Book 4: Prayer

Abu Huraira said that a man entered the mosque when God’s Messenger was sitting in it and prayed. He then came and said, “Peace be upon you,” and God’s Messenger replied, “And upon you be peace. Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.” He returned and prayed, then came and said, “Peace be upon you,” to which he replied, “And upon you be peace. Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.” On the third or fourth occasion he said, “Teach me, Messenger of God,” so he said: “When you get up to pray perform the ablution perfectly, then face the qibla and say, “God is most great.” Then recite a convenient portion of the Qur’an; then bow and remain quietly in that attitude; then raise yourself and stand erect; then prostrate yourself and remain quietly in that attitude; then raise yourself and sit quietly; then prostrate yourself and remain quietly in that attitude; then raise yourself and sit quietly.” A version has, “Then raise yourself and stand erect; then do that throughout all your prayer.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger used to begin prayer with the takbir¹ and the recitation of “Praise be to God, the Lord of the universe.”² When he bowed he neither kept his head up nor bent it down, but kept it between these extremes; when he raised his head after bowing he did not prostrate himself till he had stood erect; when he raised head after a prostration he did not prostrate himself again till he had sat up. At the end of every two rak'as he said the tahiya;³ and he used to bend his left foot and raise up the right; he prohibited the devil’s way of sitting on the heels, and he forbade people to spread out their arms like a wild beast. And he used to finish the prayer with the taslim⁴. Muslim transmitted it. 1. i.e. saying Allahu Akbar (God is most great). 2. Al-Qur’an; 1. 3. This is a part of the prayers which comes at the end of every two rak'as, beginning with at-tahiyat lillah and ending with the testimony that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. Tahiyat is the plural of tahiya and the phrase quoted above is variously explained as meaning that endless existence, or dominion, or kingship, or freedom from all evils, or freedom from all causes of cessation of existence belong to God. Alternatively it is taken in its usual meaning of salutations. 4. Saying, “The peace and mercy of God be upon you,” first with the head turned to the right and then with the head turned to the left. This is said at the end of the prayers.

Abu Humaid as-Sa'idi said among a company of the companions of God’s Messenger, “I am the one among you who is best versed in the way God’s Messenger prayed. I saw that when he uttered the takbir he placed his hands opposite his shoulders; when he bowed he rested his hands on his knees, then bent his back; when he raised his head he stood erect with his spine straight; when he prostrated himself he placed his arms so that they were not spread out, and the fingers were not drawn in, and the points of his toes were facing the qibla; when he sat up at the end of two rak'as he sat on his left foot and raised the right; and when he sat up after the last rak'a he put forward the left foot, raised the other, and sat on his hips.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that God’s Messenger used to raise his hands opposite his shoulders when he began prayer and when he said the takbir before bowing; and when he raised his head after bowing he raised them in the same way and said, “God listens to him who praises Him. To Thee, our Lord, be the praise!” But he did not do that when he prostrated himself. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Nafi‘ said that when Ibn ‘Umar began prayer he said the takbir and raised his hands; when he bowed he raised his hands; when he said, “God listens to him who praises Him” he raised his hands; and when he got up at the end of two rak'as he raised his hands. Ibn ‘Umar traced that back to the Prophet. Bukhari transmitted it.

Malik b. al-Huwairith said that when God’s Messenger said the takbir he raised his hands and placed them opposite his ears, and when he raised his head after bowing and said, “God listens to him who praises Him,” he did the same. A version has, “and placed them opposite the tops of his ears.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He said that he saw the Prophet (ﷺ) praying, and when he had prayed an odd number of rak'as he did not stand up till after he had adopted a sitting position. Bukhari transmitted it.

Wa’il b. Hujr said that he saw the Prophet (ﷺ) raise his hands when he began prayer. He said the takbir, then pulled his garment round him, then placed his right hand on his left. When he was about to bow he took his hands out of his garment, and after he had raised (them and said the takbir he bowed. When he said, “God listens to him who praises Him” he raised his hands, and when he prostrated himself he did it between his hands. Muslim transmitted it.

Sahl b. Sa'd said that the people received command that a man should place the right hand on the left forearm in prayer. Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said that when God’s Messenger got up to pray he would say the takbir when standing, then say the takbir when bowing, then say, “God listens to him who praises Him” when coming to an erect position after bowing, then say while standing, “To Thee, our Lord, be the praise,” then say the takbir when getting down for prostration, then say the takbir when he raised his head, then say the takbir when he prostrated himself, then say the takbir when he raised his head. He would do that throughout the whole prayer till he finished it, and he would say the takbir when he got up at the end of two rak'as after adopting the sitting posture. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The most excellent prayer consists in long standing in prayer.” Muslim transmitted it.