Nafi’ told how Ibn ‘Umar used to say, “He who puts his forehead on the ground should put the palms of his hands on the place where he put his forehead, then when he raises himself he should raise them, for the hands perform prostration just as the face does.” Malik transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that when God’s Messenger sat at the tashahhud1 he placed his left hand on his left knee and his right hand on his right knee, counted fifty-three on his knuckles,2 and pointed with the forefinger. A version says that when he sat during the prayer he placed his hands on his knees and raised his right finger which is next to the thumb making supplication in this way, while keeping his left hand spread out on his left knee. 1. Tashahhud means to say the words in the prayers beginning with at-tahiyat lillah. Cf. Chapter 9a 2. This refers to a method of counting on the fingers. In the position indicated the forefinger is full out and the thumb and other fingers are clenched. Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. az-Zubair said that when God’s Messenger sat making supplication he placed his right hand on his right thigh and his left hand on his left thigh, pointed with his forefinger, placed his thumb on his middle finger, and covered his knee with the palm of his left hand. Muslim transmitted it.

When we prayed with the Prophet we said,* “Peace be to God before it is supplicated for His servants; peace be to Gabriel; peace be to Michael; peace be to so and so.” When the Prophet finished he turned his face to us and said: Do not say, “Peace be to God”, for God Himself is Peace. When one of you sits during the prayer he should say, “The adorations of the tongue, acts of worship and all good things are due to God. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and God’s mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and upon God’s upright servants (for when he says that it reaches every upright servant in heaven and earth). I testify that there is no god but God, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.” Then he may choose any supplication which pleases him and offer it. * I.e. at the tashahhud. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

God’s Messenger used to teach us the tashahhud just as he would teach us a sura of the Qur’an, and would say, “The blessed adorations of the tongue, acts of worship and all good things are due to God. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and God’s mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and upon God’s upright servants. I testify that there is no god but God, and I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger.’’ Muslim transmitted it. In the two Sahihs and in al-Jam' bain as-Sahihain I did not find “Peace be upon you” and “Peace be upon us” without the definite article, but the author of al-Jami' transmitted it that way from Tirmidhi.

Wa’il b. Hujr said concerning God’s Messenger, “Then he sat, stretched out his left foot [to sit on it], placed his left hand on his left thigh, put the tip of his right elbow on his right thigh, joined two fingers, 1 formed a ring, 2 then raised his finger, 3 and I saw him moving it and making supplication at the same time.” 1. i.e the little finger and the ring finger. 2. i.e with the thumb and the middle finger. 3. i.e the forefinger. Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. az-Zubair said that the Prophet used to point with his [fore] finger when he made supplication, but did not move it. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it, Abu Dawud adding that he kept his look fixed on the finger he was pointing.

Abu Huraira told how when a man was making supplication using two of his fingers, God’s Messenger said, “Use one, use one.” It is transmitted by Tirmidhi and Nasa’i and by Baihaqi in [Kitab] ad-da'awat al kabir.

Ibn ‘Umar said God’s Messenger forbade that a man should sit during prayer leaning on his hand. Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it, and in a version by Abu Dawud it says he forbade that a man should lean on his hands when he got up during the prayer.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said that in the first two rak'as the Prophet was as though he were on heated stones till he got up.* *A figurative phrase to express the shortening of the sitting during the tashahhud. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

God’s Messenger used to teach us the tashahhud just as he would teach us a sura of the Qur’an, saying, “In the name of God and with His grace. The adorations of the tongue, acts of worship and all good things are due to God. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and God’s mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and upon God’s upright servants. I testify that there is no god but God, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. I ask God for paradise, and I seek refuge in God from hell.” Nasa’i transmitted it.

Nafi‘ said that when ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar sat during the prayer he placed his hands on his knees, pointed with his finger and gave his whole attention to it. He then said that God’s Messenger had said, “It has a more severe effect on the devil than iron,” meaning the forefinger. Ahmad transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud used to say, “It pertains to the sunna to repeat the tashahhud quietly.” Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said this is a hasan gharib tradition.

We asked God’s Messenger this question, “How is blessing to be invoked on you who belong to the prophetic family? God has taught us [only] how to salute you.” He told us to say, “O God, bless Muhammad and Muhammad’s family as Thou didst bless Abraham and Abraham’s family. Thou art indeed praiseworthy and glorious. O God, grant favours to Muhammad and Muhammad’s family as Thou didst grant favours to Abraham and Abraham’s family. Thou art indeed praiseworthy and glorious.” (Bukhari and Muslim, but Muslim did not mention Abraham in the two places.)

