The Book of Prayer - Travellersكتاب صلاة المسافرين وقصرها

Ibn 'Umar reported that Hafsa, the Mother of the Believers, informed him that when the Mu'adhdhin became silent after calling (people) to the dawn prayer, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commenced the dawn (prayer) when it dawned by observing two short rak'ahs before the commencement of the (Fard) prayer.

This hadith has been transmitted by Nafi' with the same chain of narrators.

Hafsa reported that when it was dawn, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not observe (any other prayers) but two short rak'ahs.

A hadith like this has been narrated by Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters.

When the dawn appeared, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed two rak'ahs (of Sunnah prayers).

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe two rak'ahs of Sunnah (prayer) when he heard the Adhin and shortened them.

" When it was dawn".

'A'isha reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe two (supererogatory) rak'ahs in between the call to prayer and the Iqama of the dawn prayer.

Did he recite in them Surah Fatiha (only)?

When it was dawn, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed two rak'ahs, and I would say: Does he recite only the opening chapter of the Qur'an in it?

'A'isha reported that the Apostle (ﷺ) was not so much particular about observing supererogatory rak'ahs as in case of the two rak'ahs of the dawn prayer.

I have never seen the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) hastening as much in observing supererogatory as two rak'ahs before the (Fard) of the dawn prayer.

The two rak'ahs at dawn are better than this world and what it contains.

They are dearer to me than the whole world.

" Say: O unbelievers," (Qur'an, cix.) and" Say: Allah is one" (cxii.).

"Say: We believed in Allah and what was revealed to us..." verse 136 from Surah Baqara, and in the second of the two: "I believe in Allah and I bear testimony that we are Muslims" (iii. 52).

" Say: We believed in Allah and what was revealed to us" and that which is found in Surah Al-i-'lmran:" Come to that word (creed) which is common between you and us" (iii. 64).

This hadith has been transmitted by another chain of narrators.

A house will be built in Paradise, for anyone who prays in a day and a night twelve rak'ahs; and she added: I have never abandoned (observing them) since I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Some of the other narrators said the same words: I have never abandoned (observing them) since I heard (from so and so).

He who observed twelve voluntary rak'ahs, a house will be built for him in Paradise.

If any Muslim servant (of Allah) prays for the sake of Allah twelve rak'ahs (of Sunan) every day, over and above the obligatory ones, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise, or a house will be built for him in Paradise; and I have not abandoned observing them after (hearing it from the Messenger of Allah). (So said also 'Amr and Nu'man.)

If any Muslim servant (of Allah) performed ablution, and performed it well, and then observed every day, the rest of the hadith is the same.

I prayed along with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) two rak'ahs before and two rak'ahs after the noon prayer, two rak'ahs after the sunset prayer and two rak'ahs after the 'Isha' prayer and two rak'ahs after the Friday prayer; and so far as the sunset, 'Isha' and Friday prayers are concerned, I observed (them) along with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in his house.

I asked 'A'isha about the Messenger of Allah's (ﷺ) voluntary prayers, and she replied: Before the noon prayer, he used to pray four rak'ahs in my house; then would go out and lead the people in prayer; then come in and pray two rak'ahs. He would then lead the people in the sunset prayer; then come in and pray two rak'ahs. Then he would lead the people in the 'Isha' prayer, and enter my house and pray two rak'ahs. He would pray nine rak'ahs during the night, including Witr. At night he would pray for a long time standing and for a long time sitting, and when he recited the Holy Qur'an while standing, he would bow and prostrate himself from the standing position, and when he recited while sitting, he would bow and prostrate himself from the sitting position, and when it was dawn he would pray two rak'ahs.

'A'isha reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would pray in the night for a long time, and when he prayed standing be bowed in a standing posture, and when he prayed sitting, he bowed in a sitting posture.

I fell ill in Persia and therefore, prayed in a sitting posture, and I asked 'A'isha about it and she said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed for a long time in the night sitting.

I asked 'A'isha about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) during the night (i. e. Tahajjud prayer) She replied: He used to pray for a long time standing and for a long time sitting in the night, and when he recited the Qur'an while standing, he would bow himself from the standing position, and when he recited while sitting, he would bow from the sitting position.

I asked 'A'isha about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would observe prayer (Nafl) in a standing position as well as in a sitting position, and when he commenced the prayer in a standing position, he bowed in this very position, and when he commenced the prayer in a sitting position, he bowed in this very position.

