Abud Darda’ reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If there are three men in a village or in the desert among whom prayer is not arranged, the devil has got the mastery over them. So observe prayer in company, for the wolf eats only the straggling animal.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If any one 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 says will not be accepted from him.” Abu Dawud and Daraqutni transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Arqam said he heard God’s Messenger say, “When the time for prayer comes and one of you needs to relieve himself, he should do that first.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Malik, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted something similar.

Thauban reported God’s Messenger as saying, “There are three things which are unlawful for anyone to do. A man must not act as imam for others in prayer and make a supplication for himself excluding them, for if he does that he has acted treacherously towards them. No one must look inside a house before asking permission to enter, for if he does so he has acted treacherously towards [its inhabitants]. And no one should pray while retaining urine, but should first relieve himself.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Tirmidhi has something similar.

Jabir reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Do not postpone prayer because of food or any other reason.” [Baihaqi] transmitted it in Sharh as-sunna.

I have seen the time when no one stayed away from prayer except a hypocrite whose hypocrisy was well known, or a sick man, but if a sick man could walk with one on each side of him he would come to prayer. He also said: God’s Messenger taught us the paths of right guidance, among which is prayer in the mosque in which the adhan is called. In a version he said: If anyone would like to meet God tomorrow as a Muslim he should persevere in observing these five times of prayer where the announcement for them is made, for God has laid down for your Prophet the paths of right guidance, among which are the prayers. If you were to pray in your houses as this man who stays away prays in his house, you would abandon the practice of your Prophet, and if you were to abandon the practice of your Prophet you would go astray. No man purifies himself, doing it well, then makes for one of these mosques, without God recording a blessing for him for every step he takes, raising him a degree for it and removing a sin from him for it. I have seen the time when no one stayed away from it except a hypocrite who was well known as such, whereas a man would be brought swaying* between two men till he was set up in the row.” * Because he was too weak to walk alone. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, “Were it not for the women and children who are in the houses I would make the evening prayer congregational and command my young men to burn what is in the houses with fire.” Ahmad transmitted it.

He said that God’s Messenger gave them this command, “When you are in the mosque and the call to prayer is made, none of you must go out before he prays.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Abush Sha'tha’ said that a man went out of the mosque after the adhan had been called in it, and Abu Huraira said, “This man has disobeyed Abul Qasim.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘Uthman b. ‘Affan reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If the adhan is called when anyone is in the mosque and he goes out for any other reason than some necessary purpose, not intending to return, he is a hypocrite.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Ibn'Abbas reported the Prophet as saying, “If anyone hears the summons and does not respond to it, he is not credited with having prayed unless he has some excuse.” Daraqutni transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Umm Maktum said, “Messenger of God, there are many venomous creatures and wild beasts in Medina, and I am blind, so are you able to grant me any licence?” He asked whether he could hear the call, “Come to prayer. Come to salvation,” and when he replied that he could, he said, “Then you must come,” and he gave him no indulgence. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Umm ad-Darda’ said that on one occasion Abud Darda’ was angry when he came in, and on her asking what had made him angry, he replied, “I swear by God that the only good thing I know about Muhammad’s people is that they pray in congregation.”* * The suggestion is that they have become so corrupt that this is the only respect in which they obey the Prophet’s commands. Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Bakr b. Sulaiman b. Abu Hathma said that ‘Umar b. al-Khattab missed Sulaiman b. Abu Hathma at the Morning Prayer. In the morning ‘Umar went to the market, and Sulaiman’s house being between the mosque and the market, he met ash-Shifa’, Sulaiman’s mother, and said to her, “I did not see Sulaiman at the morning prayer.” She replied, “He spent the night in prayer and was overpowered by sleep.” Thereupon ‘Umar said, “I would rather be present with a company at the Morning Prayer than spend a night in prayer.” Malik transmitted it.

Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Two and over constitute a congregation.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

‘Abdallah confronted him, and reviling him in terms the like of which I have never heard at any other time, he said, “I give you information on the authority of God’s Messenger, yet you say, ‘I swear by God I will certainly prevent them’!” * He is Salim b. ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar b. al-Khattab. Muslim transmitted it.

