The Prophet offered four rak`at of the Zuhr prayer in Medina and two rak`at of the `Asr prayer in Dhul-Hulaifa and I heard them (the companions of the Prophet) reciting Talbiya together loudly to the extent of shouting.

The Prophet offered a four-rak`at Zuhr prayer at Medina and then offered a two rak`at `Asr prayer at Dhul-Hulaifa and I heard the companions of the Prophet reciting Talbiya aloud (for Hajj and `Umra) altogether.

The Prophet said, "Whoever slaughtered the sacrifice before the prayer, he just slaughtered it for himself, and whoever slaughtered it after the prayer, he slaughtered it at the right time and followed the tradition of the Muslims."

The Iqama for the prayer was announced while a man was talking to Allah's Apostle privately. He continued talking in that way till the Prophet's companions slept, and afterwards the Prophet got up and offered the prayer with them.

Ibn `Umar said, "While the Prophet was on the pulpit, a man asked him how to offer the night prayers. He replied, 'Pray two rak`at at a time and then two and then two and so on, and if you are afraid of the dawn (the approach of the time of the Fajr prayer) pray one rak`a and that will be the witr for all the rak`at which you have offered." Ibn `Umar said, "The last rak`at of the night prayer should be odd, for the Prophet ordered it to be so.

Allah's Apostle said, "If the people knew the reward for pronouncing the Adhan and for standing in the first row (in congregational prayers) and found no other way to get that except by drawing lots they would draw lots, and if they knew the reward of the Zuhr prayer (in the early moments of its stated time) they would race for it (go early) and if they knew the reward of `Isha' and Fajr (morning) prayers in congregation, they would come to offer them even if they had to crawl."

Allah's Apostle stood up for the prayer and we too stood up along with him. Then a bedouin shouted while offering prayer. "O Allah! Bestow Your Mercy on me and Muhammad only and do not bestow it on anybody else along with us." When the Prophet had finished his prayer with Taslim, he said to the Bedouin, "You have limited (narrowed) a very vast (thing)," meaning Allah's Mercy.

the mother of the faithful believers: Allah's Apostle in his last illness said, "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in the prayer." I said, "If Abu Bakr stood in your place, he would not be able to make the people hear him owing to his weeping. So please order `Umar to lead the prayer." He said, "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in the prayer." I said to Hafsa, "Say to him, 'Abu Bakr is a softhearted man and if he stood in your place he would not be able to make the people hear him owing to his weeping. So order `Umar to lead the people in the prayer.' " Hafsa did so but Allah's Apostle said, "Keep quiet. Verily you are the companions of (Prophet) Joseph. Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in the prayer." Hafsa said to me, "I never got any good from you."

My father and I went to Abu Barza-al-Aslami to ask him about the stated times for the prayers. He replied, "The Prophet used to offer the Zuhr prayer when the sun just declined from its highest position at noon; the `Asr at a time when if a man went to the farthest place in Medina (after praying) he would find the sun still hot (bright). (The sub narrator said: I have forgotten what Abu Barza said about the Maghrib prayer). The Prophet never found any harm in delaying the `Isha' prayer to the first third of the night and he never liked to sleep before it and to talk after it. He used to offer the morning prayer at a time when after finishing it one could recognize the person sitting beside him and used to recite between 60 to 100 verses in one or both the rak`at."

Once in the middle of the night Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) went out and prayed in the mosque and some men prayed with him. The next morning the people spoke about it and so more people gathered and prayed with him (in the second night). They circulated the news in the morning, and so, on the third night the number of people increased greatly. Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) came out and they prayed behind him. On the fourth night the mosque was overwhelmed by the people till it could not accommodate them. Allah's Apostle came out only for the Fajr prayer and when he finished the prayer, he faced the people and recited "Tashah-hud" (I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is His Apostle), and then said, "Amma ba'du. Verily your presence (in the mosque at night) was not hidden from me, but I was afraid that this prayer (Prayer of Tahajjud) might be made compulsory and you might not be able to carry it out."

The Prophet went out to affect a reconciliation between the tribes of Bani `Amr bin `Auf and the time of the prayer became due; Bilal went to Abu Bakr and said, "The Prophet is detained. Will you lead the people in the prayer?" Abu Bakr replied, "Yes, if you wish." So Bilal pronounced the Iqama and Abu Bakr led the prayer. In the meantime the Prophet came crossing the rows (of the praying people) till he stood in the first row and the people started clapping. Abu Bakr never looked hither and thither during the prayer but when the people clapped too much, he looked back and saw the Prophet in the (first) row. The Prophet waved him to remain at his place, but Abu Bakr raised both his hands and sent praises to Allah and then retreated and the Prophet went forward and led the prayer. (See Hadith No. 295 & 296)

Imam Muslim said: Ashja'i narrated it from Sufyan al-Thauri, who narrated it from al-Aswad b. Qais, who narrated it from 'Uqba, who narrated it from al-Bara' b. 'Azib who said: We recited with the Prophet (may peace be upon him) (the above-mentioned verse like this, i. e. instead of Salat al- Wusta, Salat al-'Asr) for a certain period. as It has been mentioned (in the above-quoted hadith).

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."

I offered the prayer with the Prophet, Abu Bakr and `Umar at Mina and it was of two rak`at. `Uthman in the early days of his caliphate did the same, but later on he started praying the full prayer.

The Prophet used to stand (in the prayer) or pray till both his feet or legs swelled. He was asked why (he offered such an unbearable prayer) and he said, "should I not be a thankful slave."