Abu Humaid as-Sa‘idi said that when some people asked God’s Messenger how they should invoke blessings on him he told them to say, “O God, bless Muhammad, his wives and his offspring as Thou didst bless Abraham; and grant favours to Muhammad, his wives and his offspring as Thou didst grant favours to the family of Abraham. Thou art indeed praiseworthy and glorious.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone invokes blessing on me once, God will bless him ten times.” Muslim transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone invokes a blessing on me once, God will grant him ten blessings, ten sins will be remitted from him, and he will be raised ten degrees.” Nasa’i transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The one who will be nearest me on the day of resurrection will be the one who invoked most blessings on me.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

He also reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God has angels who travel about in the earth and convey to me greetings from my people.” Nassa’i and Darimi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “No one will express a greeting to me without God restoring my spirit to me so that I may respond to his greeting.” It is transmitted by Abu Dawud and by Baihaqi in [Kitab] ad-da'awat al-kabir.

He reported that he had heard God’s Messenger say, “Do not turn your houses into graves,* and do not make my grave a place to gather as for visitation, but invoke blessings on me, for your blessing will reach me wherever you are.” *This is most probably a figurative expressive indicating that a house in which prayer is not offered is like a grave, as God is not worshipped there. Nasa’i transmitted it.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “May he be abased who does not invoke a blessing on me when I am mentioned in his presence. May he be abased who passes through the whole of Ramadan before his sins are forgiven him. May he be abased one or both of whose parents have reached old age without causing him to enter paradise.* *This means that he has shown them no kindness. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Gabriel came to me and told me that my Lord says, “Does it not please you, Muhammad, that none of your people will invoke a blessing on you without my blessing him ten times, and that none of your people will give you a greeting without my greeting him ten times?” Nasa’i and Darimi transmitted it.

Ubayy b. Ka'b said he told God’s Messenger that he frequently invoked blessings on him and asked how much of his prayer* he should devote to him. He replied that he might devote as much as he wished, and when he suggested a quarter he said, “Whatever you wish, but if you increase it that will be better for you.” He suggested a half and he replied, “Whatever you wish, but if you increase it that will be better for you.” He suggested two-thirds and he replied, “Whatever you wish, but if you increase it that will be better for you.” He then suggested devoting all his prayer to him and he replied, “Then you will be freed from care and your sin will be expiated.” * The word used is salat. It has been explained as referring here to the petitions (du’a) offered at the end of the salat. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Fadala b. ‘Ubaid said-that while God’s Messenger was sitting, a man entered and prayed aying, “O God, forgive me and show mercy to me.” God’s Messenger said, “You who are praying are in a hurry. When you pray and come to the point when you sit, you should worthily extol God’s praises, invoke blessing on me, and then make your supplication.” He said that afterwards another man prayed, extolling God’s praises and invoking a blessing on the Prophet, and the Prophet said to him, “You who are praying, if you make supplication you will receive an answer.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted something similar.

I was praying, and so was the Prophet accompanied by Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. When I sat I first extolled God’s praises then invoked blessings on the Prophet, then made supplication for myself, and the Prophet said, “If you ask you will be given it, if you ask you will be given it.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

If anyone would like to have the fullest measure granted him when he invokes blessings on us, the members of the prophetical family, he should say, “O God, bless Muhammad the ummi* prophet, his wives who are the mothers of the faithful, his offspring, and the people of his house as Thou didst bless the family of Abraham. Thou art indeed praiseworthy and glorious.” * This has commonly been explained as meaning “illiterate”, but it may mean “gentile”. Cf. Al-Qur’an; 7:157, 158. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Ali reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The niggardly one is the man in whose presence I am mentioned but who does not invoke a blessing on me.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Ahmad transmitted it from al-Husain b. ‘Ali. Tirmidhi said this is a hasan sahih gharib tradition.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone invokes a blessing on me at my grave I shall hear him, and if anyone invokes a blessing on me at a distance I shall have it conveyed to me.” Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu‘ab al-lman.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr said, “If anyone invokes blessing on the Prophet once God and His angels will grant him seventy blessings.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Ruwaih' reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone invokes a blessing on Muhammad saying, ‘O God, cause him to occupy the place near Thee on the day of resurrection’, he will be guaranteed my intercession.” Ahmad transmitted it.

