Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Abu Salama ibn Abdar-Rahman from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said "Whoever catches a raka of the prayer has caught the prayer."

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that the muadhdhin came to Umar ibn al-Khattab to call him to the subh prayer and found him sleeping, so he said, "Prayer is better than sleep," and Umar ordered him to put that in the adhan for subh .

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Abdullah ibn Umar used to be asked, "an some one fast for some one else, or do the prayer for some one else?" and he would reply, "No one can fast or do the prayer for anyone else."

The Prophet (saws) said: If anyone says when swearing an oath: "If Allah wills," he makes an exception.

The Prophet forbade vowing and said, "In fact, vowing does not prevent anything, but it makes a miser to spend his property."

Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) commanded to make deductions in the payment of that stricken with a Calamity.

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Abdullah ibn Abbas used to shorten the prayer when he travelled a distance equivalent to that between Makka and Ta'if, and that between Makka and Usfan and that between Makka and Jedda.

Malik said, "That is four mail-stages, and to me that is the most preferable distance for shortening the prayer."

Malik said, "Someone who intends to travel does not shorten the prayer until he has left the houses of the village. And he does not do it in full until he comes to the first houses of the village, or is nearby."

On the day of Al-Khandaq (the battle of trench.) `Umar bin Al-Khattab came cursing the disbelievers of Quraish after the sun had set and said, "O Allah's Apostle I could not offer the `Asr prayer till the sun had set." The Prophet said, "By Allah! I, too, have not prayed." So we turned towards Buthan, and the Prophet performed ablution and we too performed ablution and offered the `Asr prayer after the sun had set, and then he offered the Maghrib prayer.

Allah's Apostle offered the prayer on the day of Nahr and then delivered the Khutba and ordered that whoever had slaughtered his sacrifice before the prayer should repeat it, that is, should slaughter another sacrifice. Then a person from the Ansar stood up and said, "O Allah's Apostle! because of my neighbors (he described them as being very needy or poor) I slaughtered before the prayer. I have a young she-goat which, in my opinion, is better than two sheep." The Prophet gave him the permission for slaughtering it as a sacrifice.

AbuGhutayf al-Hudhali reported: I was in the company of Ibn Umar. When the call was made for the noon (zuhr) prayer, he performed ablution and said the prayer. When the call for the afternoon ('asr) prayer was made, he again performed ablution. Thus I asked him (about the reason of performing ablution). He replied: The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: For a man who performs ablution in a state of purity, ten virtuous deeds will be recorded (in his favour).

AbuDawud said: This is the tradition narrated by Musaddad, and it is more perfect.

We used to salute during prayer and talk about our needs. I came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) and found him praying. I saluted him, but he did not respond to me. I recalled what happened to me in the past and in the present.

When the Messenger of Allah (saws) finished his prayer, he said to me: Allah, the Almighty, creates new command as He wishes, and Allah, the Exalted, has sent a fresh command that you must not talk during prayer. He then returned my salutation.

I went out in the company of the Prophet in the year of Khaibar, and when we reached As Sahba' which is the lower part of Khaibar, the Prophet offered the `Asr prayer and then asked the people to collect the journey food. Nothing was brought but Sawiq which the Prophet ordered to be moistened with water, and then he ate it and we also ate it. Then he got up to offer the Maghrib prayer. He washed his mouth, and we too washed our mouths, and then he offered the prayer without repeating his abulution.

The people mentioned the fire and the bell (they suggested those as signals to indicate the starting of prayers), and by that they mentioned the Jews and the Christians. Then Bilal was ordered to pronounce Adhan for the prayer by saying its wordings twice, and for the Iqama (the call for the actual standing for the prayers in rows) by saying its wordings once. (Iqama is pronounced when the people are ready for the prayer).

Ibn `Abbas said, "We stayed for 19 days with Prophet on a journey during which we used to offer shortened prayers." Ibn `Abbas added, "We offer the Qasr prayer (i.e. shortened prayer) If we stay up to 19 days as travelers, But if we stay longer, we offer complete prayers.

that he saw the Prophet holding a shoulder piece of mutton in his hand and cutting part of it with a knife. Then he was called for the prayer whereupon he put down the shoulder piece and the knife with which he was cutting it, and then stood for prayer without performing ablution again.

