that when the Muaddhin fell silent following the call to Subh prayer and dawn had broken, he would pray two brief rak'ahs before getting up to pray.

"The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: 'Allah does not accept Salah without purification, nor charity from Ghulul.'" [1] [1] That which is taken from the spoils of war prior to their distribution.

"I came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) with a cousin of mine" - once he said, "with a friend of mine" - and he said: 'When you travel, call the Adhan and Iqamah, and let the older of you lead the prayer.'"

"Umm Habibah bint Jahsh asked the Messenger of Allah (PBUH): 'O Messenger of Allah, I suffer from Istihadah.' He said: 'That is a vein, so perform Ghusl, then pray.' And she used to perform Ghusl for each prayer."

"Abu Al-Malih narrated to me: 'We were with Buraidah on a cloudy day and he said: "Pray early, for the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: 'Whoever abandons Salat Al-'Asr, his good deeds will perish.'"

the Messenger of Allah offered the sacrifice obn the Day of Sacrifice in Al-Madinah. He said: "if he did not offer the Nahr (sacrifice a camel) he would have offered Dhabihah (Sacrificed a sheep) at the prayer place."

"Sayyar bin Salamah, narrated to us, he said: 'I heard my father ask Abu Barzah about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).' I said: 'Did you really hear him?' He said: 'As I can hear you now.' He said: 'I heard my father ask about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).' He said: 'He would not mind if he delayed it - meaning 'Isha' until midnight, and he did not like to sleep before it or speak after it.'" Shu'bah said: "Then I met him later on and asked him. He said: 'He used to pray Zauhr when the sun had passed its zenith, and (he would pray) 'Asr and a man could walk to the farthest point in Al-Madinah and the sun would still be clear and hot. And Maghrib, I do not know the time he mentioned.' After that I met him and asked him, and he said: 'He used to pray Fajr then after the prayer a man could regarding it, sitting next to him, look at the face of someone he knew and he could recognize it.' He said: 'And he used to recite in it between sixty and one hundred (verses).'"

"A man came to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and asked him about the times of prayer. He said: 'Stay with us for these two days.' Then he told Bilal to say the Iqamah at dawn and he prayed Fajr. Then he told him to do that when the sun had passed its zenith and he prayed Zuhr. Then he told him to do that when the sun was still bright, and he said the Iqamah for 'Asr. Then he told him to do that when the last part of the sun had dissapeared, and he said the Iqamah for Maghrib. Then he told him to do that when the twilight had disappeared and he said the Iqamah for 'Isha'. The following day, he prayed Fajr when there was light, then he delayed Zuhr until it was cooler, and waited until it was much cooler before praying 'Asr but the sun was still clear, so he prayed 'Asr later than on the first day. Then he prayed Maghrib before the twilight disappeared. Then he told him to say the Iqamah for 'Isha' when one-third of the night had passed, and he prayed, then he said: 'Where is the one who was asking about the times of prayer? The times of your prayer are between the times you have seen.'"

"The Messenger of Allah (SAW) was leading us in prayer when a man came and entered the masjid, and he was out of breath. He said: 'Allahu Akbar, al-hamdulillahi hamdan kathiran tayiban mubarakan fih. (Allah is Most Great, praise be to Allah, much good and blessed praise.)' When the Messenger of Allah (SAW) had finished his prayer he said: 'Which of you is the one who spoke these words?' The people kept quiet. He said: 'He did not say anything bad.' The man said: 'I did, O Messenger of Allah. I came and I was out of breath, and I said it.' The Prophet (SAW) said: 'I saw twelve angels rushing to see which of them would take it up.'"

A man came to the Prophet of Allah (SAW) and said: "How should we send blessings upon you, O Prophet of Allah?' He said: 'Say: Alahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala ali Muhammad, kama sallaita 'ala Ibrahima wa barik 'ala Muhammad kama barakta 'ala ali Ibrahim fil-'alamin, innaka hamidun majid (O Allah, send salah upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent salah upon the family of Ibrahim, and send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad as You sent blessings upon the family of Ibrahim among the nations. You are indeed Worthy of praise, Full of glory.)'"

