حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ كَيْسَانَ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ فُرِضَتِ الصَّلاَةُ رَكْعَتَيْنِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ فِي الْحَضَرِ وَالسَّفَرِ فَأُقِرَّتْ صَلاَةُ السَّفَرِ وَزِيدَ فِي صَلاَةِ الْحَضَرِ.
'A'isha, the wife of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), reported:
The prayer was prescribed as two rak'ahs, two rak'ahs both in journey and at the place of residence. The prayer while travelling remained as it was (originally prescribed), but an addition was made in the prayer (observed) at the place of residence.
'A'isha, the wife of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), said Allah prescribed the prayer as two rak'ahs, then it was completed (to four rak'ahs) at the place of residence, but was retained in the same position in journey as it was first made obligatory.
The prayer was prescribed as consisting of two rak'ahs, the prayer in travelling remained the same, but the prayer at the place of residence was completed. (Zuhri said he asked 'Urwa why 'A'isha said prayer in the complete form during journey, and he replied that she interpreted the matter herself as 'Uthman did.)
I told 'Umar b. al-Khattab that Allah had said: “You may shorten the prayer only if you fear that those who are unbelievers may afflict you” (Qur'an, iv. 101), whereas the people are now safe. He replied: I wondered about it in the same way as you wonder about it, so I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about it and he said: It is an act of charity which Allah has done to you, so accept His charity.
Allah has prescribed the prayer through the word of your Prophet (ﷺ) as four rak'ahs when resident, two when travelling, and one when danger is present.
I asked Ibn 'Abbas: How should I say prayer when I am in Mecca, and when I do not pray along with the Imam? He said: Two rak'ahs (of prayer) is the Sunnah of Abu'l-Qasim (ﷺ).
I accompanied Ibn 'Umar on the road to Mecca and he led us in two rak'ahs at the noon prayer, then he went forward and we too went along with him to a place where he alighted, and he sat and we sat along with him, and he cast a glance to the side where he said prayer and he saw people standing and asked: What are they doing? I said: They are engaged in glorifying Allah, offering Sunnah prayer. He said: If I had done so I would have perfected my prayer; O my nephew! I accompanied the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on a journey, and he made no addittion to two rak'ahs, till Allah called him. I accompanied Abu Bakr and he made no addition to two rak'ahs till Allah caused him to die. I accompanied 'Umar and he made no addition to two rak'ahs till Allah caused him to die. I accompanied 'Uthman and he made no addition to two rak'ahs, till Allah caused him to die, and Allah has said: “There is a model pattern for you in the Messenger of Allah” (al-Qur'an, xxxiii. 21).
I fell ill and lbn 'Umar came to inquire after my health, and I asked him about the glorification of Allah (i. e. prayer) while travelling. Thereupon he said: I accompanied the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on a journey but I did not see him glorifying Him, and were I to glorify (Him). I would have completed the prayer. Allah, the Exalted, has said: “Verily there is a model pattern for you in the Messenger of Allah.”
I asked Anas b. Malik about shortening of prayer. He said: When the Messenger of' Allah (ﷺ) had covered a distance of three miles or three farsakh (Shu'ba, one of the narrators, had some doubt about it) he observed two rak'ahs.
I went along with Shurahbil b. al-Simt to a village which was situated at a distance of seventeen or eighteen miles, and he said only two rak'ahs of prayer. I said to him (about it) and he said: I saw 'Umar observing two rak'ahs at Dhu'l-Hulaifa and I (too) said to him (about it) and he said: I am doing the same as I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) doing.
This hadith has been transmitted by Shu'ba with the same chain of narrators and it is narrated from Simt, and the name of Shurahbil has not been mentioned, and he said that he had gone to a place called Dumin, situated at a distance of eighteen miles from Hims.
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى التَّمِيمِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ خَرَجْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ إِلَى مَكَّةَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ حَتَّى رَجَعَ. قُلْتُ كَمْ أَقَامَ بِمَكَّةَ قَالَ عَشْرًا.
Anas b. Malik reported:
We went out from Medina to Mecca with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he prayed two rak'ahs at each time of prayer till we returned to Medina. I said: For how long did he stay in Mecca? He said: (For) ten (days).
