The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had two Mu'adhdhins, Bilal and 'Abdullah b. Umm Maktum, who (latter) was blind.

Ibn Umm Maktum used to pronounce Adhan at the behest of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) (despite the fact) that he was blind.

When Satan hears the call to prayer, he runs away to a distance like that of Rauha. Sulaimin said: I asked him about Rauha. He replied: It is at a distance of thirty-six miles from Medina.

When Satan hears the call to prayer, he turns back and breaks the wind so as not to hear the call being made, but when the call is finished he turns round and distracts (the minds of those who pray), and when he hears the Iqama, he again runs away so as not to hear its voice and when it subsides, he comes back and distracts (the minds of those who stand for prayer).

I saw the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) raising his hands apposite the shoulders at the time of beginning the prayer and before bowing down and after coming back to the position after bowing. but he did not raise them between two prostrations.

Abu Huraira led prayer for them and recited takbir when he bent and raised himself (in ruku' and sujud) and after completing (the prayer) he said: By Allah I say prayer which has the best resemblance with the prayer of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) amongst you.

He who does not recite Fatihat al-Kitab is not credited with having observed the prayer.

The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: If anyone observes prayer in which he does not recite Umm al-Qur'an, It is deficient [he said this three times] and not complete. It was said to Abu Huraira: At times we are behind the Imam. He said: Recite it inwardly, for he had heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) declare that Allah the Exalted had said: I have divided the prayer into two halves between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks. When the servant says: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe, Allah the Most High says: My servant has praised Me. And when he (the servant) says: The Most Compassionate, the Merciful, Allah the Most High says: My servant has lauded Me. And when he (the servant) says: Master of the Day of judg- ment, He remarks: My servant has glorified Me. and sometimes He would say: My servant entrusted (his affairs) to Me. And when he (the worshipper) says: Thee do we worship and of Thee do we ask help, He (Allah) says: This is between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for. Then, when he (the worshipper) says: Guide us to the straight path, the path of those to whom Thou hast been Gracious not of those who have incurred Thy displeasure, nor of those who have gone astray, He (Allah) says: This is for My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for. Sufyan said: 'Ala b. 'Abd al-Rahman b. Ya'qub narrated it to me when I went to him and he was confined to his home on account of illness, and I asked him about it.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: One is not credited with having observed the prayer without the recitation (of al-Fatiha). So said Abu Huraira: (The prayer in which) the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) recited in a loud voice, we also recited that loudly for you (and the prayer in which) he recited inwardly we also recited inwardly for you (to give you a practical example of the prayer of the Holy Prophet).

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) entered the mosque and a person also entered therein and offered prayer, and then came and paid salutation to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). The Mes- senger of Allah (may peace be upon him) returned his salutation and said: Go back and pray, for you have not offered the prayer. He again prayed as he had prayed before, and came to the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon. him) and saluted him. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) returned the salutation and said: Go back and say prayer, for you have not offered the prayer. This (act of repeating the prayer) was done three times. Upon this the person said: By Him Who hast sent you with Truth, whatever better I can do than this, please teach me. He (the Holy Prophet) said: When you get up to pray, recite takbir, and then recite whatever you conveniently can from the Qur'an, then bow down and remain quietly in that position, then raise your- self and stand erect; then prostrate yourself and remain quietly in that attitude; then raise yourself and sit quietly; and do that throughout all your prayers.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace beupon him) led us In Zuhr or 'Asr prayer (noon or the afternoon prayer). (On concluding it) he said: Who recited behind me (the verses): Sabbih Isma Rabbik al-a'la (Glorify the name of thy Lord, the Most High)? There upon a person said: It was I, but I in- tended nothing but goodness. I felt that some one of you was disputing with me in it (or he was taking out from my tongue what I was reciting), said the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him).

I observed prayer along with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and with Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman (may Allah be pleased with all of them), but I never heard any one of them reciting Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim loudly.