"I heard the Messenger of Allah say" 'Whoever spends on a pair of things in the cause of Allah, he will be called from the gates of Paradise: O slave of Allah, this is good for you. Paradise had (several) gates. Whoever is one of the people of Salah, he will be called from the gate of prayer. Whoever is one of the people of Jihad, will be called from the gate of Jihad. Whoever is one of the people of charity will be called from the gate of charity. And whoever is one of the people of fasting will be called from the gate of Ar-Rayyan." Abu Bakr said: "Is there any need for anyone to be called from all of these gates? Will anyone be called from all of them, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "Yes, and I hope that you will be among them."

"Ziyad delayed the prayer, then Ibn Samit came to me and I gave him a chair and he sat on it. I told him what Ziyad had done and he bit his lip (in disapproval), and he struck me on the thigh and said: 'I asked Abu Dharr the same question you asked me, and he struck me on the thigh as I struck you on the thigh and said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (saws) the same question as you have asked me and he struck me on the thigh as I have struck you on the thigh and said: Offer the prayer on time, and if you catch up with them, then pray with them, and do not say: 'I have already prayed so I will not pray(now)."'

"I went out with 'Abdullah bin 'Umar on a journey to some of his land. Then someone came to him and said: 'Safiyyah bint Abi 'Ubaid is sick, try to get there before it is too late.' He set out quickly, accompanied by a man of the Quraish. The sun set but he did not pray, although I knew him to be very careful about praying on time. When he slowed down I said: 'The prayer, may Allah have mercy on you.' He turned to me but carried on until the twilight was almost gone, then he stopped and prayed Maghrib, then he said the Iqamah for 'Isha', at that time the twilight had totally disappeared and led us in prayer. Then he turned to us and said: 'If the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was in a hurry to travel he would do this.'"

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "How is it that some people raise their eyes towards the sky during As-Salat (the prayer)?" He stressed (this point) and added, "People must refrain from raising their eyes towards heaven in Salat (prayer), or else their sights will certainly be snatched away."

[Al-Bukhari].

(This verse means) the prayer and vigil at night.

I attended the 'Id (prayer) along with 'Umar. He offered prayer before the sermon. He then said: The Messenger of Allah (saws) prohibited fasting on these two days. As regards Id al-Adha, you eat the meat of your sacrificial animals. As for 'Id al-Fitr, you break (i.e. end) your fast.

He would recite Fatihat al-kitab in the last two surahs. Hammam added: He would prolong the first rak’ah but would not prolong the second so much; and he did so similarly in the afternoon prayer, and so in the morning prayer.

We used to salute the Messenger of Allah(may peace be upon him) while he was engaged in prayer and he would respond to our salutation, but when we returned from the Negas, we saluted him and he did not respond to us. He said : Prayer demands one’s whole attention.

Yazid ibn Khumayr ar-Rahbi said: Abdullah ibn Busr, the Companion of the Messenger of Allah (saws) came out along with the people on the day of the breaking of the fast or on the day of sacrifice (to offer the prayer). He disliked the delay of the imam, and said: We would finish (our 'Id prayer) at this moment, that is, at the time of forenoon.

The Prophet (saws) said about the woman having a prolonged flow of blood: She should abandon prayer during her menstrual period: then she should take a bath and pray. She should perform ablution for every prayer.

Abu Dawud said: 'Uthman added: She should keep fast and pray.

The Prophet (saws) said: It is necessary for every adult (person) to go for (saying) Friday (prayer), and for everyone who goes for Friday (prayer) washing is necessary.

Abu Dawud said: If one takes bath after sunrise, even though he washes because of seminal emission, that will be enough for him for his washing on Friday.