"The Prophet offered a two-rak`at prayer on `Id day and he did not offer any (Nawafil prayer) before or after it. He then went towards the women, and Bilal was accompanying him, and ordered them to give alms. And so the women started giving their earrings (etc .).

I never prayed behind any Imam a prayer lighter and more perfect than that behind the Prophet and he used to cut short the prayer whenever he heard the cries of a child lest he should put the child's mother to trial.

On the day of Nahr the Prophet offered the prayer and delivered the Khutba and then slaughtered the sacrifice and said, "Anybody who slaughtered (his sacrifice) before the prayer should slaughter another animal in lieu of it, and the one who has not yet slaughtered should slaughter the sacrifice mentioning Allah's name on it."

The Prophet said, "Perform (an optional) prayer before Maghrib prayer." (He repeated it thrice) and the third time he said, "Whoever wants to offer it can do so," lest the people should take it as a Sunna (tradition). (See Hadith No. 277, Vol. 2)

The Messenger of Allah (saws) forbade trailing garments during prayer and that a man should cover his mouth.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been narrated by 'Isi on the authority of 'Ata' from Abu Hurairah: The Prophet (saws) forbade trailing garments during prayer.

Yahya related to me from Malik that Ibn Shihab used to say, "When a man catches the raka he says, 'Allah is greater' once, and that takbir is enough for him."

Malik added, "That is if he intended to begin the prayer by that takbir "

Malik was asked about a man who began with the imam but forgot the opening takbir and the takbir of the ruku until he had done one raka. Then he remembered that he had not said the takbir at the opening nor in the ruku,so he said the takbir in the second raka. He said, "I prefer that he start his prayer again, but if he forgets the opening takbir with the imam and says the takbir in the first ruku, I consider that enough for him if he intends by it the opening takbir."

Malik said, about some one who prayed by himself and forgot the opening takbir, "He begins his prayer afresh ."

Malik said, about an imam who forgot the opening takbir until he had finished his prayer, "I think that he should do the prayer again, and those behind him, even if they have said the takbir."

The Prophet delivered the Khutba after offering the prayer on the Day of Nahr and said, "Whoever offers the prayer like us and slaughters like us then his Nusuk (sacrifice) will be accepted by Allah. And whoever slaughters his sacrifice before the `Id prayer then he has not done the sacrifice." Abi Burda bin Niyar, the uncle of Al-Bara' said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have slaughtered my sheep before the `Id prayer and I thought today as a day of eating and drinking (not alcoholic drinks), and I liked that my sheep should be the first to be slaughtered in my house. So slaughtered my sheep and took my food before coming for the prayer." The Prophet said, "The sheep which you have slaughtered is just mutton (not a Nusuk)." He (Abu Burda) said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have a young she-goat which is dearer to me than two sheep. Will that be sufficient as a Nusuk on my behalf? "The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, "Yes, it will be sufficient for you but it will not be sufficient (as a Nusuk) for anyone else after you."

Malik related to me from Ibn Shihab from Muhammad ibn Jubayr ibn Mutim that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "I have five names. I am Muhammad. I am Ahmad. I am al-Mahi (the effacer), by whom Allah effaces kufr. I am al-Hashir (the gatherer), before whom people are gathered. I am al-Aqib (the last)."

When Um Habiba bint Abi Sufyan was informed of her father's death, she asked for perfume and rubbed it over her arms and said, "I am not in need of perfume, but I have heard the Prophet saying, "It is not lawful for a lady who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for more than three days except for her husband for whom the (mourning) period is four months and ten days."

Yahya related to me from Ziyad from Malik that he saw some of the people of knowledge who, when they did itikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan, would not go back to their families until they had attended the Id al-Fitr with everybody.

Ziyad said that Malik said, "I heard this from the people of excellence who have passed away, and it is what I like most out of what I have heard about the matter."

Whenever Allah's Apostle became ill, he used to recite the Muawidhatan (i.e. the last two surahs of the Qur'an) and blow his breath over himself (after their recitation ) and rubbed his hands over his body. So when he was afflicted with his fatal illness. I started reciting the Muawidhatan and blowing my breath over him as he used to do and then I rubbed the hand of the Prophet over his body.