Method of Prayer
81 hadiths
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I have been commanded to prostrate on seven bones
Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I have been commanded to prostrate on seven bones: the forehead (and he pointed to his nose), the hands, the knees, and the extremities of the feet, and not to tuck up the clothes and hair."
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say between the two prostrations: "Allahumma ighfir li warhamni wa ‘āfeni wahdeni warzuqni (O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, grant me safety, guide me, and provide for me)
Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say between the two prostrations: "Allahumma ighfir li warhamni wa ‘āfeni wahdeni warzuqni (O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, grant me safety, guide me, and provide for me)".
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to raise his hands in line with his shoulders when commencing the prayer,
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to raise his hands in line with his shoulders when commencing the prayer, when saying Takbīr (proclaiming Allah's greatness) for Rukū‘ (bowing), and when raising his head from Rukū‘ he would raise them as well and say: "Sami‘allāhu liman hamidah, rabbana wa laka al-hamd" (Allah hears whoever praises Him, O our Lord, praise be to You). He did not use to do this in Sujūd (prostration).
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught me the Tashahhud, with my hand between his two hands, as he would teach me a Surah from the Qur’an
Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught me the Tashahhud, with my hand between his two hands, as he would teach me a Surah from the Qur’an: "At-tahiyyātu lillāhi was-salawātu wat-tayyibātu as-Salāmu ‘alayka ayyuha an-nabiyyu wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh, as-salāmu ‘alayna wa ‘ala ‘ibādillāhi as-sālihīn, ash-hadu alla ilāha illallāh wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasūluh (Greetings, prayers, and good things are due to Allah. May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you, O Prophet. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger)." Another wording reads: "Verily, Allah is the Giver of Peace, so when any of you sits in prayer, let him say: 'At-tahiyyātu lillāhi was-salawātu wat-tayyibātu as-salāmu ‘alayka ayyuha an-nabiyyu wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh, as-salāmu ‘alayna wa ‘ala ‘ibādillāhi as-sālihīn (Greetings, prayers, and good things are due to Allah. May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you, O Prophet. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah).' If you say this, it will benefit every righteous slave of Allah in heaven and on earth. (Then, say:) 'Ash-hadu alla ilāha illallāh wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasūluh (I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).' Then, let him choose whatever supplication he would like."
Be moderate in prostration, and let none of you spread his forearms on the ground like a dog
Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Be moderate in prostration, and let none of you spread his forearms on the ground like a dog."
When the Imām says amen, you too say amen, for whoever says amen at the same time the angels say amen will have his previous sins forgiven
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When the Imām says amen, you too say amen, for whoever says amen at the same time the angels say amen will have his previous sins forgiven."
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يرفع يديه حذو منكبيه إذا افتتح الصلاة
عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يَرفع يَديه حَذو مَنْكِبيه إذا افتتح الصلاة، وإذا كَبَّر للركوع، وإذا رفع رأسه من الركوع، رفَعَهما كذلك أيضا، وقال: سمع الله لمن حَمِدَه، ربَّنَا ولك الحَمد، وكان لا يَفعل ذلك في السُّجود.
When you prostrate, place your palms and raise your elbows
Al-Barā’ (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When you prostrate, place your palms and raise your elbows."
When any of you prostrates, he should not kneel down like a camel; rather, he should put down his hands before his knees
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When any of you prostrates, he should not kneel down like a camel; rather, he should put down his hands before his knees.”
Ibn ‘Umar used to put his hands down before his knees, and he said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to do that
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to put his hands down before his knees, and he said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to do that.
I prayed with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and he used to make Taslīm (salutation of peace ending the prayer) to his right saying: "May Allah's peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you," and to his left saying: "May Allah's peace and mercy be upon you
Wā’il ibn Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I prayed with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and he used to make Taslīm (salutation of peace ending the prayer) to his right saying: "May Allah's peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you," and to his left saying: "May Allah's peace and mercy be upon you."
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited: {Say, “O disbelievers”} and {Say: “He is Allah, the One”} in the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited: {Say, “O disbelievers”} and {Say: “He is Allah, the One”} in the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr.