We came upon Anas b. Malik after the Zuhr prayer. He stood for saying the 'Asr prayer. When he became free from praying, we mentioned to him about observing prayer in its early period or he himself mentioned it. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: This is how hypocrites pray, this is how hypocrites pray, this is how hypocrites pray: He sits (watching the sun), and when it becomes yellow and is between the horns of the devil, or is on the horns of the devil, he rises and prays for rak'ahs quickly, remembering Allah only seldom during them.

"'Aishah ordered me to write a Mushaf for her, and she said: 'When you get to this Ayah then tell me: Guard strictly (the five obligatory) prayers, and the middle Salat (2:238). So when I reached it, I told her and she dictated to me: 'Guard strictly (the five obligatory) prayers, and the middle Salat, and Salat Al-'Asr. And stand before Allah with obedience.' She said: 'I heard that from the Messenger of Allah (SAW).'

The Prophet (PBUH) did not attach more importance to any Nawafil prayer than the two Rak'ah of prayer before dawn (Fajr) prayer.

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Zaid b. Thabit reported God s Messenger as saying, “A man’s prayer in his house is more excellent than his prayer in this mosque of mine, except for the prescribed prayer." Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Bilal said, “God’s Messenger told me not to make the call to prayer twice for any of the prayers but the dawn prayer.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said that Abu Isra’il the transmitter is not considered by traditionists to be strong.

"In every prayer there is recitation. What the Messenger of Allah (SAW) made us hear (by reciting out loud) we make you hear, and what he hid from us (by reciting silently) we hide from you."

" The Messenger of Allah (SAW) led us in praying maghrib in his house and he recited Al-Mursalat, then after that, he never offered any prayer until he died."

"Some of those who prayed the Subh prayer with the Messenger of Allah (SAW) narrated to me that when he said: Sami'Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him)' in the second rak'ah, he stood for a while."

"Aishah may Allah (SWT) be pleased with her, said: ' When the last ten nights of Ramadan began, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) stayed up at night (for prayer) and he woke his family up and tightened his waist-wrap.'"

"The Messenger of Allah enjoined Zakatul-Fitr, a Sa' of dates or a Sa of barley, upon the free person and the slave, male and female, young and old, among the Muslims. He commanded that it be given before the people went out to the ('fd) prayer."

"I came to the Prophet (S.A.W) with a cousin of mine" - on an another occasion he said: "with a companion of mine" - "and he said: 'When the two of you travel, call the Adhan and the Iqamah, and let the older of you lead the prayer.'"

"I was one who had a lot of prostatic discharge, and the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to me: 'If you see Madhi (prostatic fluid) then wash your penis and perform Wudu' like that for Salah, but if you ejaculate semen, then perform Ghusl.'"

"I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say: 'The parable of a Mujahid who strives in the cause of Allah - and Allah knows best who in His cause - is that of one who fasts, prays Qiyam, focuses with proper humility, bows and prostrates.'"

Hittan ibn Abdullah ar-Ruqashi said: AbuMusa al-Ash'ari led us in prayer.

When he sat at the end of his prayer, one of the people said: Prayer has been established by virtue and purity.

When AbuMusa returned (from his prayer or finished his prayer), he gave his attention to the people, and said: Which of you is the speaker of such and such words? The people remained silent. Which of you is the speaker of such and such words? The people remained silent. He said: You might have said them, Hittan. He replied: I did not say them. I was afraid you might punish me. One of the people said: I said them and I did not intend by them (anything) except good.

AbuMusa said: Do you not know how you utter (them) in your prayer? The Messenger of Allah (saws) addressed us, and taught us and explained to us our way of doing and taught us our prayer.