One day the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was sitting amongst us that he dozed off. He then raised his head smilingly. We said: What makes you smile. Messenger of Allah? He said: A Sura has just been revealed to me, and then recited: In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Verily We have given thee Kauthar (fount of abundance). Therefore turn to thy Lord for prayer and offer sacrifice, and surely thy enemy is cut off (from the good). Then he (the Holy Prophet) said: Do you know what Kauthar is? We said: Allah and His Messenger know best. The Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: It (Kauthar) is a canal which my Lord, the Exalted and Glorious has promised me, and there is an abundance of good in it. It is a cistern and my people would come to it on the Day of Resurrection, and tumblers there would be equal to the number of stars. A servant would be turned away from (among the people gathered there). Upon this I would say: My Lord, he is one of my people, and He (the Lord) would say: You do not know that he innovated new things (in Islam) after you. Ibn Hujr made this addition in the hadith:" He (the Holy Prophet) was sitting amongst us in the mosque, and He (Allah) said: (You don't know) what he innovated after you"

While observing prayer behind the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) we used to recite: Peace be upon Allah, peace be upon so and so. One day the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said to us: Verily Allah is Himself Peace. When any one of you sits during the prayer, he should say: All services rendered by words, by acts of worship, and all good things are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and upon Allah's upright servants, for when he says this it reaches every upright servant in the heavens and the earth. (And say further): I testify that there is no god but Allah and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. Then he may choose any supplication which pleases him and offer it.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to teach us tashahhud just as he used to teach us a Surah of the Qur'an, and he would say: All services rendered by words, acts of worship, and all good things are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and 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 the Messenger of Allah. In the narration of Ibn Rumh (the words are): "As he would teach us the Qur'an."

I observed prayer with Abu Musa al-Ash`ari and when he was in the qa`dah, one among the people said: The prayer has been made obligatory along with piety and Zakat. He (the narrator) said: When Abu Musa had finished the prayer after salutation he turned (towards the people) and said: Who amongst you said such and such a thing? A hush fell on the people. He again said: Who amongst you has said such and such a thing? A hush fell on the people. He (Abu Musa) said: Hattan, it is perhaps you that have uttered it. He (Hattan) said No. I have not uttered it. I was afraid that you might be annoyed with me on account of this. A person amongst the people said: It was I who said it, and in this I intended nothing but good. Abu Musa said: Don't you know what you have to recite in your prayers? Verily the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) addressed us and explained to us all its aspects and taught us how to observe prayer (properly). He (the Holy Prophet) said: When you pray make your rows straight and let anyone amongst you act as your Imam. Recite the takbir when he recites it and when he recites: Not of those with whom Thou art angry, nor of those who go astray, say: Amin. Allah would respond you. And when he (the Imam) recites the takbir, you may also recite the takbir, for the Imam bows before you and raises himself before you. Then the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: The one is equivalent to the other. And when he says: Allah listens to him who praises Him, you should say: O Allah, our Lord, to Thee be the praise, for Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, has vouchsafed (us) through the tongue of His Apostle (may peace be upon him) that Allah listens to him who praises Him. And when he (the Imam) recites the takbir and prostrates, you should also recite the takbir and prostrate, for the Imam prostrates before you and raises himself before you. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: The one is equivalent to the other. And when he (the Imam) sits for Qa`da (for tashahhud) the first words of every one amongst you should be: All services rendered by words, acts of worship and all good things are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Apostle, and Allah's mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the upright servants of Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger.

Ka'b b. 'Ujra met me and said: Should I not offer you a present (and added): The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) came to us and we said: We have learnt how to invoke peace upon you; (kindly tell us) how we should bless you. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Say:" O Allah: bless Muhammad and his family as Thou didst bless the family of Ibrahim. Verily Thou art Praiseworthy and Glorious, O Allah."

