5. Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them

It was narrated that Hasan Al-‘Urani said:

‘Mention was made in the presence of Ibn ‘Abbas about what severs the prayer. They mentioned a dog, a donkey and a woman. He said: ‘What do you say about kids (young goats)? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was performing prayer one day, when a kid came and wanted to pass in front of him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) preceded it toward the Qiblah. (to tighten the space and prevent it from passing in front of him).’”

It was narrated from ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Abu Sa’eed that his father said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘When anyone of you performs prayer, let him pray facing towards a Sutrah, and let him get close to it, and not let anyone pass in front of him. If someone comes and wants to pass in front of him, let him fight him, for he is a Shaitan (satan).’”

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“When anyone of you is performing prayer, he should not let anyone pass in front of him. If he insists then let him fight him, for he has a Qarin (devil-companion) with him.”

It was narrated from ‘Aishah:

“The Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray at night, and I was laying between him and the prayer direction, as a (body for a) funeral horizontally.’”

It was narrated from Zainab bint Umm Salamah that her mother said that her bed was in front of the place where the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prostrated.

Maimunah, the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ), said:

“The Prophet (ﷺ) used to perform prayer when I was opposite to him, and his garment would sometimes touch me when he prostrated.”

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade performing prayer behind one who is engaged in conversation or one who is sleeping.”

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:

“The Prophet (ﷺ) used to teach us not to bow or prostrate before the Imam; when he says the Takbir then say the Takbir, and when he prostrates, you should prostrate.”

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Does not the one who raises his head before the Imam fear that Allah may turn his head into the head of a donkey?’”

It was narrated that Abu Musa said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘I have gained weight, so when I bow, then bow, and when I stand up, then stand up, and when I prostrate, then prostrate. I should never find anyone preceding me in bowing or prostration.’”

It was narrated that Mu’awiyah bin Abu Sufyan said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Do not bow or prostrate before me. No matter how far ahead of you I bow, you will catch up with me when I stand up, and no matter how far ahead of you I prostrate, you will catch up with me when I raise my head. I have become bulky.’”

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“It is impolite for a man to wipe his forehead a great deal before he finishes prayer.”

It was narrated from ‘Ali that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“Do not crack your fingers during the prayer.”

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade a man to cover his mouth during the prayer.”

It was narrated from Ka’b bin ‘Ujrah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw a man who had interlocked his fingers during the prayer, so the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) separated his fingers.

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“When anyone of you yawns, let him put his hand over his mouth and not make a sound, because Satan laughs at him.”

It was narrated from ‘Adi bin Thabit, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“Spitting, blowing one’s nose, menstruating and drowsiness during the prayer are from Satan.”

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘There are three whose prayer are not accepted: A man who leads people while they do not like him; a man who does not come to prayer until its end – meaning after its time has expired – and one who enslaves a freed person.’”

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“There are three whose prayer do not rise more than a hand span above their heads: A man who leads people (in prayer) when they do not like him; a woman who has spent the night with her husband angry with her; and two brothers who have severed contact with one another.”

It was narrated that Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Two or more people are a congregation.’”

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said:

“I stayed overnight with my maternal aunt Maimunah, and the Prophet (ﷺ) got up during the night to perform prayer. So I got up and stood on his left. He took me by the hand and made me stand on his right.”

Shurahbil said:

“I heard Jabir bin ‘Abdullah say: ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was performing Maghrib, and I came and stood on his left, but he made me stand on his right.’”

It was narrated that Anas said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led a woman of his household and myself in prayer. I stood to his right and the woman stood behind us.”

It was narrated that Abu Mas’ud Al-Ansari said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to gently pat our shoulders (to make sure the row was straight) at the time of prayer, saying: ‘Keep (the rows) straight, do not differ from one another lest your hearts should suffer from discord. Let those who are forbearing and wise stand closest to me, then those who are next to them, then those who are next to them.’”

It was narrated that Anas said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) liked the Muhajirun and Ansar to stand closest to him, so that they could learn from him.”

It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw that some of his Companions tended to stand in the rear, so he said:

“Come forward and follow me, and let those who are behind you follow your lead. If people continue to lag behind, Allah will put them back.”

It was narrated that Malik bin Huwairith said:

“I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) with a friend of mine, and when we wanted to leave, he said to us: ‘When the time for prayer comes, say the Adhan and Iqamah, then let the older of you lead the prayer.’”

