`Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "While Allah's Apostle was praying beside the Ka`ba, there were some Quraish people sitting in a gathering. One of them said, 'Don't you see this (who does deeds just to show off)? Who amongst you can go and bring the dung, blood and the Abdominal contents (intestines, etc.) of the slaughtered camels of the family of so and so and then wait till he prostrates and put that in between his shoulders?' The most unfortunate amongst them (`Uqba bin Abi Mu'ait) went (and brought them) and when Allah's Apostle prostrated, he put them between his shoulders. The Prophet remained in prostration and they laughed so much so that they fell on each other. A passerby went to Fatima, who was a young girl in those days. She came running and the Prophet was still in prostration. She removed them and cursed upon the Quraish on their faces. When Allah's Apostle completed his prayer, he said, 'O Allah! Take revenge on Quraish.' He said so thrice and added, 'O Allah! take revenge on `Amr bin Hisham, `Utba bin Rabi`a, Shaiba bin Rabi`a, Al-Walid bin `Utba, Umaiya bin Khalaf, `Uqba bin Abi Mu'ait and `Umar a bin Al-Walid." `Abdullah added, "By Allah! I saw all of them dead in the battle field on the day of Badr and they were dragged and thrown in the Qalib (a well) at Badr: Allah's Apostle then said, 'Allah's curse has descended upon the people of the Qalib (well).

Once `Umar bin `Abdul `Aziz delayed the prayer and `Urwa bin Az-Zubair went to him and said, "Once in 'Iraq, Al-Mughira bin Shu`ba delayed his prayers and Abi Mas`ud Al-Ansari went to him and said, 'O Mughira! What is this? Don't you know that once Gabriel came and offered the prayer (Fajr prayer) and Allah's Apostle prayed too, then he prayed again (Zuhr prayer) and so did Allah's Apostle and again he prayed (`Asr prayers and Allah's Apostle did the same; again he prayed (Maghrib-prayer) and so did Allah's Apostle and again prayed (`Isha prayer) and so did Allah's Apostle and (Gabriel) said, 'I was ordered to do so (to demonstrate the prayers prescribed to you)?'" `Umar (bin `Abdul `Aziz) said to `Urwa, "Be sure of what you Say. Did Gabriel lead Allah's Apostle at the stated times of the prayers?" `Urwa replied, "Bashir bin Abi Mas`ud narrated like this on the authority of his father." `Urwa added, "Aisha told me that Allah's Apostle used to pray `Asr prayer when the sunshine was still inside her residence (during the early time of `Asr).

"Once a delegation of `Abdul Qais came to Allah's Apostle and said, "We belong to such and such branch of the tribe of Rabi'ah and we can only come to you in the sacred months. Order us to do something good so that we may take it from you and also invite to it those whom we have left behind (at home)." So he said, "I order you to do four things and forbid you from four things: To believe in Allah" - and then he explained it to them "to testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that I am Allah's Apostle, to establish the prayers (at the stated times), to pay the Zakat (obligatory charity), to hand me the Khumus (fifth) if you acquire spoils of war. And I forbid from (using) Dubba, Hantam, Muqaiyyar, and Naqir (all these were utensils used for the preparation of alcoholic drinks).

I gave the pledge of allegiance to Allah's Apostle for to offer prayers perfectly, to pay Zakat regularly, and to give good advice to every Muslim.

that he had heard Hudhaifa saying, "Once I was sitting with `Umar and he said, 'Who amongst you remembers the statement of Allah's Apostle about the afflictions?' I said, 'I know it as the Prophet had said it.' `Umar said, 'No doubt you are bold.' I said, 'The afflictions caused for a man by his wife, money, children and neighbor are expiated by his prayers, fasting, charity and by enjoining (what is good) and forbidding (what is evil).' `Umar said, 'I did not mean that but I asked about that affliction which will spread like the waves of the sea.' I (Hudhaifa) said, 'O leader of the faithful believers! You need not be afraid of it as there is a closed door between you and it.' `Umar asked, Will the door be broken or opened?' I replied, 'It will be broken.' `Umar said, 'Then it will never be closed again.' I was asked whether `Umar knew that door. I replied that he knew it as one knows that there will be night before the tomorrow morning. I narrated a Hadith that was free from any misstatement" The subnarrator added that they deputized Masruq to ask Hudhaifa (about the door). Hudhaifa said, "The door was `Umar himself."

