Abu Sa'id reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When there are three people one of them should lead them. The one among them most worthy to act as imam is the one who is most versed in the Qur’an.” Muslim transmitted it. The tradition of Malik b. al-Huwairith has been mentioned in a chapter following that on the excellence of the adhan (Ch. 7a).

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Let the best among you call the adhan for you, and the Qur’an readers act as your imams.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Malik b. al-Huwairith used to come to our place of prayer and tell us traditions, and one day when the time for prayer came we told him to go forward and lead the prayer, but he said to us: Put one of your own men forward to lead you in prayer, and I shall tell you why I am unwilling to do so. I heard God’s Messenger say, "If anyone visits people he must not act as their imam, but one of their men must do so.” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it, but Nasa’i gave only the Prophet's words.

Anas said that God’s Messenger appointed Ibn Umm Maktum as substitute to lead the people in prayer, and he was blind. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

a runaway slave till he returns, a woman with whom her husband is displeased throughout the night, and an imam whose people do not like him.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and said this is a gharib tradition.

one who goes in front of people when they do not like him, a man who comes to prayer dibaran, which means that he comes to it too late, and a man who takes into slavery an emancipated female slave.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Sulama daughter of al-Hurr reported God’s Messenger as saying, "One of the signs of the last hour will be that people in a mosque will refuse to act as imam and will not find an imam to lead them in prayer.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Jihad is a necessary duty for you along with any commander, pious or impious, even if he commits heinous sins; prayer is a necessary duty for you behind any Muslim, pious or impious, even if he commits heinous sins; and prayer is a necessary duty for every Muslim, pious or impious, even if he commits heinous sins.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

We lived by water which people passed. Riders would pass by us and we would ask them, "What has happened to the people? What has happened to the people? What is this man like?” and they would reply, "He asserts that God has sent him, has made a revelation to him, has made a revelation to him to this effect.”I was remembering those words with the result that they seemed to be glued in my breast. By their acceptance of Islam the Arabs were expecting victory for they would say ‘Let him and his people alone, for if be gets the better of them, he is a true prophet.’ Then when the battle of the conquest of Mecca took place every tribe hastened to accept Islam, and my father was the first of my tribe to accept it. When he returned he said: I swear by God that I have come to you from him who is truly the Prophet. He said, “Pray such and such a prayer at such and such a time, and such and such a prayer at such and such a time. When the time of prayer comes one of you should call the >i>adhan and the one of you who knows most of the Qur’an should act as your imam” So they considered, and there was no one who knew more of the Our’an than I did because of what I had received from the riders. They therefore put me forward in front of them, and I was only six or seven years old. I wore a mantle which, when I prostrated myself, went up on me, and a woman of the clan said, “Why do you not cover the backside of your reader from us?” So they bought and cut out a shirt for me, and I have never been so pleased about anything as I was about that shirt. Bukhari transmitted it.

When the first Emigrants came to Medina, Salim the client of Abu Hudhaifa acted as their imam, and ‘Umar and Abu Salama b. ‘Abd al-Asad were among their number. Bukhari transmitted it.

a man who acts as imam for people when they do not like him, a woman with whom her husband is displeased throughout the night, and two brothers* who are disunited.” * The word here is most probably used in the widest sense, meaning two Muslims. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

I never prayed behind an imam, who was more brief or more perfect in his prayer than the Prophet. If he heard a boy crying he would shorten the prayer for fear his mother might be distressed. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Qatada reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When I begin the prayer. I intend to make it long, but I hear a boy crying and shorten my prayer, being aware of his mother’s emotion because of his crying.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you leads the people in prayer he should be brief, for among them are the sick, the weak, and the aged. But when one of you prays by himself he may be as long as he likes.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Qais b. Abu Hazim said Abu Mas'ud told him of a man saying, “I swear by God, Messenger of God, that I keep away from the Morning Prayer on account of so and so, because he keeps us so long.” I never saw God’s Messenger more angry when giving an exhortation than he was that day. He said, “Some of you are scaring people away, so whoever of you leads the people in prayer must be brief, for among them are the weak, the aged, and people who have business to do.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “They lead you in prayer, and if they do it properly you will reap a reward, but if they make mistakes you will reap a reward and they will be held responsible. Bukhari transmitted it.

