Mishkat al-Masabih

Buraida reported God's Messenger as saying, “If anyone abandons the afternoon prayer, his deeds are of no avail.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Rafi‘ b. Khadij said, “We used to observe the sunset prayer with God’s Messenger, then one of us would go away when it was still possible to see the distance of a bowshot.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

‘A'isha said that they used to pray the night prayer at any time after the ending of the twilight until a third of the night had passed. (Bukhari and Muslim)

She also said that God’s Messenger would pray the Morning Prayer, and the women would depart wrapped up in their woolen garments, being unrecognizable because of the darkness before dawn. (Bukhari and Muslim)

Qatada said on the authority of Anas that the Prophet and Zaid b Anas had a meal at daybreak, and when they finished their meal God’s prophet got up to pray and performed the prayer. On being asked how long it was between the end of their meal and their beginning to pray Anas replied that it was about os long as a man takes to recite fifty verses. Bukhari transmitted it.

God’s Messenger asked me, “How will you act when you are under rulers who make prayer a dead thing, or delay it beyond its proper time?” When I asked what he commanded me to do he replied, “Observe the prayer at its proper time, and if you can say it along with them do so, for it will be a supererogatory prayer for you.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone performs a rak'a of the Morning Prayer before sunrise, he has observed the Morning Prayer; and if anyone performs a rak'a of the afternoon prayer before sunset, he has observed the afternoon prayer.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He also reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If any of you performs a sajda of the afternoon prayer before sunset, he should complete his prayer; and if he is present at a sajda of the Morning Prayer before sunrise, he should complete his prayer.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas reported God's Messenger as saying, “If anyone forgets a stated prayer or oversleeps, expiation is made by observing it when he remembers it.” A version has “That is the only expiation for it.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Qatada reported God’s Messenger as saying, “There is no remissness in sleep, it is only when one is awake that there is remissness; so when any of you forgets a stated prayer or oversleeps, he should observe it when he remembers it, for God has said, ‘And observe the prayer for remembrance of Me’” (Al-Qur’an, 20:14). Muslim transmitted it.

prayer when its time comes, a funeral, and the marriage of an unmarried woman when she finds one of suitable class for her.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The earliest time for prayer is what pleases God, and the latest time is what God allows as a concession.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Umm Farwa said that when asked what act was most excellent, the Prophet replied that it was prayer at the beginning of the proper period for it. Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said that the tradition is transmitted only from the traditions of ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar al-‘Umari who is not considered by traditionists to be strong.

‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger did not pray any prayer at the last possible moment on two occasions during his whole life. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Ayyub reported God's Messenger as saying, “My people will continue to prosper (or he said, to follow Islam), as long as they do not postpone the sunset prayer till the stars are not in abundance.” Abu Dawud transmitted it and Darimi transmitted it from al-‘Abbas.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Were it not for causing distress to my people, I would command them to postpone the night prayer till a third or a half of the night had passed.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Mu'adh b, Jabal reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Observe this prayer when it is dark, for by it you have been made superior to all the peoples, no people having observed it before you”. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

An-Nu‘man b. Bashir said, “I am the one who is best informed of the time of this prayer, the last prayer of the evening. God’s Messenger used to observe it when the moon went down on its third night.” Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it.

Rafi' b. Khadij reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Observe Morning Prayer at dawn, for it is the practice most productive of reward.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it, but Nasa’i does not have “for it is the practice most productive of reward.”

Rafi‘ b. Khadij said, “We u.ed to pray the afternoon prayer with God’s Messenger, then a camel would be slaughtered, divided into ten portions, and cooked, and we would eat well-done meat before sunset.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

We waited one night in expectation of God’s Messenger for the last prayer of the evening, and he came out to us when a third of the night had passed, or later; we did not know whether he had been occupied with family business, or something else. When he came out he said, “You are waiting for a time of prayer for which the followers of no other religion wait, and were it not that it would impose a burden on my people, I would normally pray with them at this time.” He then gave orders to the mu'adhdhin who declared that the time for prayer had come, and then prayed. Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir b. Samura said, “God’s Messenger used to observe the times of prayer more or less as you do, but he would delay the prayer after nightfall to a little after the time you observe it, and he would shorten the prayer.” Muslim transmitted it.