A man kissed a woman (unlawfully) and then went to the Prophet and informed him. Allah revealed: And offer prayers perfectly At the two ends of the day And in some hours of the night (i.e. the five compulsory prayers). Verily! good deeds remove (annul) the evil deeds (small sins) (11.114). The man asked Allah's Apostle, "Is it for me?" He said, "It is for all my followers."

I asked the Prophet "Which deed is the dearest to Allah?" He replied, "To offer the prayers at their early stated fixed times." I asked, "What is the next (in goodness)?" He replied, "To be good and dutiful to your parents" I again asked, "What is the next (in goodness)?" He replied, 'To participate in Jihad (religious fighting) in Allah's cause." `Abdullah added, "I asked only that much and if I had asked more, the Prophet would have told me more."

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "If there was a river at the door of anyone of you and he took a bath in it five times a day would you notice any dirt on him?" They said, "Not a trace of dirt would be left." The Prophet added, "That is the example of the five prayers with which Allah blots out (annuls) evil deeds."

The Prophet said, "Whenever anyone of you offers his prayer he is speaking in private to his Lord. So he should not spit to his right but under his left foot." Qatada said, "He should not spit in front of him but to his left or under his feet." And Shu`ba said, "He should not spit in front of him, nor to his right but to his left or under his foot." Anas said: The Prophet said, "He should neither spit in the direction of his Qibla nor to his right but to his left or under his foot."

The Prophet said, "Do the prostration properly and do not put your forearms flat with elbows touching the ground like a dog. And if you want to spit, do not spit in front, nor to the right for the person in prayer is speaking in private to his Lord."

Allah's Apostle said, "If it is very hot, then pray the Zuhr prayer when it becomes (a bit) cooler, as the severity of the heat is from the raging of the Hell-fire."

The Mu'adh-dhin (call-maker) of the Prophet pronounced the Adhan (call) for the Zuhr prayer but the Prophet said, "Let it be cooler, let it be cooler." Or said, 'Wait, wait, because the severity of heat is from the raging of the Hell-fire. In severe hot weather, pray when it becomes (a bit) cooler and the shadows of hillocks appear."

The Prophet said, "In very hot weather delay the Zuhr prayer till it becomes (a bit) cooler because the severity of heat is from the raging of the Hell-fire. The Hell-fire of Hell complained to its Lord saying: O Lord! My parts are eating (destroying) one another. So Allah allowed it to take two breaths, one in the winter and the other in the summer. The breath in the summer is at the time when you feel the severest heat and the breath in the winter is at the time when you feel the severest cold."

that Allah's Apostle said, "Pray Zuhr prayer when it becomes (a bit) cooler as the severity of heat is from the raging of the Hell-fire."

We were with the Prophet on a journey and the Mu'adh-dhin (call maker for the prayer) wanted to pronounce the Adhan (call) for the Zuhr prayer. The Prophet said, 'Let it become cooler." He again (after a while) wanted to pronounce the Adhan but the Prophet said to him, "Let it become cooler till we see the shadows of hillocks." The Prophet added, "The severity of heat is from the raging of the Hell-fire, and in very hot weather pray (Zuhr) when it becomes cooler."

Allah's Apostle came out as the sun declined at midday and offered the Zuhr prayer. He then stood on the pulpit and spoke about the Hour (Day of Judgment) and said that in it there would be tremendous things. He then said, "Whoever likes to ask me about anything he can do so and I shall reply as long as I am at this place of mine. Most of the people wept and the Prophet said repeatedly, "Ask me." `Abdullah bin Hudhafa As-Sahmi stood up and said, "Who is my father?" The Prophet said, "Your father is Hudhafa." The Prophet repeatedly said, "Ask me." Then `Umar knelt before him and said, "We are pleased with Allah as our Lord, Islam as our religion, and Muhammad as our Prophet." The Prophet then became quiet and said, "Paradise and Hell-fire were displayed in front of me on this wall just now and I have never seen a better thing (than the former) and a worse thing (than the latter).

Abu Barza said, "The Prophet used to offer the Fajr (prayer) when one could recognize the person sitting by him (after the prayer) and he used to recite between 60 to 100 Ayat (verses) of the Qur'an. He used to offer the Zuhr prayer as soon as the sun declined (at noon) and the `Asr at a time when a man might go and return from the farthest place in Medina and find the sun still hot. (The sub-narrator forgot what was said about the Maghrib). He did not mind delaying the `Isha prayer to one third of the night or the middle of the night."