Mujahid, on the authority of ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar, reported the Prophet as saying, “No man must prevent his family from coming to the mosques.” A son of ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar said, “I will certainly prevent them,” whereupon ‘Abdallah said, “I tell you something from God’s Messenger, and you say this!” He said that ‘Abdallah did not speak to him during the remainder of his life. Ahmad transmitted it.

God’s Messenger used to straighten our rows as if he were trying to make them as straight as arrows until he saw that we had learned it from him. One day he came out, stood up, and was just about to say God is most great ’ when he saw a man whose chest projected from the row, so he said, “Servants of God, you must straighten your rows, or God will certainly put your faces in contrary directions."* * The use of “faces” here may mean the people themselves and their inner nature. The tradition may refer to civil strife, which is possibly the meaning of the tradition below from Abu Mas'ud. Muslim transmitted it.

The iqama* had been uttered and God’s Messenger faced us and said, “Make your rows straight and stand close together, for l can see you behind my back.” * A repetition of the words of the call to prayer after the worshippers have taken their places with the addition of a statement that the time of prayer has come. Bukhari transmitted it. In the version given by Bukhari and Muslim he said, “Make the rows perfect, for I can see you behind my back."

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Straighten your rows, for the straightening of the rows is part of the iqama for prayer." (Bukhari and Muslim, but Muslim has “part of the perfection of prayer.’’)

God’s Messenger used to touch our shoulders at the prayer and say, “Keep straight; do not be irregular and so have your hearts irregular. 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, “Nowadays you are much more irregular." Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Let those of you who are sedate and prudent be near me, then those who are next to them (saying it three times), and beware of haphazardness* such as is found in markets.” * Or “tumult”. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri told that when God’s Messenger saw a tendency among his companions to go to the back 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 to the back till God will put them at the back.”* * This has been explained as referring to their being denied God’s grace, or their lacking rank or knowledge. But cf. the tradition from 'A’isha at the end of Section III. Muslim transmitted it.

God’s Messenger came out to us and when he saw us sitting in circles he said, “How is it that I see you in separate companies?” On another occasion he came out to us and said, “Why do you not draw yourselves up in rows as the angels do in the presence of their Lord?” We asked, "Messenger of God, how do the angels draw themselves up in rows in the presence of their Lord?” He replied, "They make the first rows complete and keep close together in the row.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, "The best of the men’s rows is the first and the worst is the last, but the best of the women’s rows is the last and the worst is the first.” Muslim transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, "Stand close together in your rows, bring them near one another, and stand neck to neck, for by Him in whose hand my soul is, I see the devil coming in through openings in the row like a number of small black sheep.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, "Complete the front row, then the one that comes next, and if there is any incompleteness let it be in the last row.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Al-Bara’ b. ‘Azib told how God’s Messenger used to say, "God and His angels bless those who are near the first rows, and no step is more pleasing to God than one a worshipper takes to reach a row." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘A’isha reported God’s Messenger as saying, "God and His angels bless those who are on the right flanks of the rows." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

God’s Messenger used to straighten our rows when we stood up to pray, and when we were straight he said, “God is most great." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas told how God’s Messenger used to say to those on his right, ‘‘Keep straight and straighten your rows," and say the same to those on his left. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, ‘‘The best of you are those whose shoulders give least annoyance in prayer." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas told how the Prophet used to say, ‘‘Keep in alignment, keep in alignment, keep in alignment, for by Him in whose hand my soul is, I can see you behind me just as I see you in front of me." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Umama reported God’s Messenger as saying, ‘‘God and His angels bless the first row." On being asked whether this applied to the second, he said, ‘‘God and His angels bless the first row." He was again asked if it applied to the second and said, ‘‘God and His angels bless the first row." When asked once again if it applied to the second he said, ‘‘And the second." And God’s Messenger said, ‘‘Straighten your rows, stand shoulder to shoulder, be pliant in the hands of your brethren,* and close up the gaps, for the devil enters through openings like the hadhaf i.e., small lambs. * Here, as in the last tradition of section II, warning is given against jostling one’s neighbours during prayer. At the same time instruction is given that no gaps should be left. Ahmad transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, ‘‘Set the rows in order, stand shoulder to shoulder, close the gaps, be pliant in the hands of your brethren, and do not leave openings for the devil. If anyone joins up a row God will join him up, but if anyone breaks a row God will cut him off.” Abu Dawud transmitted it and Nasa’i transmitted from “If anyone joins up ...” to the end.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Have the imam in the centre and close up the gaps.’’ Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘A’isha reported God’s Messenger as saying, “People will continue to withdraw to rows behind the first one till God puts them in a back place in hell." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Wabisa b. Ma'bad said that God’s Messenger saw a man praying alone behind the row and ordered him to repeat the prayer. Ahmad Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said this is a hasan tradition.