O people, I only did this so that you can follow my example and learn my prayer.'
Abu Hāzim ibn Dinār reported: Some men came to Sahl ibn Sa'd as-Sā‘idi. They were wondering what kind of wood the Pulpit was made of. So, they asked him about it, and he said: "By Allah, I know what it is made of. I saw it the first day it was set up, and the first day the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sat on it. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent to so-and-so - a woman from the Ansār whose name was mentioned by Sahl - telling her: 'Tell your carpenter slave to make for me some pieces of wood that I can sit on when I speak to the people.' So, she told him, and he made it from Tamarisk wood from Al-Ghābah (a place near Madīnah). Then, he brought it, and it was sent to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), who commanded that it be set up here. Then, I saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pray on it and say the takbīr while he was on it, and then he bowed while he was on it, and then he came down backwards and prostrated at the base of the Pulpit; and then he went back. When he finished, he turned to the people and said: 'O people, I only did this so that you can follow my example and learn my prayer.'"
'When you pray, straighten your rows and let one of you lead in prayer, and when he says takbīr, say takbīr
Hittān ibn' Abdullāh ar-Raqāshi reported: I observed prayer with Abu Mūsa al-Ash'ari, and when he was in the tashahhud, someone among the people said: "The prayer has been made obligatory along with benevolence and Zakah." When Abu Mūsa finished the prayer and made taslīm, he turned to the people and said: "Who amongst you said such and such thing?" A hush fell on the people. He again said: "Who amongst you has said such and such thing?" A hush fell on the people. He said, "O Hittān, perhaps you have uttered it." Hittān said: "No, I have not uttered it. I feared you might be annoyed with me because of this." A person amongst the people said: "It was I who said it, and I intended nothing but good with it." Abu Mūsa said: "Do you not know what you have to say in your prayers? Verily, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) addressed us, explaining to us our Sunnah and teaching us our prayer, and said: 'When you pray, straighten your rows and let one of you lead in prayer, and when he says takbīr, say takbīr; when he recites {Not of those who incurred Your Wrath, or of those who went astray} [Surat al-Fātihah: 7], say 'amen'; and Allah will respond to you. And when he says takbīr, you also say takbīr, for the Imām bows and rises before you.' Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'This is equivalent to that. And when he says, 'Sami'a Allāhu liman hamidah' (Allah hears he who praises Him), you should say: 'Allahumma rabbanā laka al-hamd' (O Allah, our Lord, praise be to You), and Allah will hear you, for Allah Almighty said through the tongue of His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): Allah hears he who praises Him. And when he says takbīr and prostrates, you should also say takbīr and prostrate, for the Imām prostrates before you and rises before you.' Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'This is equivalent to that. And when he sits for tashahhud, the first words of everyone amongst you should be: 'Attaḥiyyāt at-ṭayyibāt aṣ-ṣalawātu lillāhi, assalāmu 'alayka 'ayyuh an-nabiyyu wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh, assalāmu' alayna wa 'alā 'ibadillāhi aṣ-ṣāliḥīn. Ash'hadu an lā 'ilāha illā Allah wa ash'hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasūluh.' (All greetings, good things, and prayers are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and the righteous servants of Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger)."
By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, I am the closest among you to the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Such was his prayer until he departed this world
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he used to say takbīr in every obligatory and supererogatory prayer during Ramadan and others. He would say takbīr when he rose and say takbīr when he bowed. Then, he would say: "Sami'a allāhu liman hamidah" (Allah hears he who praises Him). Then, he would say, "Rabbanā wa laka al-hamd" (Our Lord, praise be to You) before prostrating. Then, he would say: "Allāhu akbar" (Allah is the Greatest) as he went down to prostration. Then, he would say takbīr upon raising his head from prostration, then say takbīr upon prostrating, and then say takbīr upon raising his head from prostration. Then, he would say takbīr upon rising from the sitting position both times. He would do so in every Rak'ah until he finished the prayer. Then, he would say as he left: "By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, I am the closest among you to the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Such was his prayer until he departed this world."