When we offered the Zuhr prayers behind Allah's Apostle we used to prostrate on our clothes to protect ourselves from the heat.

"The Prophet prayed eight rak`at for the Zuhr and `Asr, and seven for the Maghrib and `Isha prayers in Medina." Aiyub said, "Perhaps those were rainy nights." Anas said, "May be."

Allah's Apostle used to offer the `Asr prayer when the sunshine had not disappeared from my chamber.

Allah's Apostle used to offer the `Asr prayers at a time when the sunshine was still inside my chamber and no shadow had yet appeared in it.

The Prophet used to pray the `Asr prayers at a time when the sunshine was still inside my chamber and no shadow had yet appeared in it.

I along with my father went to Abu- Barza Al-Aslami and my father asked him, "How Allah's Apostle used to offer the five compulsory congregational prayers?" Abu- Barza said, "The Prophet used to pray the Zuhr prayer which you (people) call the first one at midday when the sun had just declined The `Asr prayer at a time when after the prayer, a man could go to the house at the farthest place in Medina (and arrive) while the sun was still hot. (I forgot about the Maghrib prayer). The Prophet Loved to delay the `Isha which you call Al- `Atama [??] and he disliked sleeping before it and speaking after it. After the Fajr prayer he used to leave when a man could recognize the one sitting beside him and he used to recite between 60 to 100 Ayat (in the Fajr prayer) .

We used to pray the `Asr prayer and after that if someone happened to go to the tribe of Bani `Amr bin `Auf, he would find them still praying the `Asr (prayer).

that he heard Abu Umama saying: We prayed the Zuhr prayer with `Umar bin `Abdul `Aziz and then went to Anas bin Malik and found him offering the `Asr prayer. I asked him, "O uncle! Which prayer have you offered?" He said 'The `Asr and this is (the time of) the prayer of Allah s Apostle which we used to pray with him."

Allah's Apostle used to offer the `Asr prayer at a time when the sun was still hot and high and if a person went to Al-`Awali (a place) of Medina, he would reach there when the sun was still high. Some of Al-`Awali of Medina were about four miles or so from the town.

We used to pray the `Asr and after that if one of US went to Quba' he would arrive there while the sun was still high.

Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever misses the `Asr prayer (intentionally) then it is as if he lost his family and property."

We were with Buraida in a battle on a cloudy day and he said, "Offer the `Asr prayer early as the Prophet said, "Whoever leaves the `Asr prayer, all his (good) deeds will be annulled."

Jarir said, "We were with the Prophet and he looked at the moon--full-moon--and said, 'Certainly you will see your Lord as you see this moon and you will have no trouble in seeing Him. So if you can avoid missing (through sleep or business, etc.) a prayer before the sunrise (Fajr) and a prayer before sunset (`Asr), you must do so.' He then recited Allah's Statement: And celebrate the praises Of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before (its) setting." (50.39) Isma`il said, "Offer those prayers and do not miss them."

Allah's Apostle said, "Angels come to you in succession by night and day and all of them get together at the time of the Fajr and `Asr prayers. Those who have passed the night with you (or stayed with you) ascend (to the Heaven) and Allah asks them, though He knows everything about you, well, "In what state did you leave my slaves?" The angels reply: "When we left them they were praying and when we reached them, they were praying."

Allah's Apostle said, "If anyone of you can get one rak`a of the `Asr prayer before sunset, he should complete his prayer. If any of you can get one rak`a of the Fajr prayer before sunrise, he should complete his prayer."

My father said, "I heard Allah's Apostle saying, 'The period of your stay as compared to the previous nations is like the period equal to the time between the `Asr prayer and sunset. The people of the Torah were given the Torah and they acted (upon it) till midday then they were exhausted and were given one Qirat (of gold) each. And then the people of the Gospel were given the Gospel and they acted (upon it) till the `Asr prayer then they were exhausted and were! given one Qirat each. And then we were given the Qur'an and we acted (upon it) till sunset and we were given two Qirats each. On that the people of both the scriptures said, 'O our Lord! You have given them two Qirats and given us one Qirat, though we have worked more than they.' Allah said, 'Have I usurped some of your right?' They said, 'No.' Allah said: "That is my blessing I bestow upon whomsoever I wish."

The Prophet said, "The example of Muslims, Jews and Christians is like the example of a man who employed laborers to work for him from morning till night. They worked till midday and they said, 'We are not in need of your reward.' So the man employed another batch and said to them, 'Complete the rest of the day and yours will be the wages I had fixed (for the first batch). They worked until the time of the `Asr prayer and said, 'Whatever we have done is for you.' He employed another batch. They worked for the rest of the day till sunset, and they received the wages of the two former batches."