When I was spending a night in the house of my maternal aunt Maimuna God’s Messenger stood up and prayed. I stood at his left side, and he, taking my hand behind his back, directed me thus* behind his back to his right side. *'Abdallah would use a gesture to indicate how it was done. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

God’s Messenger stood up to pray and I came and stood at his left side, so he took my hand, turned me round, and set me at his right side. Then Jabbar b. Sakhr came and stood at God’s Messenger's left, so he took us both by the hand, pushed us back, and made us stand behind him. Muslim transmitted it.

An orphan and I prayed in our house behind the Prophet, and Umm Sulaim* was behind us. *She was the mother of Anas. Muslim transmitted it.

He said that the Prophet led him and his mother, or his maternal aunt, in prayer, adding, “He set me at his right and set the woman behind us." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Bakra said that he came to the Prophet when he was bowing, so he bowed before joining the row, after which he went to it. He mentioned that to the Prophet, and he said, “God increase your eagerness! But don’t do it again." Bukhari transmitted it.

God’s Messenger commanded that when there were three of us one should stand in front. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Did you not hear God’s Messenger say, “When a man leads the people in prayer he must not stand in a position higher than theirs,” or words to that effect? ‘Ammar replied, “That is why I followed you when you took me by the hand.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Then when he finished he faced the people and said, “O people, I have done this only that you should be guided by me and know how I conduct prayer.”

‘A’isha said that God’s messanger prayed in his private apartment and the people followed his lead behind the apartment. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

I must tell you how God’s Messenger conducted prayer. He said that he had the iqama announced, drew the men up in line and drew up the youths behind them, then led them in prayer (mentioning how he conducted it), then said, “Thus is the prayer of. . ,”* ‘Abd al-A‘la said: I think he must have said “my people.” * The wording of the tradition is incomplete. ‘Abd al-A‘la who appears at a later stage in the isnad supplies what he considers the missing word must have been. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

While I was in the mosque in the front row a man pulled me from behind, moved me aside and took my place, with the result, I swear by God, that I did not know what prayers I said. When he had finished I saw that he was Ubayy b. Ka'b. He said, “Young man, God does not wrong you, for this is a charge from the Prophet to us that we should be near him.” He then faced the qibla and said three times, “May ahl al-'aqd perish, by the Lord of the Ka'ba!” Then he said, “I swear by God that I do not grieve for them, but for those they have led astray.” I asked, “Abu Ya'qub, what do you mean by ahl al-'aqd?”* He replied, “The commanders.” * One of the meanings of 'aqd is “responsibility.’’ The phrase literally means “the people bf responsibility”, i.e. those who are in responsible positions. A chief ruler may be called sahib al-'aqd wal hall, i.e. he who binds and looses. Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abu Mas'ud reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The one of you who is most versed in God’s Book should act as imam for the people; but if they are equally versed in reciting it, then the one who has most knowledge regarding the sunna; if they are equal regarding the sunna, then the earliest of them to emigrate; if they emigrated at the same time, then the oldest of them. No man must lead another in prayer where the latter has authority, or sit in his place of honour in his house, without his permission.” Muslim transmitted it. A version by him has, “And a man must not act as imam for another in his own family.”