Salim b. 'Abdullah (b. 'Umar) reported on the authority of his father that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) observed the prayer of a traveller, i. e. two rak'ahs in Mina, and other places; so did Abu Bakr and 'Umar, and 'Uthman too observed two rak'ahs at the beginning of his caliphate, but he then completed four.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said two rak'ahs at Mina, and Abu Bakr after him, and 'Umar after Abu Bakr, and 'Uthman at the beginning of his caliphate; then 'Uthman observed four rak'ahs, and when Ibn 'Umar prayed with the Imam, he said four rak'ahs, but when he observed prayer alone, he said two rak'ahs.
The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) said in Mina the prayer of a traveller (short prayer); Abu Bakr and 'Umar did the same and 'Uthmia did it for eight years or six years. Hafs (one of the narrators) said: Ibn 'Umar would also say two rak'ahs at Mina and then go to bed. I said to him: O uncle, I wish you could have said two rak'ahs (of Sunnah prayer after shorenting the Fard prayer). He said: Were I to do that, I would have completed the prayer.
I heard 'Abd al-Rahman as saying; 'Uthman led us four rak'ahs of prayer at Mina. It was reported to Abdullah b. Mas'ud and he recited: “Surely we are Allah's and to Him shall we return,” and then said: I prayed with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at Mina two rak'ahs of prayer. I prayed along with Abu Bakr al-Siddiq two rak'ahs of prayer at Mina. I prayed along with 'Umar b. Khattab two rak'ahs of prayer at Mina. I wish I had my share of the two rak'ahs acceptable (to God) for the four rak'ahs.
I prayed behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at Mina, and there was the greatest number of people, and they prayed two rak'ahs on the occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage. (Muslim said: Haritha b. Wahb al-Khuza'i is the brother of 'Ubaidullah b. 'Umar son of Khattab from the side of his mother.)
Ibn 'Umar announced Adhan for prayer on a cold, windy night. Then added:
Pray in your dwellings; and then said: When it was a cold, rainy night, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to command the Mu'adhdhin to say” Pray in your dwellings.”
Ibn 'Umar reported that he summoned (people) to pray on a cold, windy and rainy night, and then observed at the end of the Adhin:
Pray in your dwellings, pray in your dwellings, and then said: When it was a cold night or it was raining in a journey the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) used to command the Mu'adhdhin to announce: Pray in your dwellings.
'Abdullah b. 'Abbas reported that he said to the Mu'adhdhin on a rainy day:
When you have announced” I testify that there is no god but Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,” do not say: “Come to the prayer,” but make this announcement: “Say prayer in your houses.” He (the narrator) said that the people disapproved of it. Ibn 'Abbas said: Are you astonished at it? He (the Holy Prophet), who is better than I, did it. Jumu'a prayer is no doubt obligatory, but I do not like that I should (force you) to come out and walk in mud and slippery ground.
I heard 'Abdullah b. al-Harith say: 'Abdullah b. 'Abbas addressed us on a rainy day, and the rest of the hadith is the same, but he made no mention of Jumu'a prayer, and added: He who did it (who commanded us to say prayer in our houses), i. e. the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), is better than I.
'Abdullah b. Harith reported that Ibn 'Abbas commanded the Mu'adhdhin to (summon the people to prayer on Friday and make announcement to say prayer in their houses) when it was rainy, and the rest of the hadith is the same (except this) that he said:
I do not like you should walk in muddy slippery place.
'Abdullah b. Harith reported that the Mu'adhdhin of Ibn 'Abba said Adhan on Friday (and then made the announcement to say prayer in houses) because it was a rainy day; as it has been narrated by Ma'mar and others, and in this hadith it was mentioned:
He who did it, i. e. the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), was better than I.
A hadith like this that Ibn 'Abbas ordered his Mu'adhdhin (to summon people to prayer and then make announcement to say prayer in their houses) on Friday which was a rainy day, has been transmitted by 'Abdullah b. Harith. Wuhaib, however, says that he did not hear it from him.