‘Uthman b. Abul ‘As said that the last command God’s messenger gave him was, “When you act as imam for people, make the prayer short." Muslim transmitted it. In a version by him it says that God's messenger said to him, “Act as imam for your people” to which he said he replied, “Messenger of God, I find a defect in myself.” Telling him to come near and making him sit down in front of him, he placed his hand on his breast between his nipples; then telling him to turn round, he placed it on his back between his shoulders. He then said, “Act as imam for your people. Whoever acts as imam for people must be brief, for among them are the aged, among them are the sick, among them are the weak, and among them are people who have busi­ness to do. But when any of you prays alone he may pray as he likes.”

God's Messenger used to command us to be brief, and he would recite as-Saffat (Al-Qur’an; 37) when he was our imam. Nasa’i transmitted it.

We used to pray behind the Prophet, and when he said, "God listens to him who praises Him," none of us bowed his back till the Prophet placed his forehead on the ground. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

God’s Messenger led us in prayer one day, and when he finished his prayer he faced us and said, "O people, I am your imam, so do not bow, prostrate yourselves, stand, or go away before I do, for I see you both in front of me and behind me." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, "Do not try to go ahead of the imam. When he says ‘God is most great’ say ‘God is most great’; when he says ‘Nor of those who err’ (i.e. the end of sura 1) say ‘Amen’; when he bows bow; and when he says ‘God listens to him who praises Him’ say, ‘O God, our Lord, to Thee be the praise’." (Bukhari and Muslim, but Bukhari did not mention "and when he says, ‘Nor of those who err”’.)

Anas said God’s Messenger was thrown off a horse he was riding and his right side was grazed. He then prayed one of the prayers sitting and we prayed behind him sitting, and when he finished he said, "The imam is appointed only to be followed; so when he prays standing pray standing, when he bows bow, when he raises himself raise yourselves, when he says ‘God listens to him who praises Him say, ‘Our Lord, to Thee be the praise’, and when he prays sitting all of you pray sitting." Al-Humaidi said that "when he prays sitting pray sitting" was said during his earlier illness.* After that the Prophet prayed sitting while the people behind him were standing, but he did not order them to sit, and it is only the last action of the Prophet that is to be acted upon. * The reference is to his illness at the time when he swore not to go near his wives for a month. This is Bukhari’s wording, and Muslim has the same up to “all of you”. In a version he added, “Do not act differently from him, and prostrate yourselves when he prostrates himself.”

When God’s Messenger was seriously ill* and Bilal came to announce the time of prayer for him, he said, “Order Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” So Abu Bakr led the prayer during those days, then when the Prophet experienced some improvement in his condition he got up and came into the mosque swaying between two men with his feet touching the ground. On hearing the sound Abu Bakr began to withdraw, but God’s Messenger signed to him not to do so. He then came and sat at Abu Bakr’s left, and Abu Bakr prayed standing and God’s Messenger prayed sitting, Abu Bakr following God’s Messenger’s prayer, while the people followed Abu Bakr’s. * Here the reference is to the Prophet's last illness. (Bukhari and Muslim.) They both have a version which says that Abu Bakr caused the people to hear the takbir.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Does he who raises his head before the imam not fear that God may change his head into a donkey’s?” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Ali and Mu'adh b. Jabal reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When any of you comes to pray and the imam is at a certain point, he must do as the imam does.” Tirmidhi transmitted it and said this is a gharib tradition.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When you come to the prayer and we are prostrating ourselves you must prostrate yourselves without reckoning it as part of your prayer; and if anyone is present at a rak'a he has been present at the prayer.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone prays to God for forty days in congregation being present in time for the first takbira, two immunities will be recorded for him, one from hell and one from hypocrisy,” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God s Messenger as saying, “If anyone performs ablution, doing it well, then goes and finds that the people have finished the prayer, God will give him a reward equivalent to that of those who prayed and were present at it without that diminishing anything from their rewards.” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri told how a man came when God’s Messenger had already prayed, and he said, “Will no one give alms* to this man and pray along with him?” Thereupon a man got up and prayed along with him. * This is a literal translation. The idea is that by joining with him he increased the reward the man would receive for his prayer, as prayer in company has a much greater reward than prayer alone. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