We observed the prayer after nightfall with God’s Messenger, and he did not come out till about half the night had passed. He then said, “Take your places,” and when we had done so he said, “The people have prayed and gone to bed, but you are still engaged in prayer as long as you wait for the prayer. Were it not for the weakness of the weak and the sickness of the sick, I would delay the prayer till half the night had gone;” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Umm Salama said, “God’s Messenger observed the noon prayer much earlier than you, but you observe the afternoon prayer much earlier than he.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Anas said that during the hot weather God’s Messenger delayed the prayer till it was cooler, but in the cold weather he observed it early. Nasa’i transmitted it.

‘Ubada b. as-Samit told that God’s Messenger said to him, “After my death you will have over you rulers who will be diverted by various matters from observing the prayer at its proper time till its time is past; so observe the prayer at its proper time.” On being asked by a man whether he should pray along with them, he replied, “Yes.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Qabisa b. Waqqas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “After my death you will have over you rulers who will delay the prayer, and it will be to your credit but to their discredit. So pray with them so long as they pray facing the qibla.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Ubaidallah b. ‘Adi b. al-Khiyar told how he visited ‘Uthman when he was besieged and said, “You are a leader who has been accepted generally, yet what you see has happened to you, and a rebel leader conducts our prayer and we abstain.” He replied, “Prayer is the best thing people do; so when people do good, do good along with them, but when they do evil turn aside from their evil-doing.” Bukhari transmitted it.

‘Umara b. Ruwaiba said that he heard God's Messenger say, “No one will enter hell who has prayed before the rising of the sun and before its setting," meaning the dawn and the afternoon prayer. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Musa reported God’s Messenger as saying, “He who observes the two cool times of prayer (at dawn and after nightfall) will enter paradise.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Angels take turns among you by night and by day, and they all assemble at the dawn and the afternoon prayers. Those who spent the night among you then ascend, and their Lord asks them, yet He is best informed about them, “How did you leave My servants?” They reply, “We left them while they were praying, and we came to them while they were praying.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jundub al-Qasri reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When anyone prays the morning prayer he is in God’s protection; so see that God does not call you to account for withdrawing in any respect from His protection, for if He does this to anyone for any cause He will catch him and turn him over on his face in the fire of Jahannam.” Muslim transmitted it. Some MSS. of al-Masabih have al-Qushair instead of al-Qasri.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If people knew what blessing lies in the call to prayer and in the first row, then could do nothing but cast lots for it, they would do so; if they know what blessing lies in going to prayer early, they would race to do it i and if they knew what blessing lies in the prayer after nightfall and the morning prayer, they would come to them even if they had to crawl to do so.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He also reported God’s Messenger as saying, "No prayer is more burdensome to the hypocrites than the dawn and the evening prayer; but if they know what blessing lies in them, they would come to them even if they had to crawl to do so.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Uthman reported God’s Messenger as saying, "If anyone prays the evening prayer in company, it is as though he had remained awake in prayer half the night; but if anyone prays the Morning Prayer in company, it is as though he had prayed the whole night.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, "Do not let the Bedouin take away from you the name of your prayer al-maghrib (sunset) which the Bedouin call al-'isha (evening); and do not let the Bedouin take away from you the name of your prayer al-‘isha, for it is mentioned as al-‘isha in God’s Book,1 and for they use the verb from the root ‘atama of milking camels at nightfall.” 1. (Al-Qur’an, 24:58.)