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: When the Imam says:" Allah listens to him who praises Him." you should say:" O Allah, our Lord for Thee is the praise." for if what anyone says synchronises with what the angels say, his past sins will be forgiven.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: SayAmin when the Imam says Amin, for it anyone's utterance of Amin synchronises with that of the angels, he will be forgiven his past sins.

The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) fell down from a horse and his right side was grazed. We went to him to inquire after his health when the time of prayer came. He led us in prayer in a sitting posture and we said prayer behind him sitting, and when he finished the prayer hesaid: The Imam is appointed only to be followed; so when he recites takbir, you should also recite that; when he prostrates, you should also prostrate; when he rises up, you should also rise up, and when he said" God listens to him who praises Him," you should say:" Our Lord, to Thee be the praise," and when he prays sitting, all of you should pray sitting.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) fell ill and some of his Companions came to inquire after his health. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said prayer sitting, while (his Companions) said it (behind him) standing. He (the Holy Prophet) directed them by his gesture to sit down, and they sat down (in prayer). After finishing the (prayer) he (the Holy Prophet) said: The Imam is appointed so that he should be followed, so bow down when he bows down, and rise upp when he rises up and say (prayer) sitting when he (the Imam) says (it) sitting.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was ill and we said prayer behind him and he was sitting. And Abu Bakr was making audible to the people his takbir. As he paid his attention towards us he saw us standing and (directed us to sit down) with a gesture. So we sat down and said our prayer with his prayer in a sitting posture. After uttering salutation he said: You were at this time about to do an act like that of the Persians and the Romans. They stand before their kings while they sit, so don't do that; follow your Imams. If they say prayer standing, you should also do so, and if they say prayer sitting, you should also say prayer sitting.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: The Imam is appointed, so that he should be followed, so don't be at variance with him. Recite takbir when he recites it; bow down when he bows down and when he says:" Allah listens to him who praises Him," say:" O Allah, our Lord, to Thee be the Praise." And when he (the Imam) prostrates, you should also prostrate, and when he says prayer sitting, you should all observe prayer sitting.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) while teaching us (the principles of faith), said: Do not try to go ahead of the Imam, recite takbir when he recites it, and when he says: "Nor of those who err" you should say Amin, bow down when he bows down, and when he says: "Allah listens to him who praises Him" say: "O Allah, our Lord, to Thee be the praise".