The Prophet was seriously ill, and he asked whether the people had prayed. When I told him that they had not, but were waiting for him, he asked me to put some water for him in the tub, and I did so. He bathed, and when he was about to rise with difficulty he fainted. When he came round he asked if the people had prayed, and when I told him that they had not, but were waiting for him, he told me to put some water for him in the tub and sat down and bathed, but when he was about to rise with difficulty he fainted. On coming round he asked whether the people had prayed, and when I told him they had not, but were waiting for him, he asked me to put some water for him in the tub and sat down and bathed, but when he was about to rise with difficulty he fainted. When he came round he asked whether the people had prayed and I told him they had not, but were waiting for him. The people were staying in the mosque waiting for the Prophet for the last evening prayer, so the Prophet sent instructions to Abu Bakr to lead the people in the prayer. When the Messenger came to him and told him God’s Messenger was ordering him to lead the people in the prayer, Abu Bakr, who was a sensitive man, told ‘Umar to lead the people, but when ‘Umar replied, “You are more entitled to that,” Abu Bakr led the prayers during those days. Afterwards the Prophet experienced some improvement in his condition and went out between two men, one of whom was al-‘Abbas, to the noon prayer when Abu Bakr was leading the people. When Abu Bakr saw him he began to withdraw, but the Prophet signed to him not to do so. He told his two companions to set him down beside Abu Bakr, and they did so and he remained seated. ‘Ubaidallah said that he visited ‘Abdallah b. ‘Abbas and asked if he might submit to him what ‘A’isha had told him about the illness of God’s Messenger, and he said, “Go ahead.” He submitted to him what she had told and he objected to none of it, only asking whether she had named to him the man who accompanied al- ‘Abbas. When he replied that she had not, he said that he was ‘Ali. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

If one is in time for the rak'a he is credited with the sajda, but if one misses the recitation of Umm al- Qur'an (Al-Qur’an; 1) a great amount of good has passed him by. Malik transmitted it.

If anyone raises and lowers his head before the imam, his forelock is in the devil’s hand. Malik transmitted it.

Jabir said that Muadh b. Jabal would pray along with the Prophet, then go to his people and lead them in prayer. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He said that Mu’adh would pray the evening prayer along with the Prophet, then return to his people and lead them in the evening prayer, it being a supererogatory prayer for him…* transmitted it. * The source is not mentioned. In al-Masabih, where the division of the chapters is into traditions which are sahih and traditions which are hasan, the collection of Tradition from which they are taken is not mentioned, but all those in section I are meant to be taken from Bukhari, or Muslim, or both. I have failed to find this one anywhere. The concordance does not seem to refer to it.

I was present with the Prophet at his pilgrimage and prayed the Morning Prayer along with him in the mosque of al-Khaif. When he finished his prayer and turned away there were two men at the back of the people who had not prayed along with him. He said, “Bring them to me,” and they were brought trembling with fear. He asked what had prevented them from praying along with him, and they replied, “Messenger of God, we had already prayed in our lodging.” He said, “Don’t do so. When you pray in your lodging and then come to a mosque where there is a congregation, you must pray along with them, and it will be a supererogatory prayer for you. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Busr b. Mihjan reported his father as saying he had been at a meeting along with God’s Messenger when the adhan for prayer was called. God’s Messenger got up and prayed, and when he returned he found Mihjan sitting where he had been, so he asked him, “What prevented you from praying along with the people? Are you not a Muslim?” He replied, “Certainly, Messenger of God; but I had already prayed at home.” God’s Messenger then said to him, “When you come to the mosque having mready prayed and the time for prayer comes, pray along with the people even if you have already prayed.” Malik and Nasa’i transmitted it.

