The Companions during the lifetime of the messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) used to wait for the night prayer so much so that their heads were lowered down (by dozing). Then they offered prayer and did not perform ablution.

Abu Dawud said: Shu’bah on the authority of Qatadah added: We lowered down our heads (on accounts of dozing) in the day of the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him).

Abu Dawud said; This tradition has been transmitted through a different chain of narrators.

Jabir bin ‘Abd Allaah said “We were on a journey with the Apostle of Allaah(saws). When we were going to come to our family, he said “Stay till we enter during the night, so that the disheveled woman combs herself and the woman whose husband has been away cleans herself.

Abu Dawud aid “Al Zuhri said “(this prohibition applies) when one arrives after the night prayer.

Abu dawud said “There is no harm in coming (to one’s family) after the sunset prayer.

Urwah ibn az-Zubayr said that Fatimah daughter of AbuHubaysh narrated to him that she asked the Messenger of Allah (saws) and complained to him about the flowing of (her) blood. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said to her: That is only (due to) a vein: look, when your menstruation comes, do not pray; and when your menstruation ends, wash yourself and then offer prayer during the period from one menstruation to another.

I heard the apostle of Allah (saws) say: If anyone makes (his wife) wash and he washes himself on Friday, goes out early (for Friday prayer), attends the sermon from the beginning, walking, not riding, takes his seat near the imam, listens attentively, and does not indulge in idle talk, he will get the reward of a year's fasting and praying at night for every step he takes.

I remember from the Messenger of Allah (saws) two periods of silence. Sa'id said: We asked Qatadah: What are those two periods of silence? He said: (one) when he began his prayer, and (one) when he finished the recitation. Then he added: When he finished reciting (the closing verse of the Fatihah): "Not of those with whom Thou art angry, nor of who go astray."

The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to prolong the recitation of the Qur'an in the two rak'ahs after the sunset prayer until the people praying in the mosque dispersed.

Abu Dawud said: This has been reported by Nasr al-Mujaddir from Ya'qub al-Qummi with the same chain of narrators.

Abu Dawud said: Muhammad b. 'Isa b. al-tabba' transmitted from Nasr al-Mujaddir from Ya'qub in like manner.

Abu Dawud said: 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar narrated the word utira (instead of wutira, meaning perished). The dispute on this point goes back to Ayyub. Al-Zuhri reported from Salim on the authority of this father from the Prophet (saws) the word 'wutira'.

The Prophet (saws) said: There are two qualities or characteristics which will not be returned by any Muslim without his entering Paradise. While they are easy, those who act upon them are few. One should say: "Glory be to Allah" ten times after every prayer, "Praise be to Allah" ten times and "Allah is Most Great" ten times. That is a hundred and fifty on the tongue, but one thousand and five hundred on the scale. When he goes to bed, he should say: "Allah is Most Great" thirty-four times, "Praise be to Allah" thirty-three times, and Glory be to Allah thirty-three times, for that is a hundred on the tongue and a thousand on the scale. (He said:) I saw the Messenger of Allah (saws) counting them on his hand.

The people asked: Messenger of Allah! How is it that while they are easy, those who act upon them are few?

He replied: The Devil comes to one of you when he goes to bed and he makes him sleep, before he utters them, and he comes to him while he is engaged in prayer and calls a need to his mind before he utters them.

The prayer time of danger should be offered in the following way: The imam should stand (for prayer) and a section of the people should stand along with him. The other section should stand facing the enemy. The imam should perform bowing and prostrate himself along with those who are with him. He then should stand (after prostration) and, when he stands straight, he should remain standing. They (the people) should (in the meantime) complete their remaining rak'ah (i.e. the second one). They they should utter the salutation, and turn away while the imam should remain standing. They should go before the enemy. Thereafter those who did not pray should come forward and utter the takbir (Allah is most great) behind imam. He should bow and prostrate along with them and utter the salutation. Then they should stand and completed their remaining rak'ah, and utter the salutation.

Abu Dawud said: The tradition reported by Yahya b. Sa'id from al-Qasim is similar to the one transmitted by Yazid b. Ruman except that he differed with him in salutation. The tradition reported by 'Ubaid Allah is like the one reported by Yahya b. Sa'id, saying: He (the Prophet) remained standing.

We would not wash our feet after treading on something unclean, nor would we hold our hair and garments (during prayer).

Abu Dawud said: The tradition has been reported by Ibrahim b. Abi Mu'awiyah through a different chain of narrators: A'mash - Shaqiq - Masruq - 'Abd Allah (b. Mas'ud). And Hannad reported from Shaqiq, or reported on his authority saying: 'Abd Allah (b. Mas'ud) said.