He said: When you pray a (congregational) prayer, straighten your rows, then one of you should lead you in prayer. When he says the takbir (Allah is Most Great), say the takbir, and when he recites verses "Not of those upon whom is Thy anger, nor of those who err" (i.e. the end of Surah i.), say Amin; Allah will favour you. When he says "Allah is most great," and bows, say "Allah is most great" and bow, for the imam will bow before you, and will raise (his head) before you.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: This is for that. When he says "Allah listens to the one who praises Him," say: "O Allah, our Lord, to Thee be praise, Allah be praised," Allah will listen to you, for Allah, the Exalted, said by the tongue of His Prophet (saws): "Allah listens to the one who praises Him." When he says "Allah is most great" and prostrates, say: "Allah is most great" and prostrate, for the imam prostrates before you and raises his head before you.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: This is for that. When he sits, each one of you should say "The adorations of the tongue, all good things, and acts of worship are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon Allah's upright servants. I testify that there is no god but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Apostle."

This version of Ahmad does not mention the words "and His blessings" nor the phrase "and I testify"; instead, it has the words "that Muhammad."

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) neither recited the Qur'an to the Jinn nor did he see them. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) went out with some of his Companions with the intention of going to the bazaar of 'Ukaz And there had been (at that time) obstructions between satans and the news from the Heaven, and there were flung flames upon them. So satan went back to their people and they said: What has happened to you? They said: There have been created obstructions between us and the news from the Heaven. And there have been flung upon us flames. They said: It cannot happen but for some (important) event. So traverse the eastern parts of the earth and the western parts and find out why is it that there have been created obstructions between us and the news from the Heaven. So they went forth and traversed the easts of the earth and its wests. Some of them proceeded towards Tihama and that is a nakhl towards the bazaar of 'Ukaz and he (the Holy Prophet) was leading his Companions in the morning prayer. So when they heard the Qur'an. they listened to it attentively and said: It is this which has caused obstruction between us and news from the Heaven. They went back to their people and said: O our people, we have heard a strange Qur'an which directs us to the right path; so we affirm our faith in it and we would never associate anyone with our Lord. And Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed to His Apostle Muhammad (may peace be upon him):" It has been revealed to me that a party of Jinn listened to it" (Qur'an, lxxii. 1).

I was an interpreter between Ibn Abbas and the people, that a woman happened to come there and asked about nabidh or the pitcher of wine. He replied: A delegation of the people of 'Abdul-Qais came to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). He (the Holy Prophet) asked the delegation or the people (of the delegation about their identity). They replied that they belonged to the tribe of Rabi'a. He (the Holy Prophet) welcomed the people or the delegation which were neither humiliated nor put to shame. They (the members of the delegation) said: Messenger of Allah, we come to you from a far-off distance and there lives between you and us a tribe of the unbelievers of Mudar and, therefore, it is not possible for us to come to you except in the sacred months. Thus direct us to a clear command, about which we should inform people beside us and by which we may enter heaven. He (the Holy Prophet) replied: I command you to do four deeds and forbid you to do four (acts), and added: I direct you to affirm belief in Allah alone, and then asked them: Do you know what belief in Allah really implies? They said: Allah and His Messenger know best. The Prophet said: It implies testimony to the fact that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, establishment of prayer, payment of Zakat, fast of Ramadan, that you pay one-fifth of the booty (fallen to your lot) and I forbid you to use gourd, wine jar, or a receptacle for wine. Shu'ba sometimes narrated the word naqir (wooden pot) and sometimes narrated it as muqayyar. The Holy Prophet also said: Keep it in your mind and inform those who have been left behind.

We were one day in the company of 'Umar that he said: Who amongst you has preserved in his mind most perfectly the hadith of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) in regard to the turmoil as he told about it? I said: It is I. Thereupon he said: You are bold (enough to make this claim). And he further said: How? I said: I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: There would (first) be turmoil for a person in regard to his family, his property, his own self, his children, his neighbours (and the sins committed in their connection) would be expiated by fasting, prayer, charity, enjoining good and prohibiting evil. Thereupon 'Umar said: I do not mean (that turmoil on a small scale) but that one which would emerge like the mounting waves of the ocean. I said: Commander of the Faithful, you have nothing to do with it, for the door is closed between you and that. He said: Would that door be broken or opened? I said: No, it would be broken. Thereupon he said: Then it would not be closed despite best efforts. We said to Hudhaifa: Did Umar know the door? Thereupon he said: Yes, he knew it (for certain) just as one knows that night precedes the next day. And I narrated to him something in which there was nothing fabricated. Shaqiq (one of the narrators) said: We dared not ask Hudhaifa about that door. So we requested Masruq to ask him. So he asked him and he said: (By that door, he meant) 'Umar.