I visited 'A'isha and asked her to tell about the illness of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). She agreed and said: The Apostle (may peace be upon him) was seriously ill and he asked whether the people had prayed. We said: No, they are waiting for you, Messenger of Allah. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Put some water in the tub for me. We did accordingly and he (the Holy Prophet) took a bath;and, when he was about to move with difficulty, he fainted. When he came round, he again said: Have the people said prayer? We said: No, they are waiting for you, Messenger of Allah. He (the Holy Prophet) again said: Put some water for me in the tub. We did accordingly and he took a bag, but when he was about to move with difficultyhe fainted. When he came round, he asked whether the people had prayed. We said: No, they are waiting for you, Messenger of Allah. He said: Put some water for me in the tub. We did accordingly and he took a bath and he was about to move with difficulty when he fainted. When he came roundhe said: Have the people saidprayer? We said: No, they are waiting for you, Messenger of Allah. She ('A'isha) said: The people were staying in the mosque and waiting for the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) to lead the last (night) prayer. She ('A'isha) said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) sent (instructions) to Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer. When the messenger came, he told him (Abd Bakr): The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) has ordered you to lead the people in prayer. Abu Bakr who was a man of very tenderly feelings asked Umar to lead the prayer. 'Umar said: You are more entitled to that. Abu Bakr led the prayers during those days. Afterwards the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) felt some relief and he went out supported by two men, one of them was al-'Abbas, to the noon prayer. Abu Bakr was leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr saw him. he began to withdraw, but the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) told him not to withdraw. He told his two (companions) to seat him down beside him (Abu Bakr). They seated him by the side of Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr said the prayer standing while following the prayer of the Apostle (may peace be upon him) and the people Bald prayer (standing) while following the prayer of Abu Bakr. The Apostle (may peace be upon him) was seated. Ubaidullah said: I visited 'Abdullah b. 'Abbas, and said: Should I submit to you what 'A'isha had told about the illness of the Apostle (may peace be upon him)? He said: Go ahead. I submitted to him what had been transmitted by her ('A'isha). He objected to none of it, only asking whether she had named to him the man who accompanied al-'Abbas. I said: No. He said: It was 'Ali.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) breathed his last on that very day.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) went to the tribe of Bani Amr b. Auf in order to bring reconciliation amongst (its members), and It was a time of prayer. The Mu'adhdhin came to Abu Bakr and said: Would you lead the prayer in case I recite takbir (tahrima, with which the prayer begins)? He (Abu Bakr) said: Yes. He (the narrator) said: He (Abu Bakr) started (leading) the prayer. The people were engaged in observing prayer when the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) happened to come there and made his way (through the people) till he stood in a row. The people began to clap (their hands), but Abu Bakr paid no heed (to it) in prayer. When the people clapped more vigorously, he (Abu Bakr) then paid heed and saw the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) there. (He was about to withdraw when) the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) signed to him to keep standing at his place. Abu Bakr lifted his hands and praised Allah for what the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had commanded him and then Abu Bakr withdrew himself till he stood in the midst of the row and the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) stepped forward and led the prayer. When (the prayer) was over, he (the Holy Prophet) said: 0 Abu Bakr, what prevented you from standing (at that place) as I ordered you to do? Abu Bakr said: It does not become the son of Abu Quhafa to lead prayer before the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said (to the people) around him: What is it that I saw you clapping so vigorously? (Behold) when anything happens in prayer, say: Subha Allah, for when you would utter it, it would attract the attention, while clapping of hands is meant for women.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Glorification of Allah is for men and clapping of hands is meant for women (if something happens in prayer). Harmala added in his narration that Ibn Shihab told him: I saw some of the scholars glorifying Allah and making a gesture.

Perform bowing and prostration well. By Allah, I see you even if you are behind me, or he said: (I see you) behind my back when you bow or prostrate.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) one day led us in the prayer. and when he completed the Prayer he turned his face towards us and said: 0 People, I am your Imam, so do not precede me in bowing and prostration and in standing and turning (faces, i. e. In pronouncing salutation), for I see you in front of me and behind me, and then said: By Him in Whose hand Is the life of Muhammad, if you could see what I see, you would have laughed little and wept much more. They said: What did you see, Messenger of Allah? He replied: (I saw) Paradise and Hell.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Does the man who lifts his head ahead of the Imam (from prostration) not fear that Allah may change his head into the head of an ass?

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) came to us and said: "How is it that I see you lifting your hands like the tails of headstrong horses? Be calm in prayer." He (the narrator) said: He then again came to us and saw us (sitting) in circles. He said: "How is it that I see you in separate groups?" He (the narrator) said: He again came to us and said: "Why don't you draw yourselves up in rows as angels do in the presence of their Lord?" We said: Messenger of Allah, how do the angels draw themselves up in rows in the presence of their Lord? He (the Holy Prophet) said: "They make the first rows complete and keep close together in the row."

When we said prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), we pronounced: Peace be upon you and Mercy of Allah, peace be upon you and Mercy of Allah, and made gesture with the hand on both the sides. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him said: What do you point out with your hands as if they are the tails of headstrong horses? This is enough for you that one should place one's hand on one's thigh and then pronounce salutation upon one's brother on the right side and then on the left.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) used to touch our shoulders in prayer and say: Keep straight, don't be irregular, for there would be dissension in your hearts. Let those of you who are sedate and prudent be near me, then those who are next to them, then those who are next to them. Abu Mas'ud said: Now-a-days there is much dissension amongst you.