I did not see the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) reciting (the Qur'an) in the night prayer in a sitting position, till he grew old and then he recited (it) in a sitting position, but when thirty or forty verses were left out of the Surah, he would then stand up, recite them and then bowed.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray while sitting (when he grew old) and he recited in this position and when the recitation equal to thirty or forty verses was left, he would then stand up and recite (for this duration) in a standing position and then bowed himself and then prostrated himself and did the same in the second rak'ah.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite in sitting position (while observing the Tahajjud prayer) and when he intended to bow, he would stand up and recite (for the duration in which) a man (ordinarily) recites forty verses.

I asked 'A'isha how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did in the two rak'ahs as he (observed them) sitting. She said: He would recite (the Qur'an) in them, and when he intended to bow, he would stand up and then bowed.

I asked 'A'isha whether the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed (Nafl) sitting. She said: Yes, when the people had made him old.

I said to 'A'isha and she made a mention of that (recorded above) about the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

'A'isha reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) died (in this very state) that he observed most of his (Nafl) prayers in a sitting position.

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) grew bulky and heavy he would observe (most of his Nafl) prayers sitting.

Never did I see the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observing supererogatory prayer sitting till one year before his death when he would observe Nafl prayer in a sitting position, and he would recite the Surah (of the Qur'an) in such a slow-measured tone (that duration of its recital) became more lengthy than the one longer than this.

Zuhri reported this hadith with the same chain of transmitters, except this that he made a mention of one year or two years.

Jabir b. Samura reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed (Nafl) prayer sitting before his death.

It was narrated to me that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had said: The prayer observed by a person sitting is half of the prayer. I came to him (ﷺ) and found him praying in a sitting position. I placed my hand on his head. He said: O 'Abdullah b. 'Amr, what is the matter with you? I said: Messenger of Allah, it has been narrated to me that you said: The prayer of a man in a sitting position is half of the prayer, whereas you are observing prayer sitting. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Yes, it is so, but I am not like anyone amongst you.

A hadith like this has been narrated by Abu Yahya al-A'raj with the same chain of transmitters.

'A'isha reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray eleven rak'ahs at night, observing the Witr with a single rak'ah, and when he had finished them, he lay down on his right side, till the Mu'adhdhin came to him and he (the Holy Prophet) then observed two short rak'ahs (of Sunan of the dawn prayer).

'A'isha, the wife of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), said that between the time when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) finished the 'Isha' prayer which is called 'Atama by the people, he used to pray eleven rak'ahs, uttering the salutation at the end of every two rak'ahs, and observing the Witr with a single one. And when the Mu'adhdhin had finished the call (for the) dawn prayer and he saw the dawn clearly and the Mu'adhdhin had come to him, he stood up and prayed two short rak'ahs. Then he lay down on his right side till the Mu'adhdhin came to him for lqama. (This hadith has been narrated with the same chain of transmitters by Ibn Shihab, but in it no mention has been made of Iqama )

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe thirteen rak'ahs of the night prayer. Five out of them consisted of Witr, and he did not sit, but at the end (for salutation).

This hadith has been narrated by Hisham with the same chain of transmitters.

'A'isha reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray thirteen rak'ahs during the night including the two rak'ahs (Sunan) of the dawn prayer.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not observe either in Ramadan or in other months more than eleven rak'ahs (of the night prayer). He (in the first instance) observed four rak'ahs. Ask not about their excellence and their length (i. e. these were matchless in perfection and length). He again observed four rak'ahs, and ask not about their excellence and their length. He would then observe three rak'ahs (of the Witr prayer). 'A'isha again said: I said: Messenger of Allah, do you sleep before observing the Witr prayer? He said: O 'A'isha, my eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep.

He observed thirteen rak'ahs (in the night prayer). He observed eight rak'ahs and would then observe Witr and then observe two rak'ahs sitting, and when he wanted to bow he stood up and then bowed down, and then observed two rak'ahs in between the Adhan and lqama of the dawn prayer.

Abu Salama reported that he asked 'A'isha about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) (during the night). The rest of the hadith is the same but with this exception that he (the Holy Prophet) observed nine rak'ahs including Witr.

O mother, inform me about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said: His (night prayer) in Ramadan and (during other months) was thirteen rak'ahs at night including two rak'ahs of fajr.