I* pray at home and then go to the mosque and the time to begin the prayer comes, so I pray along with the congregation, but I feel some uneasiness about that. Abu Ayyub replied, “We asked the Prophet about that and he said that such a person gets a portion of the reward for corporate prayer.” * The Arabic has “One of us prays . . . then goes . . .” After that the first person singular is used. While such a construction is quite usual in 'Arabic, it makes impossible English, so I have used the first person all through. Malik and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

I came to God’s Messenger when he was praying and sat down, but did not join the congregation in prayer. When he finished he saw me sitting and asked, “Have you not become a Muslim, Yazid?” I replied, “I certainly have become a Muslim, Messenger of God.” He asked, “What prevented you from joining the people in their prayer?” I replied, “I had already prayed at home, thinking you had prayed.” So he said, “When you come to prayer and find the people praying, pray along with them. If you have already prayed it will be a supererogatory prayer for you, though this is a prescribed prayer.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that a man questioned him saying, “When I pray in my house and then come to the mosque in time for prayer along with the imam, should I pray along with him?” He replied, “Yes.” The man asked which of them he should consider his obligatory prayer, and Ibn ‘Umar replied, “Is that your affair?* that is only to be left to God’s decision who will appoint whichever He wishes.” *The Arabic is in the form of a statement, but in view of the phrase immediately following it seems necessary to treat it as a question. Malik transmitted it.

We came to Ibn ‘Umar at al- Balat* when the people were praying, and I remarked on the fact that he was not praying along with the people. He replied that he had already prayed and that he had heard God’s Messenger say, “Do not pray a prayer twice on the same day.” * A square paved with stones between the Prophet's mosque and the market-place in Medina. Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Nafi‘ said that Ibn ‘Umar used to say, “If anyone prays the sunset or the morning prayer and then comes when the imam is praying them, he must not say them over again.” Malik transmitted it.

Umm Habiba reported God’s Messenger as saying, “A house will be built in paradise for anyone who prays in a day and a night twelve rak'as, four before and two after the noon prayer, two after the sunset prayer, two after the evening prayer, and two before the dawn prayer.” Tirmidhi transmitted it. In a version by Muslim she said she heard God’s Messenger say, “If any Muslim prays to God twelve voluntary rak'as daily, over and above the obligatory ones, God will build a house for him in paradise,” or, “a house will be built for him in paradise.”

Ibn ‘Umar said, “I prayed along with God’s Messenger two rak'as before and two rak'as after the noon prayer, two after the sunset prayer in his house, and two after the evening prayer in his house.” He said Hafsa told him that God’s Messenger used to pray two short rak'as at daybreak. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He said that God’s Messenger did not pray after the Friday noon prayer till he had departed. He would then pray two rak'as in his house. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Abdallah b. Shaqiq said he asked ‘A'isha about the Messenger of God’s voluntary prayers and she replied, “Before the noon prayer he would pray four rak'as in my house, then go out and lead the people in prayer, then come in and pray two rak'as. He would lead the people in the sunset prayer, then come in and pray two rak'as. Then he would lead the people in the evening prayer, and enter my house and pray two rak'as. He would pray nine rak'as during the night, including the witr.* At night he would pray for a long time standing and for a long time sitting, and when he recited the Qur’an while standing he would bow and prostrate himself from the standing position, and when he recited while sitting he would bow and prostrate himself from the sitting position; and when dawn came he prayed two rak'as." *See Chap. 34 Muslim transmitted it, and Abu Dawud added, “Then he would go out and lead the people in the dawn prayer.”

‘A’isha said that the Prophet was more particular about observing the two supererogatory rak'as at dawn than about observing any of the other supererogatory prayers. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

She reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The two rak'as at dawn are better than this world and what it contains.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Mughaffal reported the Prophet as saying, “Pray before the sunset prayer,” adding when saying it a third time, “This applies to those who wish to do so.” That was because he did not wish the people to treat it as a sunna. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If any of you prays after the Friday noon prayer, he should pray four rak'as.” Muslim transmitted it. In another version by him he said, “When any of you prays the Friday noon prayer, he should pray four rak'as after it.”

Umm Habiba said she heard God’s Messenger say, “If anyone keeps on praying four rak'as before and four after the noon prayer, God will forbid that he be sent to hell.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa'i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.