The worst of thieves among people is the one who steals his prayer." He said: "How does he steal his prayer?" He said: "He does not perform its Rukū‘ or prostration perfectly
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The worst of thieves among people is the one who steals his prayer." He said: "How does he steal his prayer?" He said: "He does not perform its Rukū‘ or prostration perfectly."
When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) raised his back from Rukū‘ (bowing), he would say: "Sami‘a allāhu liman hamidah
Ibn Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) raised his back from Rukū‘ (bowing), he would say: "Sami‘a allāhu liman hamidah, allāhumma rabbana laka al-hamd mil’a as-samawāt wa mil’a al-ard wa mil’a ma shi’ta min shay’in ba‘d" (Allah hears he who praises Him. O Allah, our Lord, to You is the praise as much as fills the heavens, as much as fills the earth, and as much as fills whatever You will thereafter).
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say between the two prostrations: "Rabbi ighfir li, rabbi ighfir li" (My Lord, forgive me; my Lord, forgive me)
Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say between the two prostrations: "Rabbi ighfir li, rabbi ighfir li" (My Lord, forgive me; my Lord, forgive me).
That is Satan who is known as Khinzab. If you perceive his effect, seek refuge with Allah from him and spit three times to your left
‘Uthmān ibn Abi al-‘Ās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, Satan intervenes between me and my prayer and my recitation of the Qur'an, confounding me." So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That is Satan who is known as Khinzab. If you perceive his effect, seek refuge with Allah from him and spit three times to your left." He said: I did that, and Allah caused him to depart from me.
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا قرأ {ولا الضالين} قال: "آمين" ورفع بها صوته
عن وائل بن حُجْر قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا قرأ {ولا الضالين} قال: "آمين" ورفع بها صوته. وفي رواية الترمذي: فقال: "آمين" ومد بها صوته.
ما رأيتُ النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقرأ في شيء من صلاة الليل جالسًا
عن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت: ما رأيتُ النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقرأ في شيء من صلاة الليل جالسًا، حتى إذا كبر قرأ جالسًا، فإذا بقي عليه من السورة ثلاثون أو أربعون آية، قام فقرأهن، ثم ركع.
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقرأ في الركعتين الأُولَيَيْنِ من صلاة الظهر بفاتحة الكتاب وسورتين، يُطَوِّلُ في الأولى، و يُقَصِّرُ في الثانية، و يُسْمِعُ الآية أحيانًا
عن أبي قَتَادَةَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ رضي الله عنه قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقرأ في الركعتين الأُولَيَيْنِ من صلاة الظهر بفاتحة الكتاب وسورتين، يُطَوِّلُ في الأولى، و يُقَصِّرُ في الثانية، و يُسْمِعُ الآية أحيانا، وكان يقرأ في العصر بفاتحة الكتاب وسورتين يُطَوِّلُ في الأولى، و يُقَصِّرُ في الثانية، وفي الركعتين الأُخْرَيَيْنِ بِأُمِّ الكتاب، وكان يُطَوِّلُ في الركعة الأولى من صلاة الصبح، ويُقَصِّرُ في الثانية.
When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got up for prayer, he would say Takbīr when he stands. Then he would say Takbīr when he bows. Then he would say: "Allah hears the one who praised Him" when he raises his back from bowing
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: 'When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got up for prayer, he would say Takbīr when he stands. Then he would say Takbīr when he bows. Then he would say: "Allah hears the one who praised Him" when he raises his back from bowing. Then he would say while standing: "O Lord, to you belongs the praise!" Then he would say Takbīr when he goes down (to prostrate) and would say Takbīr when he raises his head. Then he would say Takbīr when he prostrates himself, then he would say Takbīr on raising his head. He would do that throughout the whole prayer until he completes it. He would also say Takbīr when he gets up at the end of the two Rak‘ahs Abu Hurayrah then said: ''My prayer has the closest resemblance to the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).''