Ibn Umm Maktum asked the Prophet (saws) saying: Messenger of Allah, I am a blind man, my house is far away (from the mosque), and I have a guide who does not follow me. Is it possible that permission be granted to me for saying prayer in my house? He asked: Do you hear summons (adhan)? He said: Yes. He said: I do not find any permission for you.

I remember two period of silence in prayer, one when the imam said the takbir; and one when he finished reciting the Fatihah and the surah when he was about to bow. But Imran ibn Husayn took it as something strange. So they wrote about it to Ubayy (ibn Ka'b) in Medina. He verified the statement of Samurah.

Abu Dawud said: Humaid also narrated in this tradition the words "and one period silence when he finished the recitation (of the Qur'an)"

The Messenger of Allah (saws) entered the mosque and saw a man who had finished his prayer, and was reciting the tashahhud saying: O Allah, I ask you, O Allah, the One, the eternally besought of all, He begetteth not, nor was He begotten, and there is none comparable unto Him, that you may forgive me my sins, you are Most Forgiving, Merciful.

He (the Prophet) said: He was forgiven (repeating three times.)

The Prophet (saws) said: When one of you is in doubt about his prayer, and does not know how much he has prayed, three or four rak'ahs, he should pray one (additional) rak'ah and make two prostrations while sitting before giving the salutation. If the (additional) rak'ah which he prayed is the fifth one, he will make it an even number by these two prostrations. If it is the fourth one, the two prostrations will be a disgrace for the devil.

There was an eclipse of the sun in the time of the Messenger of Allah (saws). He came out bewildered pulling his garment, and I was in his company at Medina. He prayed two rak'ahs and stood for a long time in them. He then departed and the sun became bright. He then said: There are the signs by means of which Allah, the Exalted, produces dread (in His servants). When you see anything of this nature, then pray as you are praying a fresh obligatory prayer.

The Prophet (saws) had a bowl called gharra'. It was carried by four persons. When the sun rose high, and they performed the forenoon prayer, the bowl in which tharid was prepared was brought, and the people gathered round it. When they were numerous, the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Allah has made me a respectable servant, and He did not make me an obstinate tyrant. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Eat from it sides and leave its top, the blessing will be conferred on it

I went out along with the Prophet (saws) during his last march, and he alighted at al-Muhassab. Abu Dawud said: Ibn Bashshar did not mention that she was sent to al-Tan'im in this tradition. She said: I then came to him in the morning. He announced to his companions for departure, and he himself departed. He passed the house (the Ka'bah) before the dawn prayer, and went round it when he proceeded. He then went away facing Medina.

Abu Dawud said: Ibn Sirin narrated from Abu Hurairah the words: "he should complete it afterwards." Similarly, Abu Rafi' narrated from Abu Hurairah and Abu Dharr narrated from him the words "then complete it, and complete it afterwards." There is a variation of words in the narration from him.

Some narrators added something more in their version.

Abu Dawud said: 'Alqamah b. Waqqas narrated this tradition on the authority of 'Aishah from the Prophet (saws) to the same effect.

While Allah's Apostle was prostrating (as stated below).

Narrated `Abdullah bin Mas`ud:

Once the Prophet was offering prayers at the Ka`ba. Abu Jahl was sitting with some of his companions. One of them said to the others, "Who amongst you will bring the Abdominal contents (intestines, etc.) of a camel of Bani so and so and put it on the back of Muhammad, when he prostrates?" The most unfortunate of them got up and brought it. He waited till the Prophet prostrated and then placed it on his back between his shoulders. I was watching but could not do any thing. I wish I had some people with me to hold out against them. They started laughing and falling on one another. Allah's Apostle was in prostration and he did not lift his head up till Fatima (Prophet's daughter) came and threw that (camel's Abdominal contents) away from his back. He raised his head and said thrice, "O Allah! Punish Quraish." So it was hard for Abu Jahl and his companions when the Prophet invoked Allah against them as they had a conviction that the prayers and invocations were accepted in this city (Mecca). The Prophet said, "O Allah! Punish Abu Jahl, `Utba bin Rabi`a, Shaiba bin Rabi`a, Al-Walid bin `Utba, Umaiya bin Khalaf, and `Uqba bin Al Mu'it [??] (and he mentioned the seventh whose name I cannot recall). By Allah in Whose Hands my life is, I saw the dead bodies of those persons who were counted by Allah's Apostle in the Qalib (one of the wells) of Badr.