I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: Straighten your rows, or Allah would create dissension amongst you.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) saw (a tendency ) among his Companions to go to the back, so he said to them: Come forward and follow my lead, and let those who come after you follow your lead. People will continue to keep back till Allah will put them at the back.

The best rows for men are the first rows, and the worst ones the last ones, and the best rows for women are the last ones and the worst ones for them are the first ones.

When women ask permission for going to the mosque, do not prevent them.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: When any one of you (women) participates in the 'Isha' prayer, she should not perfume herself that night.

I heard 'A'isha, the wife of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him). say: If the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had seen what new things the women have introduced (in their way of life) he would have definitely prevented them from going to the mosque, as the women of BaniIsra'il were prevented.

" And utter not thy prayer loudly, not be low in it" (xvii. 110) relate to supplication (du'a').

" Move not thy tongue therewith" (Ixxv. 16) that when Gabriel brought revelation to him (the Holy Prophet) he moved his tongue and lips (with a view to committing it to memory instantly). This was something hard for him and it was visible (from his face). Then Allah, the Exalted. revealed this a" Move not thy tongue therewith to make haste (in memorising it). Surely on us rests the collecting of it and the reciting of it" (ixxv. 16), i. e. Verily it rests with Us that We would preserve it in your heart and (enable you) to recite it You would recite it when We would recite it and so follow its recitation, and He (Allah) said:" We revealed it, so listen to it attentively. Verily its exposition rests with Us. i. e. We would make it deliver by your tongue." So when Gabriel came to him (to the Holy Prophet), he kept silence, and when he went away he recited as Allah had promised him.

I asked 'Alqama if Ibn Mas'ud was present with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) on the night of the Jinn (the night when the Holy Prophet met them). He (Ibn Mas'uad) said: No, but we were in the company of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) one night and we missed him. We searched for him in the valleys and the hills and said. He has either been taken away (by jinn) or has been secretly killed. He (the narrator) said. We spent the worst night which people could ever spend. When it was dawn we saw him coming from the side of Hiri'. He (the narrator) reported. We said: Messenger of Allah, we missed you and searched for you, but we could not find you and we spent the worst night which people could ever spend. He (the Holy Prophet) said: There came to me an inviter on behalf of the Jinn and I went along with him and recited to them the Qur'an. He (the narrator) said: He then went along with us and showed us their traces and traces of their embers. They (the Jinn) asked him (the Holy Prophet) about their provision and he said: Every bone on which the name of Allah is recited is your provision. The time it will fall in your hand it would be covered with flesh, and the dung of (the camels) is fodder for your animals. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Don't perform istinja with these (things) for these are the food of your brothers (Jinn).

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) led us in prayer and recited in the first two rak'ahs of the noon and afternoon prayers Surat al-Fitiha and two (other) surahs. And he would sometimes recite loud enough for us the verses. He would prolong the first rak'ah more than the second. And he acted similarly in the morning prayer.

We used to estimate how long Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) stood in the noon and afternoon prayers, and we estimated hat he stood in the first two rak'ahs of the noon prayer as long as it takes to recite Alif Lam Mim, Tanzil, i. e. as-Sajda. We estimated that he stood half that time in the last two rak'ahs; that he stood in the first two of the afternoon as long as he did in the last two at noon; and in the last two of the afternoon prayer about half that time. Abu Bakr in his narration has made no mention of Alif Lam Mim, Tanzil, but said: As long as it takes to recite thirty verses.

The noon prayer would start and one would go to al-Baqi' and after having relieved himself he would perform ablution and then come, while the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) would be in the first rak'ah, because he would prolong it so much.

I said prayer and the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) led it and he recited" Qaf. (I.). By the Glorious Qur'an," till he recited" and the tall palm trees" (l. 10). I wanted to repeat it but I could not follow its significance.

The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to recite in the morning prayer" Qaf. By the Glorious Quran." and his prayer afterward shortened.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to recite in the morning prayer from sixty to one hundred verses.