abdur-Rahman bin 'Awf told me that the Messenger of Allah mentioned Ramadan and said that it is superior to other months, and he said: 'Whoever spends the nights of Ramadan in prayer (Qiyam) out of faith and in the hope of reward, he will emerge from his sins as on the day his mother bore him."'(Daif) Abu 'Abdur-Rahman (An-Nasai) said: This is a mistake, and what is correct is "Abu Salamah, from Abu Hurairah."

"Abu Al-Malih led us in offering the funeral prayer and we thought that he had said the Takbir, but he turned to us and said: 'Make you rows straight and intercede properly.' Abu Al-Malih said: Abdullah - meaning Ibn Salit-narrated to me that one of the Mothers of the believes, Maimunah the wife of the Prophet, said: The Prophet told me: There is no deceased person for whom a group of people offers the funeral prayer, but their intercession for him will be accepted.' I asked Abu Al-Malih about the (number of that) group and he said: 'Forty."'

"I was with Mu'awiyah when the Mu'adhdhin called the Adhan. Muawiyah said what the Mu'adhdhin said, but when he said: 'Hayya 'alas-salah (come to prayer),' he said: 'La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah (There is no power and no strength except with Allah);' and when he said: 'Hayya 'alal-falah (come to prosperity),' he said: 'La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah (There is no power and no strength except with Allah).' After that he said what the Mu'adhdhin said, then he said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) saying exactly like that.'"

If anyone hears him who makes the call to prayer and is not prevented from joining the congregation by any excuse--he was asked what an excuse consisted of and replied that it was fear or illness--the prayer he offers will not be accepted from him.

Ata' ibn AbuRabah asked Aisha: Can women offer prayer on a riding beast? She replied: They were not permitted to do so in hardship or comfort. Muhammad ibn Shu'ayb said: This (prohibition) applies to the obligatory prayers.

'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) reported the Messenger of Allah (saws) as saying on the day of Battle of Khandaq (Trench). They (the unbelievers) prevented us from offering the middle prayer i.e. 'Asr prayer. May Allah fill their houses and their graves with Hell-fire.

By Allah, I shall offer prayer like that of the Messenger of Allah (saws). The narrator said: Abu Hurairah used to recite the supplication in the last rak'ah of the noon, night and dawn prayers. He would supplicate for the believers and curse the disbelievers.

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Everyone among you will be deemed to be occupied in Salat (prayer) constantly so long as Salat (the prayer) detains him (from worldly concerns), and nothing prevents him from returning to his family but Salat."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].