Anas bin Malik said, "The Prophet offered four rak`at of the Zuhr prayer in Medina and two rak`at of `Asr prayer at Dhul-Hulaifa." I think that the Prophet passed the night there till morning.

The Prophet offered the Maghrib and `Isha' prayers together at Jam' (i.e. Al-Muzdalifa) with a separate Iqama for each of them and did not offer any optional prayer in between them or after each of them.

I never saw the Prophet offering any prayer not at its stated time except two; he prayed the Maghrib and the `Isha' together and he offered the morning prayer before its usual time.

The people mentioned the fire and the bell (as means proposed for announcing the time of prayer) and by such a suggestion they referred to the Jews and the Christians. But Bilal was ordered, "Pronounce the words of the Adhan (i.e. call for the prayer) twice and the Iqama once only."

Anas said, "I do not find (now-a-days) things as they were (practiced) at the time of the Prophet." Somebody said "The prayer (is as it was.)" Anas said, "Have you not done in the prayer what you have done?

"The Prophet forbade praying after the Fajr prayer till the sun rises and after the `Asr prayer till the sun sets."

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

Some people told me the same narration (as above).

Fatima bint Abi Hubaish said to Allah's Apostle, "O Allah's Apostle! I do not become clean (from bleeding). Shall I give up my prayers?" Allah's Apostle replied: "No, because it is from a blood vessel and not the menses. So when the real menses begins give up your prayers and when it (the period) has finished wash the blood off your body (take a bath) and offer your prayers."

When the Prophet fell ill, he said, "Order Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer." `Aisha said, "Abu Bakr is a soft-hearted person. The Prophet gave the same order again and she again gave the same reply. He again said, "Order Abu Bakr (to lead the prayer)! You are (like) the female companions of Joseph." Consequently Abu Bakr led the people in prayer in the life-time of the Prophet.

that while they were with the Prophet at As-Sahba' which was at a distance of one day's journey from Khaibar the prayer became due, and the Prophet asked the people for food but there was nothing with the people except Sawiq. He ate of it and we ate along with him, and then he asked for water and rinsed his mouth (with it), and then offered the (Maghrib) prayer and we too offered the prayer but the Prophet did not perform ablution (again after eating the Sawiq.).

One night the Prophet delayed the `Isha' prayer whereupon `Umar went to him and said, "The prayer, O Allah's Apostle! The women and children had slept." The Prophet came out with water dropping from his head, and said, "Were I not afraid that it would be hard for my followers (or for the people), I would order them to pray `Isha prayer at this time." (Various versions of this Hadith are given by the narrators with slight differences in expression but not in content).

Allah's Apostle used to pray (optional, non-obligatory prayer) while riding on his mount (Rahila) wherever it turned, and whenever he wanted to pray the compulsory prayer he dismounted and prayed facing the Qibla.

The Prophet led us in a prayer and then got up on the pulpit and said, "In your prayer and bowing, I certainly see you from my back as I see you (while looking at you.)"

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).

The Prophet recited aloud in the prayers in which he was ordered to do so and quietly in the prayers in which he was ordered to do so. "And your Lord is not forgetful." "Verily there was a good example for you in the ways of the Prophet."

Allah's Apostle used to offer the Fajr prayer when it was still dark and the believing women used to return (after finishing their prayer) and nobody could recognize them owing to darkness, or they could not recognize one another.

The Prophet said, "No doubt, I intended to order somebody to pronounce the Iqama of the (compulsory congregational) prayer and then I would go to the houses of those who do not attend the prayer and burn their houses over them."

The Prophet offered a prayer, and (after finishing) he said, "Satan came in front of me trying persistently to divert my attention from the prayer, but Allah gave me the strength to over-power him."

`Ata' said, "Jabir bin `Abdullah said, 'The Prophet went out on the Day of `Id-ul-Fitr and offered the prayer before delivering the Khutba, Ata told me that during the early days of Ibn Az-Zubair, Ibn `Abbas had sent a message to him telling him that the Adhan for the `Id Prayer was never pronounced (in the life time of Allah's Apostle) and the Khutba used to be delivered after the prayer. Ata told me that Ibn `Abbas and Jabir bin `Abdullah, had said, "There was no Adhan for the prayer of `Id-ul-Fitr and `Id-ul-Aqha." `Ata' said, "I heard Jabir bin `Abdullah saying, 'The Prophet stood up and started with the prayer, and after it he delivered the Khutba. When the Prophet of Allah (p.b.u.h) finished (the Khutba), he went to the women and preached to them, while he was leaning on Bilal's hand. Bilal was spreading his garment and the ladies were putting alms in it.' " I said to Ata, "Do you think it incumbent upon an Imam to go to the women and preach to them after finishing the prayer and Khutba?" `Ata' said, "No doubt it is incumbent on Imams to do so, and why should they not do so?"

Ibn 'Umar reported that Hafsa, the Mother of the Believers, informed him that when the Mu'adhdhin became silent after calling (people) to the dawn prayer, the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) commenced the dawn (prayer) when it dawned by observing two short rak'ahs before the commencement of the (Fard) prayer.

In the year of the conquest of Khaibar I went with Allah's Apostle till we reached Sahba, a place near Khaibar, where Allah's Apostle offered the `Asr prayer and asked for food. Nothing but saweeq was brought. He ordered it to be moistened with water. He and all of us ate it and the Prophet got up for the evening prayer (Maghrib prayer), rinsed his mouth with water and we did the same, and he then prayed without repeating the ablution.