I watched the prayer of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and found his standing, his bowing, standing after bowing, prostration, sitting between the two prostrations, prostration, and sitting between Taslīm (end of the prayer) and going away nearly equal to one another
Al-Barā' ibn ‘Āzib (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I watched the prayer of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and found his standing, his bowing, standing after bowing, prostration, sitting between the two prostrations, prostration, and sitting between Taslīm and going away, nearly equal to one another.' Another narration reads: ''Except the standing and the sitting, (other postures) were nearly equal.”
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray while carrying Umāmah the daughter of Zaynab, daughter of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)
Abu Qatādah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray while carrying Umāmah the daughter of Zaynab, daughter of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Another narration reported by Abu al-‘Ās ibn Ar-Rabī‘ ibn ‘Abd Shams (may Allah be pleased with him) reads: “When he prostrated himself, he would put her on the ground, and when he stood up, he would carry her.”
I prayed with Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthmān and I did not hear any one of them recite "In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful"
Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) used to start the prayer with {[All] praise is [due] to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.} [Sūrat al-Fātihah: 1] Another narration reads: "I prayed with Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthmān and I did not hear any one of them recite "In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful." A narration of Muslim reads: "I prayed behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthmān, and they used to start the prayer with {[All] praise is [due] to Allah, the Lord of the worlds} [Sūrat al-Fātihah: 1], without saying 'In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful', neither in the beginning nor at the end.”
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) appointed a man in charge of an army unit who led them in prayer; he always concluded his recitation with Sūrat al-Ikhlās
‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) appointed a man in charge of an army unit who led them in prayer; he always concluded his recitation with Sūrat al-Ikhlās. Upon their return to Madīnah, they mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), who said: "Ask him why he did so?" He was asked, and he responded: "This Sūrah contains the Attributes of Allah, the Gracious, and I love to recite it." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then told them: "Tell him that Allah loves him."
I prayed with ‘Imrān ibn Husayn behind ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib. When he prostrated, he made Takbīr, when he raised his head he made Takbīr, and when he stood up after two Rak‘ahs, he made Takbīr
Mutarrif ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: I prayed with ‘Imrān ibn Husayn behind ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib. When he prostrated, he made Takbīr, when he raised his head he made Takbīr, and when he stood up after two Rak‘ahs, he made Takbīr. After he had finished praying, ‘Imrān took my hand and said: "This reminded me of the prayer of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." Or he said: "He led us in prayer the same way Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did."
I heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reciting Sūrat At-Tūr in the Maghrib prayer
Jubayr ibn Mut‘im (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reciting Sūrat At-Tūr in the Maghrib prayer
I will lead you in prayer; although I do not intend to pray, it is just to show you how I witnessed the Messenger of Allah pray
Abu Qilābah reported that ‘Abdullāh ibn Zayd al-Jarmi al-Basri reported: Mālik ibn Huwayrith came to this mosque of ours and said: "I will lead you in prayer; although I do not intend to pray, it is just to show you how I witnessed the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) pray." I asked Abu Qilābah: "How did he pray?" He replied: "Just as this Sheikh of ours prays", and he would sit after lifting his head from prostration and before standing up. Their Sheikh was Abu Burayd ‘Amr ibn Salāmah al-Jarmi.
O Allah, forgive my past and future sins, my hidden and apparent sins, my transgression, and the sins that You know of more than I do. You are the One who puts forward and the One who holds back. There is no god but You
‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) got up to pray, he would say: “I have turned my face in complete devotion to the One Who created the heavens and the earth, and I am not one of the polytheists. Verily my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are for Allah, the Lord of the worlds; there is no partner with Him and this is what I have been commanded (to profess and believe) and I am of the Muslims. O Allah, You are the Sovereign, there is no god but You. You are my Lord and I am Your slave. I have wronged myself and I have admitted my sin, so forgive all my sins, for no one forgives sins but You. Guide me to the best of morals for none can guide to them but You, and deliver me from the worst of morals for none can deliver me from them but You. Here I am, in answer to Your call, happy to serve You. All good is within Your hands and evil does not stem from You. I exist by You and I turn to You. Blessed and Exalted. I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You.” When he bowed, he would say: “O Allah, it is for You that I bowed, it is in You that I believed, and it is to You that I submitted. Humbled to You are my hearing, my eyesight, my mind, my bones, and my tendons.” When he rose from bowing, he would say: “O Allah, our Lord, praise is due to You, (praise) that fills the heavens and the earth, that fills what exists between them, and that fills anything You desire afterward.” When he prostrated himself, he would say: “O Allah, it is to You that I prostrated myself, it is in You that I affirmed my faith, and it is to You that I submitted. My face has prostrated to the One who created it and shaped it and split open its faculties of hearing and seeing. Blessed is Allah, the best of Creators.” Then, one of the last things he would say between the Tashahhud and Taslīm is: “O Allah, forgive my past and future sins, my hidden and apparent sins, my transgression, and the sins that You know of more than I do. You are the One who puts forward and the One who holds back. There is no god but You.”
