Book 4: Prayer

Abu Huraira said: The Prophet (ﷺ) came out for prayer, but when he had said “God is most great” he went off, giving them a sign to stay where they were. He went away, and when he had bathed he came with his head dripping and led them in prayer. Then when he finished he said, “I was defiled by a seminal emission and forgot to bathe.” Ahmad transmitted it, and Malik transmitted it from ‘Ata’ b. Yasar in mursal form.

Jabir said, “I used to pray the noon prayer with God’s Messenger, and would take a handful of pebbles to cool them in my palm and lay them down to put my forehead on them when prostrating myself because of the excessive heat.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Nasa’i transmitted something similar.

Abud Darda’ said: God’s Messenger stood up to pray and we heard him say, “I seek refuge in God from you”, then say, “I curse you with God’s curse,” three times, then he stretched but his hand as though he was taking something. When he finished the prayer we said, “Messenger of God, we heard you say something during the prayer which we have not heard you say before, and we saw you stretch out your hand.” He replied, “God’s enemy Iblis came with a flame of fire to put it in my face, so I said three times, ‘I seek refuge in God from you’. Then I said three times, ‘I curse you with God’s perfect curse', but he did not retreat. Thereafter I meant to seize him. I swear by God that had it not been for the supplication of my brother Solomon, he would have been bound and made an object of sport for the Medina children.”* * Cf. the tradition from Abu Huraira, p. 202. There it says, “my brother.” Here it is “our brother”, but the plural is often used for the singular. Muslim transmitted it.

Nafi' said that ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar passed a man while he was praying and gave him a salutation to which the man uttered some words in reply. ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar went back to him and said to him, “When one of you is greeted while he is engaged in prayer he must not speak, but give a sign with his hand.” Malik transmitted it.