‘Ali reported God’s Messenger as saying at the battle of the Trench,2 "They have restrained us from the middle prayer,3 the afternoon prayer. God fill their houses and their graves with fire!” 2. The siege of Medina by Quraish in 5 A.H. 3. Cf. (Al-Qur’an, 2:238.) (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn Mas'ud and Samura b. Jundub reported God's Messenger as saying, "The middle prayer is the afternoon prayer.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Concerning God’s words, “The recitation of the dawn is witnessed,” (Al-Qur’an, 17:78). Abu Huraira quoted the Prophet as saying, "The angels of the night and the angels of the day are present at it.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Zaid b. Thabit and ‘A’isha said that the middle prayer is the noon prayer. Malik transmitted it from Zaid and Tirmidhi from both of them without a full isnad.

Zaib b. Thabit said that God’s Messenger used to pray the noon prayer in the extreme heat, observing no prayer more severe to his companions than it. Then was revealed, “And observe carefully the prayers and the middle prayer”; (Al-Qur’an, 2:238) and he said, “Before it there are two times of prayer and after it there are two times of prayer.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Malik heard that ‘Ali b. Abu Talib and ‘Abdallah b. ‘Abbas used to say, “The middle prayer is the morning prayer.” He transmitted it in al-Muwatta’, and Tirmidhi transmitted it from Ibn ‘Abbas and Ibn ‘Umar without a full isnad.

Salman said that he heard God’s Messenger say, “He who goes out early to Morning Prayer goes out with the standard of faith, but he who goes out early to the market goes out with the standard of Iblis.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Anas said they mentioned kindling fire and the use of a bell, and mentioned the Jews and the Christians. Then Bilal was ordered to repeat the call to prayer twice and the statement that the time for prayer had come (al-iqama) once. Isma'il1 said that he mentioned it to Ayyub,2 and he said it was correct except regarding the iqama. (Bukhari and Muslim.) 1. Bukhari (Adhan, 3) gives a shorter form of the tradition than that above, mentioning Ismail b. Ibrahim in his isnad and telling how he made the enquiry of Ayyub. 2. Ayyub b. Abu Tamima.

Abu Mahdhura said that God's Messenger himself taught him how to make the call to prayer, telling him to say, “God is most great. God is most great. God is most great. God is most great. I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger”; then to repeat, “I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. Come to prayer. Come to prayer. Come to salvation. Come to salvation. God is most great. God is most great. There is no god but God.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that in the time of God's Messenger the phrases in the adhan were uttered twice each and in the iqama once each, except for saying, ‘‘The time for prayer has come. The time for prayer has come.” Abu Dawud, Nasai and Darimi transmitted it.

Abu Mahdhura said that the Prophet taught him the adhan as consisting of nineteen words, and the iqama as consisting of seventeen words. Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Darimi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

When I asked God’s Messenger to teach me the sunna relating to the adhan he wiped the forepart of his head and said: You must say, “God is most great. God is most great. God is most great. God is most great,” raising your voice while saying these words. Then you must say, “I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger,” lowering your voice while saying these words. Then you must raise your voice in making the testimony, “I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. Come to prayer. Come to prayer. Come to salvation. Come to salvation”; and if it is the Morning Prayer you must say, “Prayer is better than sleep. Prayer is better than sleep. God’s is most great. God is most great. There is no god but God.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Bilal said, “God’s Messenger told me not to make the call to prayer twice for any of the prayers but the dawn prayer.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said that Abu Isra’il the transmitter is not considered by traditionists to be strong.

Jabir stated that God’s Messenger said to Bilal, “When you call the adhan speak deliberately, when you utter the iqama speak quickly, and leave between your adhan and your iqama time for one who eats to finish his food and one who drinks to finish his drink, and one who needs to relieve himself to do so. And do not get up to pray* till you see me do so.” * This sentence is addressed not only to Bilal, as the plural is used. Tirmidhi transmitted it and said, “I know it only from the tradition of ‘Abd al-Mun‘im, and it is an unknown isnad”