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out to Qubā' Mosque to pray in it
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out to Qubā' Mosque to pray in it. He added: "Some of the Ansār came to him and greeted him while he was praying." He then added: "I asked Bilāl: "How did you see the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) return their greeting when they greeted him while he was praying?" Bilāl said: "He made this gesture," and he stretched out his hand with the palm facing down and the back facing up.
I saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) leading people in prayer and carrying Umāmah bint Abu al-‘Ās, the daughter of the Prophet's daughter Zaynab, on his shoulder. He put her down when he wanted to bow, and he picked her up again when he got up after prostration
Abu Qatādah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) leading people in prayer and carrying Umāmah bint Abu al-‘Ās, the daughter of the Prophet's daughter Zaynab, on his shoulder. He put her down when he wanted to bow, and he picked her up again when he got up after prostration.
Kill the two blacks during prayer: the snake and the scorpion
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Kill the two blacks during prayer: the snake and the scorpion."
The Hadīth of the one harming his prayer as reported by Rifā‘ah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Rifā‘ah ibn Rāfi‘ Az-Zuraqi, a Companion of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting in the mosque when a man came in and prayed near him. When the man moved toward the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to greet him after the prayer, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Go back and pray again, for you have not prayed." The man went back and prayed as he had prayed before and he came to the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who said: "Go back and pray again, for you have not prayed." The man said: "O Messenger of Allah, teach me how to do it." He said: "When you stand facing the Qiblah, say the Takbīr and recite the Mother of the Qur’an (Sūrat al-Fātihah), then recite whatever you like of the Qur’an. Then bow with your palms resting on your knees and your back unbent for enough time. When you rise your head, stand up straight until the bones fit well in their joints. Then prostrate until you are at ease in prostration, and when you raise your head, sit on your left thigh. Then do that in every bowing and prostration." In another narration, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The prayer of any one of you is not complete until he performs ablution perfectly, as Allah, the Almighty, has ordered. He should wash his face and then his hands up to the elbows, wipe his head and (wash) his feet up to the ankles. Then he should say the Takbīr and praise Allah, the Almighty. He should then recite the Qur'an as much as it is convenient for him.” He said: “He then says the Takbīr and prostrates himself, so his face or forehead is at rest on the ground and his joints return to their places and are loosened. Then he should say the Takbīr and sit to the right on his hips and keep his back erect.” He described the nature of prayer in this way by offering four Rak‘ahs until he finished it. Then he said: “The prayer of any of you is not complete unless he does this.” In another version, he said: “Perform ablution as Allah, the Almighty, ordered you to, then utter the two testimonies of faith, announce the Iqāmah, and say the Takbīr. If you have memorized some parts of the Qur’an, recite them, otherwise, busy yourself praising and exalting Allah.”