Al-Qasim b. Muhammad said that a man told him he was greatly distressed by wandering thoughts while he was engaged in prayer. He told him to persevere with his prayer, explaining that he would not be free from that till he said when he finished his prayer, “I have not performed my prayer perfectly.” Malik transmitted it.

Sulaiman b. Yasar quoted Abu Huraira as saying, “I never prayed behind anyone whose prayer more closely resembled that of God’s Messenger than so and so’s.” Sulaiman said that he prayed behind him, and he was prolonging the first two rak'as of the noon prayer, shortening the last two, shortening the afternoon prayer, reciting short suras from al-Mufassal* at the sunset prayer, medium suras from al-Mufassal at the evening prayer, and long ones from al-Mufassal at the morning prayer. * A name applied to the latter part of the Qur’an because there are many divisions, but opinions differ about where it begins. Lane mentions the different views in his Lexicon, pp 2407 f., saying the most correct opinion is that it begins with sura 49. Nasa’i transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted up to “shortening the afternoon prayer.”

"Ibn Abbas was asked about a man who fasted during the day and stood (in prayers) during the night, but he did not attend the Friday prayer nor congregational prayer. He replied: 'He is in the Fire.'"

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "When one of you gets up at night to perform (Tahajjud) prayer, let him start Salat with two short Rak'ah."

[Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The best month for observing Saum (fasting) after Ramadan is Muharram, and the best Salat after the prescribed Salat is Salat at night."

[Muslim].

I asked the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) about random looks in Salat (prayer), and he replied, "It is something which Satan snatches from the slave's Salat."

[Al-Bukhari].

I accompanied Ibn 'Umar on the way (on a journey). He led us in two rak'ah's of (the noon) prayer. Then he proceeded and saw some people standing. He asked: What are they doing ? I replied: They are glorifying Allah (i.e. offering supererogatory prayer). He said: If I had offered the supererogatory prayer (while travelling), I would have completed prayer, my cousin. I accompanied the Messenger of Allah (saws) during the journey, he did not pray more than two raka'at until his death. I also accompanied Abu Bakr, and he prayed two raka'at and nothing more until he died. I also accompanied 'Umar, and he prayed two raka'at and nothing more until he died. I also accompanied 'Uthman, and he prayed two raka'at and nothing more until he died. Indeed Allah, the Exalted, said: "Certainly you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent exemplar"

While we were waiting for the Messenger of Allah(may peace be upon him) for the noon or afternoon prayer, and Bilal had already called him for prayer, he came upon us with Umamah daughter of Abu al-As and daughter of his daughter on his neck. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) stood at the place of prayer and we stood behind him and she(Umamah) (all this time) was in her place. He uttered the takbir and we also uttered. When the Messenger of Allah(may peace be upon him) intended to bow, he took her and put her down, and then he bowed and prostrated till he finished his prostration. He then got up and took her and returned he to her place. The Messenger of Allah(may peace be upon him) kept on doing that in every rak’ah until he finished his prayer. May peace be upon him.

Ziyadah al-Kindi reported on the authority of Bilal that he (Bilal) came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) to inform him about the dawn prayer. Aisha kept Bilal engaged in a matter which she asked him till the day was bright and it became fairly light. Bilal then stood up and called him to prayer and called him repeatedly. The Messenger of Allah (saws) did not yet come out. When he came out, he led the people in prayer and he (Bilal) informed him that Aisha had kept him engaged in a matter which she asked him till it became fairly light; hence he became late in reaching him (in time). He (Bilal) said: Messenger of Allah, the dawn became fairly bright. He said: If the dawn became brighter than it is now, I would pray them (the two rak'ahs of the sunnah prayer), offer them well and in a more beautiful manner.