We used to offer the Maghrib prayer with the Prophet and after finishing the prayer one of us may go away and could still see as Par as the spots where one's arrow might reach when shot by a bow.

The Prophet used to pray the Zuhr at midday, and the `Asr at a time when the sun was still bright, the Maghrib after sunset (at its stated time) and the `Isha at a variable time. Whenever he saw the people assembled (for `Isha' prayer) he would pray earlier and if the people delayed, he would delay the prayer. And they or the Prophet used to offer the Fajr Prayers when it still dark.

We used to pray the Maghrib prayer with the Prophet when the sun disappeared from the horizon.

The Prophet prayed seven rak`at together and eight rak`at together.

The Prophet said, "Do not be influenced by bedouins regarding the name of your Maghrib prayer which is called `Isha' by them."

"One night Allah's Apostle led us in the `Isha' prayer and that is the one called Al-`Atma [??] by the people. After the completion of the prayer, he faced us and said, "Do you know the importance of this night? Nobody present on the surface of the earth tonight will be living after one hundred years from this night." (See Hadith No. 575).

We asked Jabir bin `Abdullah about the prayers of the Prophet . He said, "He used to pray Zuhr prayer at midday, the `Asr when the sun was still hot, and the Maghrib after sunset (at its stated time). The `Isha was offered early if the people gathered, and used to be delayed if their number was less; and the morning prayer was offered when it was still dark. "

Allah's Apostle once delayed the `Isha' prayer and that was during the days when Islam still had not spread. The Prophet did not come out till `Umar informed him that the women and children had slept. Then he came out and said to the people of the mosque: "None amongst the dwellers of the earth has been waiting for it (`Isha prayer) except you."

My companions, who came with me in the boat and I landed at a place called Baqi [??] Buthan [??] . The Prophet was in Medina at that time. One of us used to go to the Prophet by turns every night at the time of the `Isha prayer. Once I along with my companions went to the Prophet and he was busy in some of his affairs, so the `Isha' prayer was delayed to the middle of the night He then came out and led the people (in prayer). After finishing from the prayer, he addressed the people present there saying, "Be patient! Don't go away. Have the glad tiding. It is from the blessing of Allah upon you that none amongst mankind has prayed at this time save you." Or said, "None except you has prayed at this time." Abu Musa added, 'So we returned happily after what we heard from Allah's Apostle ."

Allah's Apostle disliked to sleep before the `Isha' prayer and to talk after it.

`Aisha said, "Once Allah's Apostle delayed the `Isha' prayer till `Umar reminded him by saying, "The prayer!" The women and children have slept. Then the Prophet came out and said, 'None amongst the dwellers of the earth has been waiting for it (the prayer) except you." `Urwa said, "Nowhere except in Medina the prayer used to be offered (in those days)." He further said, "The Prophet used to offer the `Isha' prayer in the period between the disappearance of the twilight and the end of the first third of the night."

`Abdullah bin `Umar said, "Once Allah's Apostle was busy (at the time of the `Isha'), so the prayer was delayed so much so that we slept and woke up and slept and woke up again. The Prophet came out and said, 'None amongst the dwellers of the earth but you have been waiting for the prayer." Ibn `Umar did not find any harm in praying it earlier or in delaying it unless he was afraid that sleep might overwhelm him and he might miss the prayer, and sometimes he used to sleep before the `Isha' prayer. Ibn Juraij said, "I said to `Ata', 'I heard Ibn `Abbas saying: Once Allah's Apostle delayed the `Isha' prayer to such an extent that the people slept and got up and slept again and got up again. Then `Umar bin Al-Khattab I, stood up and reminded the Prophet I of the prayer.' `Ata' said, 'Ibn `Abbas said: The Prophet came out as if I was looking at him at this time, and water was trickling from his head and he was putting his hand on his head and then said, 'Hadn't I thought it hard for my followers, I would have ordered them to pray (`Isha' prayer) at this time.' I asked `Ata' for further information, how the Prophet had kept his hand on his head as he was told by Ibn `Abbas. `Ata' separated his fingers slightly and put their tips on the side of the head, brought the fingers downwards approximating them till the thumb touched the lobe of the ear at the side of the temple and the beard on the face. He neither slowed nor hurried in this action but he acted like that. The Prophet said: "Hadn't I thought it hard for my followers I would have ordered them to pray at this time."