Ibn 'Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say prayer on his camel while coming from Mecca to Medina, in whatever direction his face had turned; and its was (in this context) that this verse was revealed:
“So whether you turn thither is Allah's face” (ii. 115).
This hadith has been narrated by another chain of transmitters and in the one narrated by Ibn Mubarak and Ibn Abu Za'ida (these words are narrated). Ibn 'Umar then recited:
“Whether you turn thither is Allah's face,” and it was revealed in this context.
I was travelling along with Ibn 'Umar on the way to Mecca. Sa'id said: When I apprehended dawn, I dismounted (the ride) and observed Witr prayer and then again joined him. Ibn 'Umar said to me: Where were you? I said: I apprehended the appearance of dawn, so I dismounted and observed Witr prayer. Upon this 'Abdullah said: Is there not a model pattern for you in the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)? I said: Yes, by Allah, and (then) he said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe Witr prayer on the camel's back.
'Abdullah b. Dinar reported on the authority of Ibn 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe prayer on his ride (no matter) in which direction it had its face turned. 'Abdullah b. Dinar said that Ibn 'Umar used to do like that.
Salim b. 'Abdullah reported on the authority of his father that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be. upon him) used to observe Nafl (supererogatory) prayer on his ride no matter in what direction it turned its face, and he observed Witr too on it, but did not observe obligatory prayer on it.
'Abdullah b. 'Amir b. Rabi'a has reported on the authority of his father that he had seen the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observing Nafl player at night on a journey on the back of his ride in whichever direction it turned its face.
We met Anas b. Malik as he came to Syria at a place known as 'Ain-al-Tamar and saw him observing prayer on the back of his donkey with his face turned in that direction. (Hammam one of the narrators) pointed towards the left of Qibla, so I said to him: I find you observing prayer towards the side other than that of Qibla. Upon this he said: Had I not seen the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) doing like this, I would not have done so at all.
Nafi' reported that when Ibn 'Umar was in a state of hurry on a journey, he combined the sunset and 'Isha' prayers after the twilight had disappeared, and he would say that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was in a state of hurry on a journey, he combined the sunset and 'Isha' prayers.
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) set out on a journey before the sun declined (from the meridian), he delayed the noon prayer till the afternoon prayer, and then dismounted (his ride) and combined them (noon and afternoon prayers), but if the sun had declined before his setting out on a journey, he observed the noon prayer and then mounted (the ride).
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) intended to combine two prayers on a journey, he delayed the noon prayer till came the early time of the afternoon prayer, and then combined the two.
Anas reported that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had to set out on a journey hurriedly, he delayed the noon prayer to the earlier time for the afternoon prayer, and then he would combine them, and he would delay the sunset prayer to the time when the twilight would disappear and then combine it with the 'Isha' prayer.
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الظُّهْرَ وَالْعَصْرَ جَمِيعًا وَالْمَغْرِبَ وَالْعِشَاءَ جَمِيعًا فِي غَيْرِ خَوْفٍ وَلاَ سَفَرٍ.
Ibn 'Abbas reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed the noon and afternoon prayers together, and the sunset and Isha' prayers together without being in a state of fear or in a state of journey.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed the noon and afternoon prayers together in Medina without being in a state of fear or in a state of journey. (Abu Zubair said: I asked Sa'id hardship.)
Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) combined the prayers as he set on a journey in the expedition to Tabuk. He combined the noon prayer with the afternoon prayer and the sunset prayer with the 'Isha' prayer. Sa'id (one of the rawis) said to Ibn 'Abbas:
What prompted him to do this? He said: He wanted that his Ummah should not be put to (unnecessary) hardship.
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ أَبِي الطُّفَيْلِ، عَامِرٍ عَنْ مُعَاذٍ، قَالَ خَرَجْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ فَكَانَ يُصَلِّي الظُّهْرَ وَالْعَصْرَ جَمِيعًا وَالْمَغْرِبَ وَالْعِشَاءَ جَمِيعًا.
Mu'adh reported:
We set out with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the Tabuk expedition, and he observed the noon and afternoon prayers together and the sunset and 'Isha' prayers together.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) combined in the expedition to Tabuk the noon prayer with the afternoon prayer and the sunset prayer with the 'Isha' prayer. He (one of the narrators) said: What prompted him to do that? He (Mu'adh) replied that he (the Holy Prophet) wanted that his Ummah should not be put to (unnecessary) hardship.
Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) combined the noon prayer with the afternoon prayer and the sunset prayer with the 'Isha' prayer in Medina without being in a state of danger or rainfall. And in the hadith transmitted by Waki' (the words are):
“I said to Ibn 'Abbas: What prompted him to do that? He said: So that his (Prophet's) Ummah should not be put to (unnecessary) hardship.” And in the hadith transmitted by Mu'awiya (the words are): “It was said to Ibn 'Abbas: What did he intend thereby? He said he wanted that his Ummah should not be put to unnecessary hardship.”
I observed with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) eight (rak'ahs) in combination, and seven rak'ahs in combination. I (one of the narrators) said: O Abd Sha'tha', I think that he (the Holy Prophet) had delayed the noon prayer and hastened the afternoon prayer, and he delayed the sunset prayer and hastened the 'Isha' prayer. He said: I also think so.
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الزَّهْرَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلَّى بِالْمَدِينَةِ سَبْعًا وَثَمَانِيًا الظُّهْرَ وَالْعَصْرَ وَالْمَغْرِبَ وَالْعِشَاءَ.
Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed in Medina seven (rak'ahs) and eight (rak'ahs), i. e. (be combined) the noon and afternoon prayers (eight rak'ahs) and the sunset and 'Isha' prayers (seven rak'ahs).
Ibn 'Abbas one day addressed us in the afternoon (after the afternoon prayer) till the sun disappeared and the stars appeared, and the people began to say: Prayer, prayer. A person from Banu Tamim came there. He neither slackened nor turned away, but (continued crying): Prayer, prayer. Ibn 'Abbas said: May you be deprived of your mother, do you teach me Sunnah? And then he said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) combining the noon and afternoon prayers and the sunset and 'Isha' prayers. 'Abdullah b. Shaqiq said: Some doubt was created in my mind about it. So I came to Abu Huraira and asked him (about it) and he testified his assertion.
A person said to Ibn 'Abbas (as he delayed the prayer): Prayer. He kept silence. He again said: Prayer. He again kept silence, and he again cried: Prayer. He again kept silence and said: May you be deprived of your mother, do you teach us about prayer? We used to combine two prayers during the life of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).
None of you should give a share to Satan out of your self. He should not deem that it is necessary for him to turn but to the right only (after prayer). I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) turning to the left.
وَحَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنِ السُّدِّيِّ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَنَسًا كَيْفَ أَنْصَرِفُ إِذَا صَلَّيْتُ عَنْ يَمِينِي أَوْ عَنْ يَسَارِي قَالَ أَمَّا أَنَا فَأَكْثَرُ مَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَنْصَرِفُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ.
Suddi reported:
I asked Anas how I should turn-to the right or to the left-when I say my prayers. He said: I have very often seen the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) turning to the right.
When we prayed behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) we cherished to be on his right side so that his face would turn towards us (at the end of the prayer), and he (the narrator) said: I heard him say: O my Lord! save me from Thy torment on the Day when Thoil, wouldst raise or gather Thy servants.
Abu Huraira reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:
When the prayer commences then there is no prayer (valid), but the obligatory prayer. This hadith has been narrated by Warqa' with the same chain of transmitters.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) happened to pass by a person who was busy in praying while the (Fard of the) dawn prayer had commenced. He said something to him, which we do not know what it was. When we turned back we surrounded him and said: What is it that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to you? He replied: He (the Holy Prophet) had said to me that he perceived as if one of them was about to observe four (rak'ahs) of the dawn prayer. Qa'nabi reported that 'Abdullah b. Malik b. Buhaina narrated it on the authority of his father. (Abu'l-Husain Muslim said): His assertion that he has narrated this hadith on the authority of his father is not correct.
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ حَفْصِ بْنِ عَاصِمٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ بُحَيْنَةَ، قَالَ أُقِيمَتْ صَلاَةُ الصُّبْحِ فَرَأَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَجُلاً يُصَلِّي وَالْمُؤَذِّنُ يُقِيمُ فَقَالَ «أَتُصَلِّي الصُّبْحَ أَرْبَعًا».