God’s Messenger went out and entering among some palm trees prostrated himself so long that I was afraid God had taken his soul. I went and looked, and he raised his head and said, “What is the matter with you? I mentioned that to him, and he told me that Gabriel had come and given him the good news that God said, “If anyone invokes one blessing on you I will bless him, and if anyone greets you I will greet him.” Ahmad transmitted it.

‘Umar b. al-Khattab said, “The supplication is stopped between heaven and earth, none of it ascending till you invoke blessing on your Prophet.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger used to make supplication during the prayer saying, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee from the punishment in the grave, I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of the antichrist, I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of life and the trial of death. O God, I seek refuge in Thee from sin and debt.” Someone said to him, “How often you seek refuge from debt!” He replied, “When a man is in debt he talks and tells lies, makes promises and breaks them.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

the punishment in jahannam, the punishment in the grave, the trial of life and death, and the evil of the antichrist.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that the Prophet used to teach them this prayer just as he used to teach them a sura of the Qur’an, telling them te say, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee from the punishment in jahannam, I seek refuge in Thee from the punishment in the grave, I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of the antichrist, and I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of life and death.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq said that he asked God’s Messenger to teach him a supplication to use in his prayer, and he told him to say, “O God, I have greatly wronged myself, and Thou alone canst forgive sins, so grant me forgiveness from Thee and show mercy to me. Thou art the forgiving and the merciful One.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Amir b. Sa'd quoted his father as saying that he used to see God’s Messenger giving the salutation* to his right and his left, so that he could see the whiteness of his cheek. *1. I.e. pronouncing the taslim. Muslim transmitted it.

Samura b. Jundub said, “When God’s Messenger had prayed a prayer he turned and faced us.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas said that when the Prophet went away* he turned to his right. *i.e. at the end of the salat. Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said, “None of you must give the devil any place in his prayer, thinking it is his duty when he leaves to turn only to his right. I have often seen God’s Messenger turning to his left when he went away.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

When we prayed behind God’s Messenger we liked to be on his right side so that he would turn his face towards us. He said that he had heard him say, ‘My Lord, guard me from Thy punishment on the day Thou raisest (or, gatherest) Thy servants.” Muslim transmitted it.

Umm Salama said that in the time of God’s Messenger, when the women gave the salutation at the end of the prescribed prayer they got up and departed, but God’s Messenger and the men who prayed remained where they were as long as God wished. Then when God’s Messenger got up the men did so also. Bukhari transmitted it.

We shall mention the tradition of Jabir b. Samura in the chapter on laughing (Book 24; Ch. 7a) if God wills.

Mu'adh b. Jabal said that God’s Messenger took him by the hand and said, “I love you, Mu'adh,” to which he replied, “And I love you, Messenger of God.” He then told him not to omit to say at the end of every prayer, “My Lord, help me to remember Thee, thank Thee, and worship Thee acceptably.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it, but Abu Dawud did not mention that Mu‘adh said, “And I love you.”

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said that God’s Messenger used to turn to the right when giving the salutation, “Peace and God’s mercy be upon you,” so that the whiteness of his right cheek could be seen; also to the left when giving the salutation, “Peace and God’s mercy be upon you,” so that the whitness of his left cheek could be seen. Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it, but Tirmidhi did not mention, “So that the whiteness of his cheek could be seen.” Ibn Majah transmitted it from ‘Ammar b. Yasir.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said that the Prophet most commonly turned to his left after his prayer, going to his room. [Baghawi] transmitted it in Sharh as-sunna.

‘Ata’al-Khurasani quoted al-Mughira as stating that God’s Messenger said, “The imam should not pray in the same place as he occupied previously in prayer, but should change his position.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, but said that ‘Ata’ al-Khurasani was not alive in al-Mughira’s lifetime.

Anas said that the Prophet urged them to pray and forbade them to leave after prayer before he did. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Shaddad b. Aus said that God's Messenger used to say in his prayer, “O God, I ask Thee for steadfastness in carrying out what I am commanded and resolution in following right guidance. I ask Thee to make me grateful for Thy favour and to enable me to worship Thee acceptably. I ask Thee for a sound heart and a truthful tongue. I ask Thee for some of the good of what Thou knowest, I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of what Thou knowest, and I ask Thy forgiveness for what Thou knowest.” Nasa’i transmitted it, and Ahmad transmitted something similar.