The Prophet delayed the `Isha' prayer till midnight and then he offered the prayer and said, "The people prayed and slept but you have been in prayer as long as you have been waiting for it (the prayer)." Anas added: As if I am looking now at the glitter of the ring of the Prophet on that night.

We were with the Prophet on a full moon night. He looked at the moon and said, "You will certainly see your Lord as you see this moon, and there will be no trouble in seeing Him. So if you can avoid missing (through sleep, business, etc.) a prayer before the rising of the sun (Fajr) and before its setting (`Asr) you must do so. He (the Prophet ) then recited the following verse: And celebrate the praises Of Your Lord before The rising of the sun And before (its) setting." (50.39)

My father said, "Allah's Apostle said, 'Whoever prays the two cool prayers (`Asr and Fajr) will go to Paradise.' "

Zaid bin Thabit said, "We took the "Suhur" (the meal taken before dawn while fasting is observed) with the Prophet and then stood up for the (morning) prayer." I asked him how long the interval between the two (Suhur and prayer) was. He replied, 'The interval between the two was just sufficient to recite fifty to Sixth 'Ayat."

Anas bin Malik said, "The Prophet and Zaid bin Thabit took the 'Suhur' together and after finishing the meal, the Prophet stood up and prayed (Fajr prayer)." I asked Anas, "How long was the interval between finishing their 'Suhur' and starting the prayer?" He replied, "The interval between the two was just sufficient to recite fifty 'Ayat." (Verses of the Qur'an).

I used to take the "Suhur" meal with my family and hasten so as to catch the Fajr (morning prayer) with Allah's Apostle.

The believing women covered with their veiling sheets used to attend the Fajr prayer with Allah's Apostle, and after finishing the prayer they would return to their home and nobody could recognize them because of darkness.

Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever could get one rak`a (of the Fajr prayer) before sunrise, he has got the (morning) prayer and whoever could get one rak`a of the `Asr prayer before sunset, he has got the (`Asr) prayer."

Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever could get one rak`a of a prayer, (in its proper time) he has got the prayer."

Ibn `Umar said, "Allah's Apostle said, 'Do not pray at the time of sunrise and at the time of sunset.' " Ibn `Umar said, "Allah's Apostle said, 'If the edge of the sun appears (above the horizon) delay the prayer till it becomes high, and if the edge of the sun disappears, delay the prayer till it sets (disappears completely).' "

Allah's Apostle forbade two kinds of sales, two kinds of dresses, and two prayers. He forbade offering prayers after the Fajr prayer till the rising of the sun and after the `Asr prayer till its setting. He also forbade "Ishtimal-Assama [??] " and "al-Ihtiba" in one garment in such a way that one's private parts are exposed towards the sky. He also forbade the sales called "Munabadha" and "Mulamasa." (See Hadith No. 354 and 355 Vol. 3).

Allah's Apostle said, "None of you should try to pray at sunrise or sunset."

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "There is no prayer after the morning prayer till the sun rises, and there is no prayer after the `Asr prayer till the sun sets."

You offer a prayer which I did not see being offered by Allah's Apostle when we were in his company and he certainly had forbidden it (i.e. two rak`at after the `Asr prayer).

Allah's Apostle forbade the offering of two prayers: -1. after the morning prayer till the sunrises. -2. after the `Asr prayer till the sun sets.

I pray as I saw my companions praying. I do not forbid praying at any time during the day or night except at sunset and sunrise.

By Allah, Who took away the Prophet. The Prophet never missed them (two rak`at) after the `Asr prayer till he met Allah and he did not meet Allah till it became heavy for him to pray while standing so he used to offer most of the prayers while sitting. (She meant the two rak`at after `Asr) He used to pray them in the house and never prayed them in the mosque lest it might be hard for his followers and he loved what was easy for them .

`Aisha (addressing me) said, "O son of my sister! The Prophet never missed two prostrations (i.e. rak`at) after the `Asr prayer in my house."

Allah's Apostle never missed two rak`at before the Fajr prayer and after the `Asr prayer openly and secretly.

Whenever the Prophet come to me after the `Asr prayer, he always prayed two rak`at.

I was with Buraida on a cloudy day and he said, "Offer the `Asr prayer earlier as the Prophet said, 'Whoever leaves the `Asr prayer will have all his (good) deeds annulled." (See Hadith No. 527 and 528)