Abu Humayd As-Sā‘idi, while he was sitting with ten of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) including Abu Qatādah, said: I am the most knowledgeable among you about the Prophet's prayer
Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn ‘Atā reported: While Abu Humayd As-Sā‘idi was sitting among ten of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) including Abu Qatādah, he said: "I am the most knowledgeable among you about the (manner of the) prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." They said: "Why? By Allah, you did not follow him more than we did, nor did you accompany him before us." He said: "Indeed, I am." They said: "Then show us." He said: "When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood up for prayer, he would raise his hands parallel to his shoulders, say Takbīr, and then wait until every bone of his body would settle properly in its place. Then he would recite (the Qur’an), then he would raise his hands parallel to his shoulders and say Takbīr, and then bow, placing his palms on his knees. Then he would stand up straight, and he would neither lower his head nor raise it much. Then he would say: ‘Allah hears those who praise Him'; and he would then raise his hands to the level of his shoulders while standing straight. Then he would say Takbīr and prostrate himself on the ground, keeping his arms away from his sides. Then he would raise his head and tuck his left foot and sit on it, and he would spread out his toes while prostrating. Then he would prostrate, then say Takbīr, raise his head, tuck his left foot, and sit on it until every bone returned to its place. Then he would stand up and do the same in the next Rak‘ah. Then, when he stood up after two Rak‘ahs, he would raise his hands up to the level of his shoulders as he did at the beginning of the prayer. Then he would offer the rest of his prayer in the same manner, and when he came to the prostration that is followed by Taslīm, he would draw his left foot backward and sit, placing his left posterior on the ground." They said: "You have spoken the truth; this is how the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform the prayer."
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to start the prayer with Takbīr and then recite: {All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds}
‘Ā’ishah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to start the prayer with Takbīr and then recite: {All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds}. When he bowed, he neither raised his head nor lowered it, but kept it level. When he raised his head from bowing, he would not prostrate until he had fully stood upright. When he raised his head from prostration, he would not prostrate (again) until he had sat upright. After each two Rak‘ahs (units of prayer), he would recite the Tahiyyah (greeting). He would spread his left foot out and erect his right foot. He would forbid sitting in the manner of the devil and resting the forearms on the ground, as a wild beast (i.e., lion) does. He would conclude the prayer with Taslīm (a salutation of peace that ends the prayer).
I prayed with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and he placed his right hand above his left hand on his chest
Wā’il ibn Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I prayed with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and he placed his right hand above his left hand on his chest.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as well as Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, used to begin the prayer with {All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds}
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as well as Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, used to begin the prayer with {All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds}Lord of the worlds)". Imām Muslim added: "They did not recite 'In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful' at the beginning of the recitation or at the end of it." Another narration reported by Ahmad, An-Nasā'i, and ibn Khuzaymah reads: "They did not recite 'In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful' loudly." Another narration reported by Ibn Khuzaymah reads: "They used to recite it silently." This explains the negation mentioned in Imām Muslim's narration and answers the questions raised by scholars about it.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite Al-Fātihah followed by another Sūrah in the first two Rak‘āhs of the Zhuhr prayer and used to recite only Al-Fātihah in the last two Rak‘āhs of it. Sometimes a verse or so was audible
Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite Al-Fātihah followed by another Sūrah in the first two Rak‘āhs of the Zhuhr prayer and used to recite only Al-Fātihah in the last two Rak‘āhs of it. Sometimes a verse or so was audible. He used to prolong the first Rak‘ah more than the second and used to do the same in the ‘Asr and Fajr prayers.
We used to estimate the time that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would stand when performing the Zhuhr and the ‘Asr prayers. We estimated that the time he stood in the first two Rak‘ahs of the Zhuhr prayer as the being the time taken to recite Sūrat As-Sajdah and it would be half of that time in the last two Rak‘ahs
Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We used to estimate the time that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would stand when performing the Zhuhr and the ‘Asr prayers. We estimated that the time he stood in the first two Rak‘ahs of the Zhuhr prayer as the being the time taken to recite Sūrat As-Sajdah and it would be half of that time in the last two Rak‘ahs. We also estimated the time he stood in the first two Rak‘ahs of the ‘Asr prayer as being the same as the time he stood in the last two Rak‘ahs of the Zhuhr prayer and half of that time in the last two Rak‘ahs of the ‘Asr prayer." Abu Bakr did not mention Sūrat As-Sajdah in his narration, instead he said: “the time taken to recite thirty verses.”