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) led us in the morning (Fajr) prayer and he ascended the pulpit and addressed us until it was the time for the Zuhr prayer. He then came down the pulpit and led us in Salat (prayer). Again he ascended the pulpit and addressed until it was the time for the 'Asr prayer. He then again came down, led us in Salat and again ascended the pulpit and addressed us until sunset. He informed us of everything that lay hidden in the past and what will happen in the future; and the most learned amongst us is the one who has preserved it in his memory.

[Muslim].

He met Ibn 'Abbas and asked him about Witr. He said: "Shall I not lead you to one who knows best among the people of the world about the witr of the Messenger of Allah (SAW)?" He said: "Yes." (Ibn Abbas) said: "It is 'Aishah. So go to her and ask her (about witr) and then come back to me and tell me the answer that she gives you." So I went to Hakim bin Aflah and asked him to go accompany me to her. He said: "I shall not go to her, for I told her not to say anything about these two (conflicting) groups, but she refused (to accept my advice) and went on (to participate in the conflict)." I swore an oath, beseeching him (to take me to her). So he came with me and went unto her. She said to Hakim: "Who is this with you?" He said: "He is Sa'd bin Hisham." She said: "Which Hisham?" He said: "Ibn Amir." She supplicated for mercy for him and said: "What a good man Amir was." He said: "O Mother of the Believers, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah." She said: "Don't you read the Qur'an?" I said: "Yes." She said "The character of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) was the Qur'an." He said: "I wanted to get up (and leave), then I thought of the Qiyam (night prayer) of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and said: "Tell me about the Qiyam of the Messenger of Allah (SAW)." She said: "Do you not recite this surah: "O you wrapped in garments?" I said: "Yes." She said: "Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, made Qiyam Al-Lail obligatory at the beginning of this surah, so the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and his companions prayed Qiyam Al-Lail for one year. Allah (SWT) withheld the latter part of this surah for twelve months, then he revealed the lessening (of this duty) at the end of this surah, so Qiyam Al-Lail became voluntary after it had been obligatory." I felt inclined to stand up (and not ask anything further), then I thought of the witr of the Messenger of Allah (SAW). I said: "O Mother of the Believers, tell me about the witr of the Messenger of Allah (SAW)." She said: "We used to prepare his siwak and water for his ablution, and Allah (SWT) would wake him when He wished during the night. He would use the siwak, perform ablution, and then pray eight rak'ahs in which he would not sit until he reached the eighth one. Then he would sit and remember Allah (SWT) and supplicate, then he would say the taslim that we could hear. Then he would pray two rak'as sitting after uttering the taslim, then he would pray one rak'ah, and that made eleven rak'ahs, O my son! When the Messenger of Allah (SAW) grew older and put on weight, he prayed witr with seven rak'ahs, then he prayed two rak'ahs sitting down after saying the taslim, and that made nine rak'ahs. O my son, when the Messenger of Allah (SAW)offered a prayer, he liked to continue to offer it, and when sleep, sickness, or pain distracted him from praying Qiyam Al-Lail, he would pray twelve rak'ahs during the day. I am not aware of the Prophet of Allah (SAW) having recited the whole Qur'an during a single night, or praying through the whole night until morning, or fasting a complete month, except Ramadan." I went to Ibn 'Abbas and told him what she had said, and he said: "She has spoken the truth. If I could go to her (and meet her face to face) I would so that she could tell me all of that verbally."

Abu Hurairah (led them in prayer and) recited: "When the heaven is split asunder." and prostrated during it. When he had finished praying, he told them that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) had prostrated during it.