Abu Musa said, "I came to the Prophet along with two men (from the tribe) of Ash`ariyin, one on my right and the other on my left, while Allah's Apostle was brushing his teeth (with a Siwak), and both men asked him for some employment. The Prophet said, 'O Abu Musa (O `Abdullah bin Qais!).' I said, 'By Him Who sent you with the Truth, these two men did not tell me what was in their hearts and I did not feel (realize) that they were seeking employment.' As if I were looking now at his Siwak being drawn to a corner under his lips, and he said, 'We never (or, we do not) appoint for our affairs anyone who seeks to be employed. But O Abu Musa! (or `Abdullah bin Qais!) Go to Yemen.'" The Prophet then sent Mu`adh bin Jabal after him and when Mu`adh reached him, he spread out a cushion for him and requested him to get down (and sit on the cushion). Behold: There was a fettered man beside Abu Muisa. Mu`adh asked, "Who is this (man)?" Abu Muisa said, "He was a Jew and became a Muslim and then reverted back to Judaism." Then Abu Muisa requested Mu`adh to sit down but Mu`adh said, "I will not sit down till he has been killed. This is the judgment of Allah and His Apostle (for such cases) and repeated it thrice. Then Abu Musa ordered that the man be killed, and he was killed. Abu Musa added, "Then we discussed the night prayers and one of us said, 'I pray and sleep, and I hope that Allah will reward me for my sleep as well as for my prayers.'"

Urwah ibn az-Zubayr reported from Fatimah daughter of AbuHubaysh that her blood kept flowing, so the Prophet (saws) said to her: When the blood of the menses comes, it is black blood which can be recognised; so when that comes, refrain from prayer; but when a different type of blood comes, perform ablution and pray, for it is (due only to) a vein.

Abu Dawud said: Ibn al-Muthanna narrates this tradition from his book on the authority of Ibn 'Adi in a similar way. Later on he transmitted it to us from his memory: Muhammad b. 'Amr reported to us from al-Zuhri from 'Urwah on the authority of 'Aishah who said: Fatimah used to have her blood flowing. He then reported the tradition conveying the same meaning.

Abu Dawud said: Anas b. Sirin reported from Ibn 'Abbas about the woman who has a prolonged flow of blood. He said: If she sees thick blood, she should not pray; if she finds herself purified even for a moment, she should was an pray.

Makhul said: Menses are not hidden from women. Their blood is black and thick. When it (blackness and thickness) goes away and there appears yellowness and liquidness, that is the flow of blood (from vein). She should wash and pray.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted by Sa'id b. al-Musayyab through a different chain of narrators, saying: The woman who has a prolonged flow of blood should abandon prayer when the menstruation begins; when it is finished, she should wash and pray.

Sumayy and others have also reported it from Sa'id b. al-Musayyab. This version adds: She should refrain (from prayer) during her menstrual period.

Hammad b. Salamah has reported it similarly from Yahya b. Sa'id on the authority of Sa'id b. al-Musayyab.

Abu Dawud said: Yunus has reported from Al-Hasan: When the bleeding of a menstruating woman extends (beyond the normal period), she should refrain (from prayer), after her menses are over, for one or two days. Now she becomes the woman who has a prolonged flow of blood.

Al-Taimi reported from Qatadah: If her menstrual period is prolonged by five days, she should pray. Al-Taimi said: I kept on reducing (the number of days) until I reached two days. He said: If the period extends by two days, they will be counted from the menstrual period. When Ibn Sirin was questioned about it, he said: Women have better knowledge of that.

Jumay' ibn Umayr, one of the sons of Banu Taym Allah ibn Tha'labah, said: Accompanied by my mother and aunt I entered upon Aisha. One of them asked her: How did you do while taking a bath? Aisha replied: The Messenger of Allah (saws) performed ablution (in the beginning) as he did for prayer. He then poured (water) upon his head three times. But we poured water upon our heads five times due to plaits.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) sent Usayd ibn Hudayr and some people with him to search the necklace lost by Aisha. The time of prayer came and they prayed without ablution. When they returned to the Prophet (saws) and related the fact to him, the verse concerning tayammum was revealed.

Ibn Nufayl added: Usayd said to her: May Allah have mercy upon you! Never has there been an occasion when you were beset with an unpleasant matter but Allah made the Muslims and you come out of that.

Messenger of Allah, there are many venomous creatures and wild beasts in Medina (so allow me to pray in my house because I am blind). The Prophet (saws) said: Do you hear the call, "Come to prayer," "Come to salvation"? (He said: Yes.) Then you must come.

Abu Dawud said: Al-Qasim al-Jarmi has narrated this tradition from Sufyan in a similar manner. But his version does not contain the words "Then you must come."