Ibn Buhaina reported:
The dawn prayer had commenced when the Messen- ger of Allah (ﷺ) saw a person observing prayer, whereas the Mu'adhdhin had pronounced the Iqama. Upon this he (the Holy Prophet) remarked: Do you say four (rak'ahs) of Fard in the dawn prayer?
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كَامِلٍ الْجَحْدَرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ يَعْنِي ابْنَ زَيْدٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي حَامِدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ الْبَكْرَاوِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ يَعْنِي ابْنَ زِيَادٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، كُلُّهُمْ عَنْ عَاصِمٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ الْفَزَارِيُّ، عَنْ عَاصِمٍ الأَحْوَلِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَرْجِسَ، قَالَ دَخَلَ رَجُلٌ الْمَسْجِدَ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي صَلاَةِ الْغَدَاةِ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ فِي جَانِبِ الْمَسْجِدِ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ «يَا فُلاَنُ بِأَىِّ الصَّلاَتَيْنِ اعْتَدَدْتَ أَبِصَلاَتِكَ وَحْدَكَ أَمْ بِصَلاَتِكَ مَعَنَا».
'Abdullah b. Sarjis reported:
A person entered the mosque, while the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was leading the dawn prayer. He observed two rak'ahs in a corner of the mosque, and then joined the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in prayer. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had pronounced salutations (he had concluded the prayer), he said: O, so and so, which one out of these two prayers did you count (as your Fard prayer), the one that you observed alone or the prayer that you observed with us?
Abu Usaid reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
When any one of you enters the mosque, he should say: “O Allah! open for me the doors of Thy mercy”; and when he steps out he should say: 'O Allah! I beg of Thee Thy Grace.” (Imam Muslim said: I heard Yahya saying: I transcribed this hadith from the compilation of Sulaiman b. Bilal.)
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ زَائِدَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ يَحْيَى الأَنْصَارِيُّ، حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ حَبَّانَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سُلَيْمِ بْنِ خَلْدَةَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، صَاحِبِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ دَخَلْتُ الْمَسْجِدَ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم جَالِسٌ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَىِ النَّاسِ - قَالَ - فَجَلَسْتُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم «مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَرْكَعَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَجْلِسَ». قَالَ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ رَأَيْتُكَ جَالِسًا وَالنَّاسُ جُلُوسٌ. قَالَ «فَإِذَا دَخَلَ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَلاَ يَجْلِسْ حَتَّى يَرْكَعَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ».
Abu Qatada, a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), said:
I entered the mosque, when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had been sitting among people, and I also sat down among them. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: What prevented you from offering two rak'ahs (of Nafl prayer) before sitting down? I said: Messenger of Allah, I saw you sitting and people sitting (around you and I, therefore, sat in your company). He (the Holy Prophet) then said: When anyone among you enters the mosque, he should not sit till he has observed two rak'ahs.
The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) owed me a debt; he paid me back and made an addition (of this). I entered the mosque and he (the Holy Prophet) said to me: Observe two rak'ahs of prayer.
حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ مُحَارِبٍ، سَمِعَ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، يَقُولُ اشْتَرَى مِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعِيرًا فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ آتِيَ الْمَسْجِدَ فَأُصَلِّيَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ.
Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) bought a camel from me. When he came back to Medina, he ordered me to come to the mosque and observed two rak'ahs of prayer.
وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ، - يَعْنِي الثَّقَفِيَّ - حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنْ وَهْبِ بْنِ كَيْسَانَ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ خَرَجْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي غَزَاةٍ فَأَبْطَأَ بِي جَمَلِي وَأَعْيَى ثُمَّ قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَبْلِي وَقَدِمْتُ بِالْغَدَاةِ فَجِئْتُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَوَجَدْتُهُ عَلَى بَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ قَالَ «الآنَ حِينَ قَدِمْتَ». قُلْتُ نَعَمْ. قَالَ «فَدَعْ جَمَلَكَ وَادْخُلْ فَصَلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ». قَالَ فَدَخَلْتُ فَصَلَّيْتُ ثُمَّ رَجَعْتُ.
Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported:
I went with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on an expedition and my camel delayed me and I was exhausted. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) thus came earlier than I, whereas I came on the next day and went to the mosque and found him (the Holy Prophet) at the gate of the mosque. He said: It is now that you have come. I said. Yes. He said: Leave your camel and enter (the mosque) and observe two rak'ahs. He (the narrator) said: So I entered and observed (two rak'ahs) of prayer and then went back.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not come back from the journey but by day in the forenoon, and when he arrived, he went first to the mosque, and having prayed two rak'ahs in it he sat down in it.
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ مَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي سُبْحَةَ الضُّحَى قَطُّ. وَإِنِّي لأُسَبِّحُهَا وَإِنْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَيَدَعُ الْعَمَلَ وَهُوَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِهِ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِهِ النَّاسُ فَيُفْرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ.
'Urwa reported 'A'isha to be sayidg:
I have never seen the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observing the supererogatory prayer of the forenoon, but I observed it. And if the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) abandoned any act which he in fact loved to do, it was out of fear that if the people practised it constantly, it might become obligatory for them.
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَابْنُ، بَشَّارٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى، قَالَ مَا أَخْبَرَنِي أَحَدٌ، أَنَّهُ رَأَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي الضُّحَى إِلاَّ أُمُّ هَانِئٍ فَإِنَّهَا حَدَّثَتْ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم دَخَلَ بَيْتَهَا يَوْمَ فَتْحِ مَكَّةَ فَصَلَّى ثَمَانِيَ رَكَعَاتٍ مَا رَأَيْتُهُ صَلَّى صَلاَةً قَطُّ أَخَفَّ مِنْهَا غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يُتِمُّ الرُّكُوعَ وَالسُّجُودَ. وَلَمْ يَذْكُرِ ابْنُ بَشَّارٍ فِي حَدِيثِهِ قَوْلَهُ قَطُّ.
Abd al-Rahman b. Abu Laila reported:
No one has ever narrated to me that he saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observing the forenoon prayer, except Umm Hani. She, however, narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered her house on the day of the Conquest of Mecca and prayed eight rak'ahs (adding): I never saw a shorter prayer than it except that he performed the bowing and prostration completely. But (one of the narrators) Ibn Bashshar in his narration made no mention of the word: “Never”.
I had been asking about, as I was desirous to find one among people who should inform me, whether the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed the forenoon prayer, but I found none to narrate that to me except Umm Hani, daughter of Abu Talib (the real sister of Hadrat 'Ali), who told me that on the day of the Conquest the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came (to our house) after the dawn had (sufficiently) arisen. A cloth was brought and privacy was provided for him (the Holy Prophet). He took a bath and then stood up and observed eight rak'ahs. I do not know whether his Qiyam (standing posture) was longer, or bending or prostration or all of them were of equal duration. She (Umm Hani) further said: I never saw him saying this Nafl prayer prior to it or subsequently. (Al-Muradi narrated on the authority of Yunus that he made no mention of the words: “He informed me.” )
Abu Murra, the freed slave of Umm Hani, daughter of Abu Talib, reported Umm Hani to be saying:
I went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the day of the Conquest of Mecca and found him taking a bath, and Fatimah, his daughter, had provided him privacy with the help of a cloth. I gave him salutation and he said: Who is she? I said: It is Umm Hani, daughter of Abu Talib. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Greeting for Umm Hani. When he had completed the bath, he stood up and observed eight rak'ahs wrapped up in one cloth. When he turned back (after the prayer), I said to him: Messenger of Allah, the son of my mother 'Ali b. Abu Talib is going to kill a person, Fulan b. Hubaira whom I have given protection. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: We too have given protection whom you have given protection, O Umm Hani. Umm Hani said: It was the forenoon (prayer).
Abu Murra narrated on the authority of Umm Hani that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the day of the Conquest of Mecca observed in her house eight rak'ahs of prayer in one cloth, its opposite corners having been tied from the opposite sides.