I have never prayed behind anyone whose prayer more closely resembles that of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) than so-and-so. We prayed behind him and he would lengthen the first two Rak‘ahs of the Zhuhr and shorten the last two
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I have never prayed behind anyone whose prayer more closely resembles that of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) than so-and-so. We prayed behind him and he would lengthen the first two Rak‘ahs (units of prayer) of the Zhuhr and shorten the last two, and he would make the ‘Asr shorter; in the Maghrib, he would recite the short Mufassal Sūrahs; and he would recite Sūrat Ash-Shams and similar-sized Sūrahs in the ‘Ishā' and recite two long Sūrahs in the Fajr prayer.
I heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recite Sūrah At-Tūr during the Maghrib prayer. When he reached this verse: {Were they created by nothing? Or were they themselves the creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Rather, they are not certain. Or have they the depositories [containing the provision] of your Lord? Or are they the controllers [of them]?}, it was as if my heart was about to take flight
Jubayr ibn Mut‘im (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recite Sūrah At-Tūr during the Maghrib prayer. When he reached this verse: {Were they created by nothing? Or were they themselves the creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Rather, they are not certain. Or have they the depositories [containing the provision] of your Lord? Or are they the controllers [of them]?}, it was as if my heart was about to take flight.
In the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) the bowing, rising from bowing, prostration, and sitting between the two prostrations were all roughly the same (in length)
Al-Hakam reported: Kufah was conquered by a man called Zamān ibn al-Ash‘ath. He ordered Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn ‘Abdullāh to lead people in prayer. When he performed the prayer, he would rise from bowing and stand for as long it took me to say: "O Allah, our Lord, to You is all praise that fills the heavens and earth and whatever You will beyond that. All praise and glory belong to You. No one can withhold what You have given and no one can give what You have withheld. And the good fortune of a person will not avail him before You." Al-Hakam added: "I mentioned this to ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abu Layla and he said: ‘I head Al-Barā' ibn ‘Āzib say: 'In the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), the bowing, rising from bowing, prostration, and sitting between the two prostrations were all roughly the same (in length).''' Shu‘bah said: "I related this to ‘Amr ibn Murrah and he said: ‘I saw Ibn Abu Layla, and his prayer was not like that.'"
Whenever the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed, he would spread out his fingers, and whenever he prostrated, he would join them together
Wā’il ibn Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Whenever the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed, he would spread out his fingers, and whenever he prostrated, he would join them together.
When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was performing an odd-numbered Rak‘ah, he would not get up until he had been settled in the sitting position
Mālik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pray and when he was performing an odd-numbered Rak‘ah, he would not get up until he had been settled in the sitting position.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) invoked evil on the tribe of Banu Sulaym for one month after rising from Rukū‘ in prayer
‘Āsim reported: I asked Anas about the Qunūt (invocation in the prayer). Anas said: "It should be recited before Rukū‘." I said: "So-and-so claims that you said it should be recited after rising from Rukū‘." He replied: "He is mistaken." Then Anas narrated to us that the Prophet invoked evil on the tribe of Banu Sulaym for one month after rising from Rukū‘. He then said: "The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent 40 or 70 reciters (men well versed in the knowledge of the Qur'an) to some pagans, who killed them, even though there was a peace pact between them and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). I never saw the Prophet hating anyone as much as he hated those pagans."
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not say the Qunūt but he would pray for welfare of a people or doom of others
Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not say the Qunūt but he would pray for welfare of a people or doom of others.
O father, you prayed behind the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmān, and ‘Ali here in Kufah for about five years. Did they use to recite the Qunūt in the Fajr prayer? He said: O son, this is an innovation in religion
Abu Mālik al-Ashja‘i Sa‘d ibn Tāriq (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I said to my father: "O father, you prayed behind the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmān, and ‘Ali here in Kufah for about five years. Did they use to recite the Qunūt in the Fajr prayer?" He said: "O son, this is an innovation in religion."
When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sat for supplication, he would put his right hand on his right thigh and his left hand on his left thigh, point with his index finger, place his thumb on his middle finger, and cover his knee with the palm of his left hand
‘Abdullāh ibn Az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sat for supplication, he would put his right hand on his right thigh and his left hand on his left thigh, point with his index finger, place his thumb on his middle finger, and cover his knee with the palm of his left hand.