Abu Mas’ud said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘The people should be lead by the one who is most well-Versed in recitation of the Book of Allah. If they are equal in recitation, then they should be led by the one who emigrated first. If they are equal in emigration, then they should be led by the eldest. A man s…

Abu Hazim said:

“Sahl bin Sa’d As-Sa’idi used to give preference to the young to lead his people in prayer. It was said to him: “Do you do that, when you have such seniority (in Islam)?” He said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘The Imam is responsible. If he does well, then he will have the reward and so …

It was narrated that Salamah bint Hurr, the sister of Kharashah, said:

“I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say: ‘A time will come when the people will stand for a long time and will not be able to find any Imam to lead them in prayer.”

It was narrated from Abu ‘Ali Al-Hamdani that he went out in a ship in which ‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir Al-Juhani was present. The time for prayer came, and we told him to lead us in prayer and said to him:

“You are the most deserving of that, you were the Companion of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).” But he refused and said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘Whoever leads the people and gets it right, the prayer will be for him and for them, but if he falls short, then that will be counted against…

It was narrated that Abu Mas’ud said:

“A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I stay behind and do not perform the morning prayer (in congregation) because of so-and-so, for he makes it too long for us.’ I never saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) preaching with such anger as he did that day. He said; ‘O people! There…

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to make his prayer brief but perfect.”

It was narrated that Jabir said:

“Mu’adh bin Jabal Al-Ansari led his companions in the ‘Isha’ prayer and he made it long. A man among us went away and prayed by himself. Mu’adh was told about that and he said: ‘He is a hypocrite.’ When the man heard about that, he went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and told him what Mu’adh had said…

It was narrated that Mutarrif bin ‘Abdullah bin Shikhkhir said:

“I heard ‘Uthman bin Abul-‘As say: “The last thing that the Prophet (ﷺ) enjoined on me when he appointed me governor of Ta’if was that he said: “O ‘Uthman! Be tolerable in prayer and estimate the people based upon the weakest among them, for among them are the elderly, the young, the sick, those who…

‘Uthman bin Abul-‘As narrated that the last thing the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) enjoined on him was that he said:

“When you lead people, keep it short for them.”

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘I start prayer and I want to make it long, but then I hear an infant crying, so I make my prayer short, because I know the distress caused to the mother by his crying.’”

It was narrated that ‘Uthman bin Abul-‘As said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘I hear an infant crying so I make the prayer short.’”

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah bin Abu Qatadah that his father said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘I get up to perform prayer and I intend to make it long, but then I hear an infant crying, so I make it short, because I do not like to cause distress to his mother.’”

It was narrated that Jabir bin Samurah As-Suwa’i said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Will you not form your rows as the angels form their rows before their Lord?’ We said: ‘How do the angels form their rows before their Lord?’ He said: ‘They complete the first row and they stand close of one another in the line (leaving no gaps between one another).’”

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Make your rows straight, for straightening the rows is part of completing the prayer.’”

Simak bin Harb narrated that he heard Nu’man bin Bashir say:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to straighten the rows until he made them like a spear or an arrow-shaft. Once he saw a man’s chest (sticking out) so the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Make your rows straight or Allah will create division among you.’”

It was narrated that ‘Aishah said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Allah and His angels send blessings upon those who complete the rows, and whoever fills a gap, Allah will raise him one degree in status thereby.’”

It was narrated from ‘Irbad bin Sariyah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to ask for forgiveness for the first row three times and for the second row twice.

Bara’ bin ‘Azib said:

“I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘Allah and the angels send blessings upon the first row.’”

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘If they knew what (goodness) there is in the first row, they would cast lots for it.’”

It was narrated from Ibrahim bin ‘Abdur-Rahman bin ‘Awf that his father said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Allah and the angels send blessings upon the first row.’”

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘The best rows for women are the back rows, and the worst are the front rows, and the best rows for men are the front rows, and the worst are the back rows.’”

It was narrated that Jabir bin ‘Abdullah said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘The best rows for men are the front rows and the worst rows are the back rows, and the best rows for women are the back rows and the worst are the front rows.’”

It was narrated from Mu’awiyah bin Qurrah that his father said:

“We were forbidden to form a row between two pillars at the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and we would be repelled from them forcefully.”